Don't believe me? Believe the Preside...er...look at the words coming out of his mouth.
President Bush's Press Conference, July 12, 2007
This September, as Congress has required, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will return to Washington to provide a more comprehensive assessment. By that time, we hope to see further improvement in the positive areas, the beginning of improvement in the negative areas. We'll also have a clearer picture of how the new strategy is unfolding, and be in a better position to judge where we need to make any adjustments.
I will rely on General Petraeus to give me his recommendations for the appropriate troop levels in Iraq. I will discuss the recommendation with the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I will continue consultations with members of the United States Congress from both sides of the aisle, and then I'll make a decision.
Washington Post, July 15, 2007
Almost every time President Bush has defended his new strategy in Iraq this year, he has invoked the name of the top commander, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus.
Speaking in Cleveland on Tuesday, Bush called Petraeus his "main man" -- a "smart, capable man who gives me his candid advice." And on Thursday, as the president sought to stave off a revolt among congressional Republicans, he said he wanted "to wait to see what David has to say. I trust David Petraeus, his judgment."
Washington Post, July 11, 2007
President Bush pushed back Tuesday against demands from Republican lawmakers to outline a new war strategy, urging them to hold their fire until Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, delivers a progress report in September.
Bush told a friendly audience here that the additional troops he ordered to Iraq have only recently arrived to join the fight. "I believe that it's in this nation's interests to give the commander a chance to fully implement his operations. And I believe Congress ought to wait for General Petraeus to come back and give us an assessment of the strategy that he's putting in place before they make any decisions," Bush said at a town hall appearance.
We have since found out that General Petraeus' progress report will not be prepared or written by General Petraeus. And now the Bush Administration does not want General Petraeus to appear in public or under oath.
Democrats in Congress, listen up. This is unacceptable. This is the following ultimatum you deliver to the Bush White House: Either General Petraeus makes himself available to the Congress and the American People for live public testimony under oath concerning the progress report that he allegedly prepared, or we will assume that there is no progress in Iraq and we will draft legislation accordingly.
Comments are closed on this story.