Petraeus: The "Not Greatest Generation's" Patton?
I almost fell out of my chair Tuesday when I heard General David Petraeus tell a Senate Subcommittee, "That's correct" in reply to a question from, I think, McCain or Lieberman asking if those resolutions [proposed non-binding resolutions of no confidence in further offensive operations in Baghdad] would give encouragement to the enemy by exposing divisions among the American people. (I heard the statement first hand on the Rush Limbaugh program (taped delay) via C-Span3 and I've been desperately seeking a transcript ever since.)
Townhall.com's Mary Katherine Ham is in the same boat, so until we can get the unadulterated, unfiltered, unslanted version of what happened we'll just have to read between the lines of MSM accounts, as Mary Katherine has done.
Whither Patton, you ask? I can't exactly put my finger on what he said that inspired me to believe Pettraeus is a general's general (hence the desire for a transcript) but I think it was a bit like Patton's "Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."
One person unwilling to get out of Petraeus' way was Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.):
His statement drew a sharp rebuke from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who said, "I very sincerely but wholeheartedly disagree," saying the point was to send a message to Iraqis.
With all due respect, Senator, the question was not, "Are those resolutions intended to give encouragement to the enemy," it was if they "would give" said encouragement. You can sincerely but wholeheartedly disagree, you can belabor your version of reality, you can even pound on the desk with your shoe, but none of this does anything to alter the facts.
Patton once said, "No good decision was made in a swivel chair." Now that the Senate has confirmed his appointment 81-0, Petraeus can stop wasting time with these people and spend it with his warriors instead. As a military scholar he is doubtless aware of Patton's creed: “I am a soldier, I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight.” You fight in Iraq, General; we'll fight America's enemies in the U.S. Senate.
Iraq
Posted by JohnGalt at January 28, 2007 5:23 PM
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Report showed the clip and followed it with Senator Warner's dissembling, "he had no right to answer that question" response. They usually post a transcript of the show on Monday.
I will be linking to the transcript as well, James Taranto ended the show saying "I'd just like to say, by the way, four weeks ago on this show, I said I thought that now the Democrats are in power, they would be more responsible. I officially retract that statement."
UPDATE: I corrected the quote and here's the link.
Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.): Suppose that we send you additional troops, and we tell those troops that we support you, but we are convinced that you cannot accomplish your mission and we do not support the mission we are sending you on. What effect does that have on the morale of your troops?
Petraeus: Well, if would not be a beneficial affect.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I., Conn): The Senate-passed resolution of disapproval for this new strategy to Iraq would give the enemy some encouragement, some feeling that--well, some clear expression that the American people were divided.
Petraeus: That's correct, sir.
[...]
Gigot: But those comments by Gen. Petraeus clearly discomforted some senators. And let's see that--Sen. John Warner of Virginia, how he responded.
Warner: I hope that this colloquy has not entrapped you into some responses that you might later regret. I wonder if you would just give me the assurance that you'll go back and examine this transcript, as to what you replied with respect to certain of these questions.
Gigot: Clearly, John Warner, Kim, did not like what he had heard from the general, because he thinks that--and he is one of the sponsors of these resolutions. Other senators felt the same way. Why are they so upset?
Strassel: You saw them all twisting in their seats. And it's because Petraeus blew apart this sort of fiction that's out there, which they would all like everyone to continue to believe, which is that they can put forward this resolution, they can express their unhappiness, and that nothing serious will happen as a result of it. And Petraeus said, no, that is not the issue. What was more interesting is he seemed to be so angry that Petraeus was involved with politics. And the shame of it is that someone didn't mention why is John Warner involved with generaling the war?
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Report showed the clip and followed it with Senator Warner's dissembling, "he had no right to answer that question" response. They usually post a transcript of the show on Monday.
I will be linking to the transcript as well, James Taranto ended the show saying "I'd just like to say, by the way, four weeks ago on this show, I said I thought that now the Democrats are in power, they would be more responsible. I officially retract that statement."
UPDATE: I corrected the quote and here's the link.
Posted by: jk at January 28, 2007 7:12 PM | What do you think? [1]