Petraeus and Crocker Report - Liveblog IX

Hearings continue on the Petraeus Iraq Report. Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of the Multinational Forces Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, U.S. Amb. to Iraq, appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Cmte and Senate Armed Services Cmte. On Monday, the two took part in a joint hearing of the House Armed Services Cmte. and the House Foreign Affairs Cmte.  Beginning at 9:30 am EDT.

Wikipedia links:

United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

United States Senate Committee on Armed Services

Video links:

C-Span 3

CapitolHearings.org

Tuesday, Sep. 11, 2007
   
9:30 a.m. EDT

     Foreign Relations
          To hold hearings to examine Iraq, focusing on the Crocker-Petraeus report.

                                                       SD-419
2 p.m. EDT
     
     Armed Services
     
          To hold hearings to examine the situation in Iraq, focusing on the progress made             by the Government of Iraq in meeting benchmarks.

                                                       SH-216

Diaries liveblogging the hearings:

 1. Liveblog

 2. Tracker  

 3. Oreo

 4. Ellicatt

 5. donnamarie (new Mothership) - please rec this one, not the one you're reading now

 6. MKinTN

 7. shayera

 8. AnotherMassachusettsLiberal

 9. TruthOfAngels (or 'me', as I call me)

10. Miss Blue

11. Remembering Jello

12. ???

       

• List of admonitions:

      The Mothership has slipped off the Rec List.  So Please Rec #5 (see linky below) (and un-Rec the previous).  We will still update the Mothership with links.

The main Liveblog Mothership is here, but as noted above, has slipped off the Rec list.

      No pictures - not a one and yes; this includes you.

      Please reply to the first comment only with transcriptions.

      New diaries usually pop up when the comments get to around 250.

And a final word from the Liveblog crew:

So, we're still ironing out some kinks with this new liveblog system stuff.  Marcus Tullius was clever enough to set up an email account for us to use:  

liveblogdkos at gmail dot com

Suggestions (even nerds like us can't keep up with everything C-SPAN does), flames, tips, diary volunteers, etc. - that email addy is the cat-herding clearinghouse.

Once more into the liveblog breach, dear friends, once more.

•  Please post transcripts

  As replies to this comment.  Thanks.

  by TruthOfAngels on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 12:50:41 PM PDT

  •  Akaka

    Amb. Crocker, I am worried about handing the Iraqi gov't back to the Iraqi people. [LM note: so much for democracy....] Why haven't the Iraqis met the benchmarks for political reconciliation?

    Crock: It's hard.  [LM note: And they say the White House didn't write the testimony....] Not to say that we should stop pushing them, but it's hard. [LM note: Jeez Louise, how lame!]

    Petraeus: They've done better in meeting some of the military benchmarks, like getting troops to designated areas, etc.

    by litigatormom on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:52:54 PM PDT

    •  Are the transcripts

      supposed to be funny too?  I know, writing transcripts is hard.

      by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:55:11 PM PDT

  •  Akaka

    A:  how much of the country is under control of Shia factions?

    GP:  haven't sat down to figure the percentage.  there is certainly (large number) in Sadr city.  Several others in Baghdad.  Maliki has taken steps to address this in certain locations and certain ministries.  Sadr has hijacked some ministries as well.

    I would have to walk down through the shia south - have been serious challenges by shia militias including the assassinations of two governors.  

    Most of the provinces, Iraq forces have controlled.  Basra is in the throes of an establishment of a strong security operational command.  a shia Iraqi solution to an Iraqi problem that seems to be doing reasonably well.

    by Ellicatt on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:54:56 PM PDT

  •  Akaka

    Akaka: prime minister will have to understand this.. mr amb crocker and gen petr can you explain to me why we are not holding the iraqi govt accountable for failing to reach their benchmarks as we said we would?

    Crocker: the benchmark exercise, the failure of the iraqi govt to reach the benchmarks has been very frustr to me pers, frustr to iraqi govt.. these are diff to do partic in condit of signif viol.. in recent months have seen viol tone down in signif way.. while they are iraq's own benchmarks the reality has been that in many cases it has been simply too hard to do as a straight up national level initiative.. doesn't mean they should quit or we should stop pressing them.. think we've got to be realistic here, they haven't been able to do them in the time that they and we agreed .. they have been able to do some practical thngs.. so i guess the final point i would make is that we have to keep in mind that benchmarks are means to an end, that end is reconciliation.. should not lose sight of that as meas of progress

    Petr: talk about security related benchmarks, iraqis have done better with those.. 3 brigades, maybe not level of readiness.. some of them have gained good bit of respect from our forces, partic one from basra.. PM maliki has not limited oper anywhere in iraq, as you recall my predecessor was asked to remove checkpoints.. we have not had that, talked our way thru this.. shia extremists in partic and also the militia threat.. something he became much more concerned about over time so in that regard there is a more positive level of performance.. in other areas, maliki himself has done the right thing, have concerns in other echelons of command have not done what we expected they would do.. again in secur area more positive than bigger more legislative areas

    Akaka: iraq expert strategic intl studies said in the six months the surge has been underway we've lost about 30? percent of country to shia.. increase in shia on shia violence.. do you agree with his assessment.. how much country under control of shia factions

    Petraeus: i haven't sat down and figured out how much under shia control.. large parts of sadr city.. PM maliki has taken steps to addr this in certain locations and ministries.. sadr movement really hijacked some of ministries.. min of health.. i wold have to walk down thru the shia cells, there have cert been serious challenges.. assass of two governors but wouldn't say that there are any entire provinces this way.. in most of those prov iraqi security have rolled back some of that, but others as you walk your way down, and then basrs is in the throes of the establ of a security command, new police chief.. shia solution to an iraqi problem seems to be doing reasonably well.. titled "the case for strategic patience"

    by joanneleon on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:55:46 PM PDT

  •  Chambliss

    Chambliss: i get alot of emails from soldiers on the ground because of how many times I've been there.. got one in jan from soldier who had been on ground for sev months.. he said senator i want you to know how refreshing it is to have new leadership.. sent me a memo you sent out.. relentless against the enemy.. that's the kind of leadership we need if we're going to prevail.. want to go back to the issue of iran.. we know there are EFPs being manuf in iran or shipped from .. more deadly than IEDs so we know iranians having signif influence on troops lives.. you didn't get much of positive reaction from diplom standpoint, does it merit pursuing further

    Crocker: it's an option we want to preserve.. our first couple rounds didn't produce anything.. don't think we should be in a big hurry to have another round nor do i think we shouldn't talk anymore.. things have strange way of developing in that part of the world.. see about sadr call to stand down.. after neg reaction sadr and ? recvd because of viol in relig festival.. could lead to some recalc in iran, don't know.. see whether.. i would submit that for iran whose people suffered from saddam more than anyone other than iraqis themselves.. keep options on table

    Chambliss:  what about military options.. slow down shipment of arms

    Petraeus: we have conducted number of oper against indiv .. one of the major arms smuggl networks.. just picked up another cache in last 24/36 hours.. now the georgia (country) brigade that has just deployed is very keen to operate outside the wire.. interdict flow of arms.. they're in a very strategic location.. border to the east of qut?  

    Chambliss: any consid given to establ larger mil presence

    Petraeus: there's also a rather large base at qut, that's where georgia brigade deployed and small US pres and some small border brigade..

    by joanneleon on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:03:44 PM PDT

  •  Nelson

    Nelson (NE)

    Nelson: general, earlier in conv you had with sen reed the quest was raised can you sustain 130K troops at end of next summer..

    Petraeus: i was talking about the surge.. if i asked to extend then it would have taken from another component either reserves or nat guard.. not sure what marines and army have available

    Nelson: do you think that if you have a 15 month req for soldiers that you should have 15 months off

    Petraeus: i want max amount possible but it's not my call.. i establ the req for achievement of the objectives

    Nelson: i assume you'd have an opinion

    Petraeus: the longer the better, but not within my power

    Nelson: let's assume the congress enacts a requirement that if 15 months in country, have to have 15 months not in country.. let's look at your goal, can you sustain your req 130K

    Petraeus: i'm not the one to ask - really a quest for army chief of staff

    Nelson: we will cert ask that and there's no mystery that the reserves and nat guard have diff with enlistmetns

    Petraeus: can i clarify, i'm not saying we're going to sit at 130k, we're going to come down but i can't say what will be the slope of that line

    Nelson: but i clearly got the impression that you think we'll have 130k at end of next summer

    Petraeus: i said we'd have 15 brigades.. what i want to do is get as low as we can.. trying to see where we can achieve savings

    Nelson: can you venture a guess or wish

    Petraeus: not this year.. after the summer.. with any confidence i can't predict level of continued force drawdown beyond mid july..  will make recomm no later than end of march

    Nelson: do you see an indic of political reconcil

    Petraeus: what i've seen is that the PM himself reaching out to sunnis in anbar.. flew him to tikrit the other day.. going to take awhile to reach critical mass.. that's an important combination.. tangible sign of national reconcil.. we've talked about the fact that there is no oil rev sharing law but there is oil rev sharing going on.. the govt spending is hugely important in iraq because that's what helps the people

    by joanneleon on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:12:28 PM PDT

    •  wrong Nelson

      I think that was Nelson FL - not NE

      by joanneleon on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:23:25 PM PDT

    •  that was my senator

      bill nelson of Florida

      by bobnbob on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 05:04:45 PM PDT

  •  Lindsey Graham

    Graham: we're spending 9 bil a month to stay

    Petraeus: the nat interests we have in iraq are substantial..

    Graham: would that be a yes

    Petraeus: yes

    Graham: so you're saying that at least 60 soldiers are going to be killed and that we'll spend 9 bil a month.. do you believe it's worth it

    Petraeus: yes

    Graham: don't you think most soldiers know what lies ahead

    Petraeus: yes.. they know the sacrifice that may be req

    Graham: knowing what's coming their way, how is morale?

    Petraeus: let me just say that it's solid.. i believe that morale is an indiv thing.. if you lost a buddy that day.. that doesn't mean you don't have enormous committment.. one reason they do reenlist, it's not just the bonus.. committing yourself to something bigger than themselves

    Graham: i hear from soldiers they don't want their kids to have to come back here, do you hear that?

    Petraeus: yes, and i have a kid

    Graham: what's the diff betw an dysfunct govt and a failed state

    Crocker: in a democr system, there is a mechanism for the removal of govts that people get tired of

    Graham: would you agree that iraq is a dysfunt govt at this time

    Crocker: cert it is challenged

    Graham: you called it dysfunct.. you could say that we're dysfunc and you wouldn't be wrong

    Crocker: umm..

    Graham: what i'm trying to say.. what's the worse case scenario

    Crocker: a failure, a compl failure where dysfunct govt leads to failed state.. that's one avenue the other is on our part that we decide we don't want to sustain our committment.. ahmendijad has said iran will seek to fill the void

    Graham: is failed state a possibility

    Crocker: it is

    Graham: do your actions affect

    Crocker: yes they could

    Graham: general what's the worse case

    Petraeus: it is the conseq of a failed state, failure to support iraqis in their object.. AQ increase, heightened sect viol.. alliances of conveniences, humanitarian disaster for which we would share resp, flow of oil

    ...

    Petraeus: it has been regarded by AQ as the central front.. enormous shot of adrenaline in shot of jihadists.. can again export elsewhere.. don't know what would happen, good quest for intel folks

    by joanneleon on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:22:27 PM PDT

  •  Dole

    Dole: ... litany of mistakes made at the outset of the war.. we know security has improved.. failure of maliki to achieve political.. gen petr i agree with your recommendations.. many units could be reassigned to reduce flow of iranian arms .. deny entry of foreign fighters thru syria.. recent WSJ described that pentagon preparing to build first US base.. iran border.. would like to see more secure borders.. as we move more people out of baghdad and into border areas.. saudi arabia, jordan, kuwait.. why have they not stepped up to plate diplomatically and economically

    crocker: it's been an important part of overall strat.. we have been engaged with neighbors, that's whole point of neighbors exercise that took place on sunday... debt relief from days of iran/iraq war.. by and large have agreed to 80% debt forgiveness.. other steps with neighb.. SA planning to reopen embassy, would hope it would show the way to other arab neighb.. we've also pressed, oh and there's a negot betw iraq and kuwait - supply of diesel.. direct touch w/ neighb on security issues.. flow thru syria from other states, urge these states to prevent easy travel of young men on one way tickets, damascus airport.. we're going to continue dipl strat .. arab states.. they are starting to do more and to accept they have critical interests.. outcomes are important to them and they can affect the outcomes

    petr: jordan has always been quite supportive and worked hard to limit fighter flow.. to ensure AQ defeated as much as poss .. syria.. we are looking very hard to see how much they have done.. AQ is a threat to them.. we see signs that they recogn and have taken some steps.. some of the source countries have made it more diff to travel to damascus on one way ticket.. suicide bombers that have created such horrific casualites

    by joanneleon on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:43:08 PM PDT

  •  Bayh

    Bayh

    bayh: don't believe questioning you is wrong, in a democracy.. bottom line is that the amer people .. to continue sacrifice.. iraqis get their act together

    crocker: there is a process underway that we talked about this afternoon, it's bottom up to some degree, it's top down to some degree and there are some linkages... obv need to go much farther if it is to carry iraq

    bayh: ambass, for sev years now progress has not been adequate.. insecure people don't make hard decisions.. what about accountability, what about consequences if they don't.. they're not doing what they need to do, when do we say enough already

    crocker: it's important to bear in mind the recent past.. 06/07 was bad period, things weren't moving forward and in fact sliding back.. iraq came close to

    bayh: ...they weren't making progress then either

    crocker: the challenges are immense.. frust to me, i'm out there, we're pushing them constantly in all sorts of ways

    bayh: need to be honest with ourselves.. isn't it possible that this just may be beyond them.. don't we constantly need to be eval their capabilities

    crocker: i think clearly that's the case.. we're here today to give our best assess..

    bayh: what you're hearing from alot of us is that so often we tried to give benefit of the doubt, so there we are. general, i kind of come down on the side of consequences.  general i thought you had an excellent resp to sen warner's quest.. will that make america safe?  you said you couldn't answer

    petr:  i thank you for opportuntiy to addr that. i've been so focused on iraq so drawing out was a bit of a surprise.. we have serious interests in iraq.. i think really the answer is yes

    bayh: you've given that a little more thought'

    petr: yes

    bayh: you referred to DIA and how AQ views iraq.. let me refer to some other statements of our intel services.. we all want to avoid iraq becoming platform for terrorists.. indic in public testim, they said our presence is generating more enemies .. AQ is reconstit itself.

    [Sorry, this guy is too hard to follow, all over the place... i'll pick up on another senator]

    by joanneleon on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:52:03 PM PDT

•  And here's the sandbox

  For more Pet 'n' Crock-related fun.  What merry pranksters these two are . . . no, wait a minute, that was Laurel and Hardy.  These guys aren't funny at all.

  by TruthOfAngels on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 12:51:58 PM PDT

  •  Thanks to all the Liveblogger diarists

    Great cat herding!

    by kfred on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:52:46 PM PDT

    •  Stop The DC Establishment is the message

      I just got in my e-mail:
      Tell the DC Establishment: Enough!

      http://stopthedcestablishment.com/

      by fayeforcure on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:45:54 PM PDT

  •  Listening to Alice In Chains on iPod

    I heard these lyrics and immediately thought of the Bush Administration:

    So there's problems in your life
    That's fucked up
    But you're not blind
    You're just see-through
    Faded
    Overrated
    And out of your mind

    by Auntie Neo Kawn on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:53:50 PM PDT

  •  How many more Senators?

    3 or 4?

    by kimoconnor on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:56:35 PM PDT

    •  Cripes.

      About ten, from my count.  Just going on memory, though.

      by Miss Blue on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:02:13 PM PDT

      •  I make it 12

        After Bill Nelson, up now.

        Graham (R-SC)
        Ben Nelson (D-NE)
        Dole (R-NC)
        Bayh (D-IN)
        Cornyn (R-TX)
        Clinton (D-NY)
        Thune (R-SD)
        Pryor (D-AR)
        Martinez (R-FL)
        Webb (D-VA)
        Corker (R-TN)
        McCaskill (D-MO)

        by TruthOfAngels on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:08:19 PM PDT

        •  We've got some,,,

          heavy hitters coming up.  I hope we can close this thing with a bang.

          by Miss Blue on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:10:13 PM PDT

•  Thanks so much!

  by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:52:22 PM PDT

  •  For such a bawdy person you're very polite n/t

    by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:57:10 PM PDT

    •  You are my role model

      ;-D

      by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:11:47 PM PDT

•  Basra again brought by Akaka

  How can you control the country when you don't control the Shia militias and your own damn supply lines from Kuwait ( last part mine.) Gen. P says I don't calculate percentage of another military forces control. Just our own.

  Gen P. you control the ground under your boots and nothing elase.

  by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:53:38 PM PDT

  •  Filibuster time

    by Fools on the Hill on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:54:48 PM PDT

    •  Have to admit Gen P. is good at it n/t

      by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:56:23 PM PDT

•  Strategic Patience solves evertything

  The new same old plan that smells a lot like "Stay The Course."

  by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:55:35 PM PDT

•  Saxby is up

  by moose67 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:56:44 PM PDT

•  Another drawling droner up - Chambliss (GA) n/t

  by lurks a lot on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:57:05 PM PDT

•  Oy, time to

  open a bottle of sauvignon blanc and find my straws.

  by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:57:28 PM PDT

  •  Why not just suck down a box o' wine

    straight?

    I keep wondering if any enterprising individual has ever filled those juice boxes/bags with super high proof alcohol.

    I'm sad.  I got to listen to the first hearing and crank out housework.  Then I missed the beginning of this one while I waited on school buses and now it's PBS Kids time.

    It was interesting to listen to Senators blow through the bullshit like a combine mowing down grain.

    by Fabian on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:37:01 PM PDT

•  Excellent timing Truth of Angels

  Kudos.

  Chamblis is a fool and his first name is Saxby.

  I wonder if he's related to Zack Wamp?

  by SecondComing on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:57:43 PM PDT

•  Gawd

  Chambliss is as nauseating as the rest of them.  All glad-handing the General, while he's not patting himself on the back.  

  Blah blah, I've been to Iraq soooo many times, blah blah, I get so many emails from troops since I've been to Iraq so many times, blah blah.

  Ick.

  by Miss Blue on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:57:53 PM PDT

•  Saxby bases his moral assesment on

  how pumped up the guys at Fort Bening going through AT are. They have not been to Iraq yet Saxby, at least most in training.

  by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:58:13 PM PDT

•  Chambliss:

  IRAN! IRAN! IRAN!

  by sc kitty on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:58:22 PM PDT

•  More on Iran from Chandless

  At least he's technically sticking to "diplomatic" measures, but he's trying to lead into the argument that the diplomatic measures are failing and therefore there's only military options.

  by Remillard on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:58:26 PM PDT

  •  Objection: Leading the witness. n/t

    by Marcus Tullius on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:59:29 PM PDT

  •  Any one who refers

    back to Lieberman is not thinking diplomatic solutions.

    by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:59:56 PM PDT

•  Oh great,

  let's go back to Liebermonger and talk about Iran.  Why don't they ever talk about nuking Saudi Arabia?

  by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:58:31 PM PDT

  •  You mean the same Suadi Arabia

    that is supplying an estimated %40 of foreign fighters?

    Or the one that 15/19 of the 9-11 high-jackers came from?

    by BlueGenes on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:02:52 PM PDT

    •  Hey, YOU figured it out

      so why hasn't LIEBERMAN?

      I am not a troll because I use caps.  I'm an artist.

      by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:04:10 PM PDT

      •  Leiberman isnt a troll either, he's an artist

        A neo-con artist. Ha!

        No really, what a jerk.

        (cheap mojo, come my way)

        by BlueGenes on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:09:18 PM PDT

  •  Not a threat to Israel

    Here's the senator from Tel Aviv in his own words.  
    .

    by Grand Moff Texan on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:50:45 PM PDT

•  OT

  CNN reported that Petraeus could not say if Iraq war was making US safer.

  I wonder if the rest of the MSM will report that one?

  by kimoconnor on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:59:34 PM PDT

  •  Chris Matthews is on "fire" about it

    He just had on Biden.  Senator Webb just is coming on now.

    by mjd in florida on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:18:14 PM PDT

    •  The Good Tweety on again?

      He was pissing all over Bush last night too.

      When I heard Petraeus say that my jaw unhinged from my skull and fell on the floor. I hoped it would hit the MSM, but I was afraid to hope too much.

      by litigatormom on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:22:36 PM PDT

      •  while answering Inhofe,

        he also, said that the report was his "by and large". Yesterday he said it was "all" his.  Busted!

        by mjd in florida on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:36:00 PM PDT

  •  NBC is running with this as main story.n/t

    by TheMomCat on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:29:56 PM PDT

•  Do these idiots,,,,

  honestly think the American public will tolerate another invasion?  For the same bullshit reasons we were given for this one?

  And what military do they plan to use?  China's?  Cuz ours is about used up.  

  Geezuz Christ, I hate these guys.

  by Miss Blue on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:00:17 PM PDT

  •  What do you think Blackwater is

    getting all of this great practice for?

    by BlueGenes on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:03:28 PM PDT

  •  That's why they're going to begin withdrawing

    So they can redeploy against Iran...

    Or at least, that's MY theory.

    by Auntie Neo Kawn on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:06:20 PM PDT

•  Has Crocker been tapping his

  fingers on his opposite wrist through this whole hearing?  Since I'm not doing much transcription now, I just now happened to notice this hand gesturing.  I've seen people "talk with their hands", I do that too, but I've not seen this type of hand gesturing before!

  by Ellicatt on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:00:39 PM PDT

  •  Is it Morse code?

    from the movie The Fly?
    (Falsetto)
    Heeelp Meee..

    by SecondComing on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:02:42 PM PDT

    •  Could be! It was almost like he was

      desperately tapping out some type of "help me" message!

      by Ellicatt on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:04:01 PM PDT

  •  He's trying to stay awake.

    Or getting his talking points in Morse Code.

    by Miss Blue on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:03:21 PM PDT

  •  At least he's not tapping Crocker's Foot nt

    by BlueGenes on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:04:10 PM PDT

    •  Ha! good one! ;~) n/t

      by Ellicatt on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:06:44 PM PDT

•  Iran, Iran, Iran

  Blah, blah, blah

  Chambliss, in a nutshell.

  Are they trying to set the stage for something, or what?

  by Niniane on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:02:16 PM PDT

•  Saxby : How can we stop Iran

  Gen P. : we have those Georgians on the border in a big base and they are hot to go "work outside the wire."

  I feel better.

  by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:03:33 PM PDT

•  Crocker does not impress me....

  I've seen other diplomats that are much more articulate, suave and confident, and yet he has been given one of the most sensitive posts in the diplomatic corps?  Isn't there a Peter Principle thing about rising to the level of one's incompetence?

  by moose67 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:03:33 PM PDT

  •  Crocker has insisted....

    ...that a "Secure, Peaceful, Democratic Iraq is attainable'

    Yet he does not say how we will achieve this.

    The previous Ambassador agreed, as reported on CNN by Michael Ware, but he added that it will take GENERATIONS.

    by kimoconnor on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:05:07 PM PDT

    •  Its attainable because it has not yet been

      conclusively determined with a 0% margin of error that it is absolutely positively impossible.

      Just like my ambition to lose 30 pounds, regain the muscle tone I had in my twenties, and regain my short term memory.

      by litigatormom on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:24:24 PM PDT

  •  That one's simple.

    All the smart diplomats know to stay as far away from Iraq as possible.

    by Ott on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:05:43 PM PDT

•  Oh No. My Senator Nelson

  Will he embarass me AGAIN?

  by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:04:05 PM PDT

  •  count on it - he isn't the sharpest tool in the

    shed - for sure...

    by moose67 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:05:09 PM PDT

    •  i can see that !

      he isn't as bad as DeMint -- but close!!

      by sc kitty on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:09:10 PM PDT

  •  Just his hair would embarrases me.

    But then again, I'm a real Democrat.

    by SecondComing on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:27:13 PM PDT

    •  He actually looks better in person

      I saw him at a Town Hall meeting a few weeks ago and he's much better looking in person.

      by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:28:51 PM PDT

•  Nelson's last chance to avoid being primaried...

  BN "Do you have evidence that Iran is our enemy?"

  Crock: "No, but we really want to think so."

  by Niniane on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:04:32 PM PDT

  •  He's not up until 2012

    He just beat Katherine Harris is 2006. Mel Martinez is another matter 2010 I think.

    by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:06:42 PM PDT

•  Cmon Nelson,,,

  act like a Democrat for once.  Please.  Just one hard question.

  by Miss Blue on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:07:39 PM PDT

  •  What you said. Again. n/t

    by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:08:50 PM PDT

  •  So far he's just rehashing old questions n/t

    by Ott on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:11:05 PM PDT

•  Nelson does not know

  what the words "force Commander" mean. He is trying to make a good point re: force maintenance, but Gen. P can honestly say he has no control over the Reserves and NG or the force leve. He can request a force, but not demand it. So Nelson is beating a invisible horse.

  by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:08:47 PM PDT

  •  Don't they talk to one another?

    I understand he isn't in charge of the numbers but he should at least know what they are.

    by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:12:56 PM PDT

    •  He can ask, but can't authorize

      Honestly he cant say what he will get. Bushco is in control of that, so yeah he cant say as its political.

      by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:14:03 PM PDT

•  Can 130,000 be sustained?

  P: Can't answer that. Ask someone else. Don't know what recommendation what the slope of troop reduction will look like.

  by cosmic debris on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:09:11 PM PDT

•  Petraeus

  will make his next recommendations about troop levels in Mid March. Hmmmm six months....another Friedman unit.

  by cosmic debris on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:10:48 PM PDT

  •  Bush just said he would? might? reduce to 130000

    next summer. Yet again another FU!?!

    What is it about 6 months?

    by BlueGenes on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:11:58 PM PDT

    •  Six months

      is 518,400 TV commercials from now

      by Remembering Jello on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:13:49 PM PDT

    •  Yes, CNN sent me a BREAKING NEWS ALERT

      that Bush will announce a 30,000 troop reduction next summer -- several months after the 30,000 "surge" ends as a result of the unavailability of the additional 30,000 "surge" troops gained from extending tours of duty.

      Except they didn't write it quite that way.

      by litigatormom on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:26:52 PM PDT

•  It would seem that GP would be

  well versed on troop numbers and replacement etc. before coming into this panal. That's what it's all about isn't it.  How can we sustain this war with the numbers of deaths, wounded, mentally incapacitated, suicides etc.?

  by moose67 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:11:42 PM PDT

•  Graham

  Quote: I'm not sure 2 days of this is Geneva Conventions Compliant.

  OHMIGOD!!!

  by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:12:30 PM PDT

•  YIPPEE

  GRAHAM!!  

  (snark)

  by sc kitty on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:12:35 PM PDT

•  Graham...

  "Not sure two days of this is Geneva Convention compliant."... what an opening...

  by SyntaxFeline on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:12:51 PM PDT

  •  I'm shocked he

    knows anything about the Geneva Conventions -- or the Constitution.

    by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:15:28 PM PDT

•  Sanity from Huckleberry?

  can you say we will have 100k in Iraq?

  Yup

  Can you say how many will die each month?

  Yup

  Is it worth it?

  ?

  by kilo50 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:12:59 PM PDT

  •  Don't worry

    He knew exactly how the general would answer that.

    by Ott on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:14:35 PM PDT

•  Jeeze the longer the day goes on the

  more I hear shades of Sargent Schultz channeling through Petraeus....I know nothing....I see nothing

  by housesella on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:13:02 PM PDT

•  Surprising line of question for Graham

  by moose67 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:13:50 PM PDT

  •  he's trying to win me over --

    by sc kitty on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:15:28 PM PDT

    •  Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain

      by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:16:40 PM PDT

    •  no he's not n/t

      by astoundedstill on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:17:22 PM PDT

  •  No shit

    what's up with that?

    by donnamarie on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:15:46 PM PDT

•  GP: 80-90 service KIAs/month

  That doesnt count service deaths in 'accidents'.

  Because apparently, those soldiers are less than dead.

  by BlueGenes on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:13:51 PM PDT

  •  And suicides.

    by gchaucer2 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:16:38 PM PDT

•  Graham...

  Can you say that one year from now we will have at least 100,000 troops in Iraq?

  P: yes

  G: We are going to loose troops in that time and money will be spent - at least 60 a month and $900 million, is it worth it?

  P: Yes and the soldiers understand the sacrifice and morale is solid - its about the kind of day you are having.

  by cosmic debris on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:14:59 PM PDT

•  Graham asks if the loss of life...

  ...at least 60 Americans per month for the next six months along with all the money spent is worth it.

  GP says yes.

  by kimoconnor on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:15:42 PM PDT

•  What is the difference between a

  dysfunctional government and a failed state?
  Veeerrrry interesting.

  by moose67 on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 02:16:18 PM PDT

  •  This seems to be a new talking point

    in