Petraeus Report, Live Blog IX

Alright, here we go.

We are live blogging the Petraeus/Crocker Report.

Rules:

Don't rec this diary, only rec the parent live blog diary, located here.  If you haven't recced that one yet, please go back and do so.

Please don't post pics or vids.

Jump to the next diary at around 200 comments.

If you have an off topic comment, use OT in the subject line.

If you have transcription comments, please post them as replies to the Tip Jar comment.

Linky goodness:

C-SPAN

C-SPAN 3

Real Player (C-Span)

Windows (C-Span)

Free Standing Real Player

CapitolHearings.org

Volunteers:

Your hosts so far:

  1.  Liveblog

  2.  Remembering Jello

  3.  Ellicatt

  4.  guyermo

  5.  OneCrankyDom (maybe)

  6.  joanneleon

  7.  lurks a lot

  8.  kimoconnor

  9.  Marcus Tullius (butting in line, the asshole)

 10.  dotdot

 11.  Donnas

 12.  Maggie Mae

 13.  ?

 14.  ?

 15.  ?

 16.  ?

 17.  ?

•  Please reply here with transcription.

  by Marcus Tullius on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 02:18:43 PM PDT

•  And post everything else after this.

  by Marcus Tullius on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 02:19:02 PM PDT

•  Sorry, I'm done.

  Absolutely beat.  Thanks to all who helped.

  by Marcus Tullius on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:12:25 PM PDT

  •  Thanks, you and the helpers are

    appreciated, especially for us who pop in and out and then have no problem catching up.

    by paige on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:18:45 PM PDT

•  Smith rocks!

  keeps saying "occupation"

  by tgray on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:13:50 PM PDT

•  i don't know that we'll need

  any diaries beyond this one.  the hearings have got to be ending soon, huh?

  but the fun continues tomorrow:

  http://www.dailykos.com/...

  by Liveblog on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:13:55 PM PDT

  •  Any minute now, I expect.

    I think I heard they could stay til 6, but would be able to extend that by 20 minutes.

    by poe on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:21:17 PM PDT

    •  yeah...i don't think we need to go beyond

      this one.

      IF YOU VOLUNTEERED FOR A DIARY, I THINK THE HEARING WILL BE OVER SOON.

      i'll update the muthaship as soon as that happens.

      by Liveblog on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:26:02 PM PDT

      •  2 AM

        I feel like the last girl at the bar. I've hung around this long to be Liveblog XI and we'll be closing down just before my big shot.

        I'm not even leaving the bar with the guy no one else wanted. I'm leaving alone.

        by donnas on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:30:07 PM PDT

        •  i know...it's annoying

          it's hard to ever gauge how many diaries will be needed.

          can you do one tomorrow?

          by Liveblog on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:32:15 PM PDT

          •  Depends...

            How many folks are lined up so far?

            I don't want to have to stay online all day to be prepared to launch my diary, but it seems a shame to waste the draft I created. I can modify it for tomorrow with a few simple changes.

            What number would I be if I signed up now?

            by donnas on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:36:17 PM PDT

            •  Aw, don't leave alone

              Take this thread of inspired snark with you.

              You could take TruthOfAngels too.  He's swarthy, attractive and foreign.

              All right, he's pale as milk and looks like a boot.  But he is foreign.  One out of three ain't bad.

              :)

              by TruthOfAngels on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:47:14 PM PDT

              •  That was Damned funny! Herb for POTUS!

                by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 04:04:53 AM PDT

                •  Thanks

                  It was LiberalVirginian's idea.  I just helped him out a little.

                  by TruthOfAngels on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 07:13:01 AM PDT

                  •  Or her (nt)

                    by TruthOfAngels on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 07:14:01 AM PDT

            •  9 lined up so far

              but that is through two hearings.  so who knows how many will be needed.  i do think we need to scale back the volunteer list in the future, to avoid this very thing.  still ironing some kinks out of the system.  

              sorry.

              by Liveblog on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 09:59:52 PM PDT

        •  we love you anyway...

          for stepping up !

          Duty, honor & live blogging!

          by Thought I Was last Screamin Liberal on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:46:10 PM PDT

•  Eliot Engel says, "What I'm hearing from

  you two is, esentially, stay the course."

  by Rumarhazzit on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:16:32 PM PDT

  •  And shows that Gen. P was partisan 3 years ago

    and remains Pollyanish to this day. Good for Engel.

    by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:17:55 PM PDT

•  Crocker can not say

  that ethnic division will not stop, he can't even say it wil slow down. If that is so how can he say that we have any chance of a political solution, which most agree is the only way this will end. He knows this Bush surge is just unsustainable escalation, but will not say the truth.

  by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:16:55 PM PDT

•  Engel is reading Petraeus' own rosy op-ed to him

  ... from 3 years ago.

  by lotlizard on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:18:28 PM PDT

  •  asdf

    Finally

    by BDA in VA on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:19:20 PM PDT

  •  when, oh, when will they realize words come

    back to bite. Now Petraeus appreciate the opportunity to stand by those words!

    by paige on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:20:53 PM PDT

  •  Gen. P says no sectarian violence until Samarra

    and 3 years ago we were getting our act together, but it all went to hell. Now I am being realistic and you just have to beleve that I am correct now. So there.

    by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:21:32 PM PDT

    •  Each time "they" bring

      up Samarra as a scapegoat, my fear that we had something to do w/ it grows.

      by protectspice on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:26:58 PM PDT

    •  No sectarian violence until

      Samarra? Is he frakkin' kidding? What the frak as going on before then, just the last throes of the dead enders?

      Bush says this all the time, but how can he? Is anyone calling him on it?

      by litigatormom on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:35:15 PM PDT

      •  When opinons are facts no one gets called n/t

        by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:39:16 PM PDT

•  Engel, "Optimism is great, but reality is what

  we really need."

  by Rumarhazzit on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:19:29 PM PDT

  •  He stands by his 3 year old op-ed!

    I can't believe these guys.......

    And I bet if we go back and look we will find that training WAS NOT on track 3 years ago.

    by kimoconnor on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:20:40 PM PDT

    •  Yeah, Cause He Was Right About The "Hardships!"

      Don't forget, he "feels' the deaths, deeply.  It's just tearing him up.

      by leonard145b on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:22:12 PM PDT

      •  He says he's off the hook because he included

        ... a few pro forma caveats as a disclaimer.

        by lotlizard on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:25:38 PM PDT

      •  He DID not answer the question however

        which was why should we believe him today? At least I did not hear any rational answer.

        by kimoconnor on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:27:54 PM PDT

•  "Iraqis Will Not Step-Up, Unitl We Step Out"

  Engel sounds great!

  by leonard145b on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:21:07 PM PDT

•  I hated the Moveon ad this AM...

  I'm a long time member.

  But now... I hate it for distracting the facts of the sham!!!

  Not one person all day read past it's headline!

  Shot in the foot again!

  Damn!

  by Thought I Was last Screamin Liberal on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:22:52 PM PDT

•  Eliot Engel kicking ass!

  Engel"Americans are dying in someone else's civil war"

  "Is this the best way to keep the US save?"

  Reads from an op-ed Patreaus wrote 3 years ago - describing sunny scenario that has never played out... essentially saying everything he is saying today. Busted!

  "Why should we believe your assessment is any more accurate today than it was then - in 2004?"

  "Optimism is great but what we really need is reality"

  now Patreaus "all I was doing was saying training was on track - and it was."

  but "along came sectarian violence" which literally tore the fabric of Iraqi society. Sectraian forces and influences have destroyed all previous gains.

  I am a "pessimist and no longer an optimist"

  military progress has only recently resumed in past 3 months - due to the SURGE.

  by tgray on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:23:16 PM PDT

  •  Where is it? I want a link up here

    We need to find fast what Engel was talking about and spread it.

    by AHiddenSaint on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:25:21 PM PDT

    •  here it is!

      Washington Post

      by tgray on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:27:52 PM PDT

•  Petraeus Redux:

  While it's true that the last 5 years have been an abortion, the past 5 weeks have shown progress.
  Therefore, we need more billions, and much more time..

  by steelman on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:24:05 PM PDT

  •  exactly!

    he's basing everything on the past few weeks.

    by tgray on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:25:50 PM PDT

  •  Well played n/t

    by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:26:07 PM PDT

•  If The Iraqis Can't Schedule Elections, We'll

  just go on and schedule it for you."  Democracy is so great!  Who is this Bozo?

  by leonard145b on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:24:23 PM PDT

  •  Akin...a melon headed R from MO n/t

    by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:27:13 PM PDT

•  Todd Akin (R) MO makes the subtle

  pitch to ditch Maliki. Just replace the puppet, but keep the strings and things will be fine. Fedralism will solve all problems. New mayors, thats the ticket.

  by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:25:03 PM PDT

  •  Because replacing Ngo Dinh Diem in Vietnam and

    ... Norodom Sihanouk in Cambodia (with Thieu & Ky and with Lon Nol respectively) worked out sooo well for all concerned ...

    by lotlizard on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:29:31 PM PDT

    •  Didn't it though? n/t

      by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:32:45 PM PDT

  •  One of the benchmarks they did not meet

    included holding provincial elections.

    by kimoconnor on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:32:24 PM PDT

•  Petraeus says the Military needs to "finish the

  ...mission."  We what the hell part of the mission have they not completed other then exiting?

  Someone needs to ask him, "Gen. Petraeus tell us what part of the mission given to the military is incomplete?"

  by Gator on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:27:31 PM PDT

  •  For God's sake

    I know it's not strictly relevant, but why does Crocker have such a dull yet f-ing irritating voice?

    Also (and full disclosure, I'm a limey) how in hell do these people get elected?  Only about 1 in 10 has any oratorical skills whatsoever, and I'm not differentiating between D and R there.  Do none of them ever toughen up by speaking in front of hostile audiences?

    It really gets my goat.  I mean, Robert Wexler (FL-19) spoke the right words, but did he have to speak them in such a 'please, don't hit me!' sort of way?  Damn.

    by TruthOfAngels on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:40:54 PM PDT

•  Who IS this dude? Boozman says ...

  "I'm pleased to hear that we're going to be able to withdraw..."

  by Rumarhazzit on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:28:50 PM PDT

  •  Groan.. AR (R)

    but hey thank God he's our only (R).

    by arkdem on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:36:33 PM PDT

•  This maroon thinks VOA will work

  Crocker says, "well we tried that with mixed results but the Al-Hurra out Al-Jazeera'd us and that went to shiite too."

  by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:30:31 PM PDT

•  Sanchez (d) CA time...go girl n/t

  by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:31:41 PM PDT

•  i have been gone for five hours or so...

  ...what did i miss????

  ///sound of crickets///

  NOT A FUCKING THING...

  this is a fantastic congressional circle-jerk but, not much more, no?

  by james risser on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:34:08 PM PDT

  •  Dow up 14.47 n.t.

    by Executive Odor on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:42:26 PM PDT

    •  only???

      ...with iraq buying all of our shit, the iraq 'fund' being created, the impending war with iran, the 'federalism'---meaning oil law---being forced through a freshly-minted coup-run iraqi gov't, i would think wall street had WOOD all day...

      by james risser on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:47:31 PM PDT

      •  Looks like

        everything sucks.

        by Executive Odor on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:50:58 PM PDT

•  Paraphrasing Sancez...

  "If counterinsurgency doctrine relies on listening to the feelings of the local populations, how come you aren't paying any attention to the polls that say the majority of Iraquis want us out and that the surge is making things worse.."

  by Rumarhazzit on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:35:11 PM PDT

  •  Sanchez .... damn typos.

    by Rumarhazzit on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:35:39 PM PDT

•  Sanches: Why aren't the Iraqis happy Iraqis?

  Sanchez asks why the polling by BBC doesn't align with your poll results? Crocker replies, "Theres lots a polls and they are all inaccurate, except of course for the ones we do. We show some that say opposite. The leaders say they feel more secure."

  Except of course they live in the Green Zone.

  by kilo50 on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:36:39 PM PDT

•  She appears to be

  ...going.

  Good lass.

  by fatdave on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:36:41 PM PDT

•  Polling in Iraq is an inexact science at this

  point but I'm not questioning this poll in particular.

  What a dishonest ass.  All polls are inaccurate but not this one in particular because I might have to cite them at some point.

  by Dr Colossus on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:37:05 PM PDT

•  Sanchez - giving the Iraqi perspective

  Quoting opinion polls from Iraq.

  Example of questions: 70% of Iraqi's say surge has made things worse in security, economic development, and construction.

  bottom line: Iraqi's disagree that SURGE is "working" and want "occupation" to end.

  Iraqi's are "living this hell day by day"

  The vast majority of Iraqi's want US OUT OF IRAQ - according to the BBC poll.

  How concerned are you in the sharp decline in public confidence. Can you explain the disconnect here in what this poll shows and what you are telling us?  

  Crocker - disagrees with the entire thing and says he believes the exact opposite is true.

  by tgray on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:38:07 PM PDT

  •  Link to poll

    Here

    by arkdem on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:42:05 PM PDT

•  Sanchez: Why is the ABC/BBC poll so far off..

  of your anecdotal (observations)?

  He has no idea.  

  by AmyVVV on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:38:34 PM PDT

  •  Sure, he does. n.t.

    by Executive Odor on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:40:20 PM PDT

•  Economy

  I'm not surprised that the administration that thinks our economy is doing so well because the top 1% are happy is confident from the qualitative comments they here around town that Iraq's economy is improving.

  by donnas on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:38:46 PM PDT

•  What a long day

  with so little to show for it!

  by kimoconnor on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:39:19 PM PDT

  •  Doese any one know if the dems

    coordinate their questions?  They get so little time and no follow up.

    by Dr Colossus on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:42:36 PM PDT

  •  I have something to show for it.

    I have a BAD headache.  :(

    by lurks a lot on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:44:42 PM PDT

•  And with that, we will resume the war. n/t

  by AmyVVV on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:39:25 PM PDT

•  Referee Skelton just blew the closing whistle n/t

  by lotlizard on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:39:26 PM PDT

•  ha! Sanchez follows up w/impt point

  "why is the poll so far off of your "anecdotal" ...

  he simply tries to disregard a scientific poll in favor of his anecdotes.

  sad!

  by tgray on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:39:42 PM PDT

•  Meeting adjourned...headlines tomorrow will be..

  "Troops Coming Home!" Even though it's not true...

  by Rumarhazzit on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:39:51 PM PDT

  •  Today see my post above. N/T

    by arkdem on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:43:12 PM PDT

•  It looks like it's closing up..

  So i'm not gonna post my diary... Thanks everyone putting up a liveblog!!!

  by dotdot on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:39:55 PM PDT

•  Thank you livebloggers

  for being such gracious hosts!

  by poe on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 03:42:31 PM PDT