This is what really pisses me off about Petraeus

[ThomWV]

When Cabinet heads and other high-ranking political hacks find themselves before this or that Committee of Congress it does not surprise me, or even anger me much, that they avoid answering questions and try to confuse issues which detract from their own cause. I expect that of them. It goes with the territory, political hacks get appointments, political hacks toe the Party line. OK. But an Officer of our Military, that's different. These men serve the Nation, not the damned President or his party or its aims. When one of our men (or women) in uniform goes before the People's Representatives I expect him to be absolutely candid and to the best of his or her ability to fully answer every damned question asked. To see Petraeus avoid direct answers is a betrayal of the trust we place in the nation's Commissioned Officers. The son of a bitch should resign.

[MadMaddie]

1. Remember when * said that Patreus would be the one to make

the decisions and answer the questions? Now Patreus says that he is not the one to answer the questions.

Someone should have said then who the hell should answer the questions?

Same ole shit....and Fucking Lieberwhore pushing the attack on Iran fucking pathetic.

[Olney Blue]

2. It should have been Bush's ass in that chair today.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. Don't forget...

...his boss, Admiral William Fallon called Petraeus:

"an ass-kissing little chickenshit"^{http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/12/webb-fallon">ThinkProgress}

[gateley]

4. I was wondering that as I was watching the hearings today.

Even more so during the last hearings. But it IS political -- look at Fallon.

I WAS impressed by many the Reps in the SFRC hearing today, though -- they weren't toeing the party line all that much. It's almost as though they're actually doing their J.O.B. and that they and the Dems have united as a cohesive unit and decided IT'S OVER.

[tavalon]

20. This close to election time, it's time to cover their asses

and if that means throwing the Bush brat overboard, so be it. This isn't J.O.B. it's C.Y.A.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Recommended and thank you ThomWV

I was fortunate enough to work for some awesome Admirals who would do nothing but tell the truth. Period. Sadly the questioning Senators today were too polite to ask the question - "General did you meet with bush and cheney in the last 24 hours and were you instructed on how to couch your answers and divert our inquiries?" It pains me to cast aspersions at a military leader, but GEN P severely disappoints this Vet.

[Muttocracy]

6. Who decides leadership positions at the very top of the military?

Is that determined by Secretary of Defense, i.e., the civilian/political side

[Jokerman]

7. Excellent point. K&R

[jody]

8. Please read "Dereliction of Duty" by H. R. McMaster about Vietnam. The sad thing was the Marine

Commandant playing the Johnson-McNamara game.

[GoldenOldie]

11. Grandson, in Iraq, says "the troops hate Petreaeus ."

After watching the hearings today, I called my daughter and she informed me that she had also watched the hearings and soon after she received a phonecall from her son, my grandson in Northern Iraq. It was 1:00 am in the morning and they were preparing to go out on night patrol? She told him about the hearings and he told her that the troops despise Petreaeus. He also asked her about what is happening in the Presidential race and who looks like the one that will get them out of there. In trying to bring it down a notch, his mom asked him, "so son, what do you want to be, when you grow up." He replied, "it won't be anything where a gun is involved, I am sick to death, having people fear me." Although grandpa and I faithfully mail our little care packages with notes of love and support, we don't have the opportunity to talk to him as we made a pact that any and all communication he can do will be with his wife, mom, dad and younger brothers ......they all are in desperate need to maintain each moment of contact. And I don't think I am capable of holding myself together.....to many memories of WWII and VietNam calls.

It seems as though my eldest grandchild/son, has lost his boyhood and his niavete all within a few months.

[JohnnyLib2]

12. Your post really brings it all home. Thanks.

The family has my prayers.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

14. DOES PETREUS SEE HIMSELF AS EISENHOWER?????????????

[bluesmail]

9. they MADE it a political appointment and then used their thugs

to ensure their appointment said just what they wanted them to. And I know you know this, it's to educate the newcomers here.

[spanone]

10. bu$h* has blurred all those lines...i agree, military should not be politicized.

[JohnnyLib2]

13. Amen. I suspect even more retired brass will speak out after

the election. My long range concern is what kind of field grade officers are being groomed these days? More junior Petraeus's?

Recommended

[tech3149]

15. Petraeus is the perfect example of the asshat careerist.

If you track his history, just through this current exercise of power, he has shown himself to be compliant to the will of the political will of the civilian/political nut jobs that run the country. I read a Robert Parry story the other day that documented the politicization of the CIA since the 70's that destroyed it's analyst's objectivity and made the justification of Iraq possible. I think the situation in the military is similar. The so called "volunteer army" isn't the problem, it's a careerist mentality in the top levels where officers consider how their judgment/reports will affect their careers as more important than the interest of the nation.

Petraeus is a prime example of this mentality. Just as the government needs more committed civil servants, the military needs more line officers that would put their job on the line to do what's right for the country. Can you say Shinseki? I knew you could.

[spindrifter]

16. Peaches outdid himself with his hedging today.

I don't think, though, that he is the model they are grooming in the services today--no time. People will be able to look at the tapes for eons to come and I hope they come away with the conclusion that this is not a model to emulate during a Congressional hearing.

[Poiuyt]

17. Tweety said tonight that Patraeus shouldn't have to defend political policies, that Bush

should be sitting in that chair

[Selatius]

18. Admiral Fallon called Petraeus an "ass-kissing little chickenshit."

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/62506/

[opihimoimoi]

19. Sun Tzu: Whenever the Sovereign interferes with the General, All is FUCKED

Bush is an EMPTY PRESIDENT...

He has not given anything good to the People in the past 7 years....only Bad shit...

FOR SHAME....

[JI7]

21. Petraeus is an intelligent man and you can tell he knows we are in

a bad situation there. i'm just wondering if he doesn't feel dirty for trying to whore for the administration up there.

[Nickster]

22. Petraeus is a politician, plain and simple. He represents himself and not his soldiers. Sad but true