Petraeus: No “Victory” (proof McCain-Palin don't know what the hell they're talking about)

[ProSense]

Petraeus: No “Victory”

General Petraeus recognizes what all sensible people can see, but John McCain and George W. Bush can’t, that there will be no victory in Iraq no matter what we do.

Combine this with Nouri al-Maliki’s endorsement of progressive proposals for a timeline for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq and in a sane universe we’d all be recognizing about know that the conservative emperor has no clothes on Iraq.

In an interview with the BBC, Petraeus said he didn't know if he could promise "victory," said he didn't know if he would ever even use that word, and suggested that using it is irresponsible. Here's the key exchange:

Q: Do you think you will ever use the word "victory"?

Petraeus: I don't know that I will. I think that all of us at different times have recognized the need for real restraint in our assessments, in our pronouncements, if you will. And we have tried to be very brutally honest and forthright in what we have provided to Congress, to the press, and to ourselves.

A bit later, Petraeus elaborated:

"This is not the sort of struggle where you take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade...it's not war with a simple slogan."

This seems a bit at odds with McCain's frequent assertion that our goal should be for our troops to come home with "victory" and "honor." What's more, the McCain forces have directly faulted Obama for refusing to use the word "victory." In her convention speech, Sarah Palin said:

"This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word `victory' except when he's talking about his own campaign."

This is not to suggest that Obama and Petraeus are in agreement on Iraq. Rather, the point is that the simple-minded bromides and attacks coming from McCain and Palin are at odds with the analysis offered by Petraeus himself.

Late Update: Here's the video:

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/petraeus_no_victory_and_going.php">Petraeus Doesn't Think He'll Ever Declare Victory in Iraq

link

[sasha031]

1. will *ush fire him too

[WinkyDink]

2. He won't even utter the word "victory"! (tm Miss Sarah) What CAN be a "victory" from an ILLEGAL

INVASION?

GENOCIDE?

[ProSense]

3. They need to hit McCain on Iraq. n/t