David Petraeus

Jamie Tarabay, the former Baghdad Bureau Chief for NPR, was stationed in Iraq in the early months of 2007 when General David Petraeus arrived to take over command of the U.S. forces there.

In the weeks and months to come, like many of her professional colleagues in the war zone, she eventually accompanied Mr. Petraeus on a number of walk-along interviews as he strolled through the streets of the occupied city.  read more »

WASHINGTON—Carl Levin just asked General David Petraeus about whether Nuri Kamal al-Maliki followed his advice in preparing military action against loyalists to Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr in his stronghold, Basra.

“I would not, no sir,” said Petraeus. When pressed, the general added, “It was not adequately planned or prepared.”

WASHINGTON -- General David Petraeus, who is testifying in front of the Senate today, has read his remarks to the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Ambassador Ryan Crocker is addressing the senators. “Sustaining that progress will require continuing U.S. resolve and commitment,” he said, talking about progress he thinks the surge has provided in Iraq. He talked about the work that he says needs to be done in stabilizing Basra. He honored the troops.

Hillary Clinton, seated to the left of Petraeus and Crocker, has her black-rimmed 3 a.m.  read more »

Rudy Giuliani's first web ad, attacking Hillary Clinton for shifting her position on the war and refusing to speak out against MoveOn.org for it's 'Petraeus or Betray Us' ad, is up on his campaign web site.

Here's the script for "She Changed."

NARRATOR: "In 2002, Hillary Clinton voted to authorize military action in Iraq ... because she believed it was the right thing to do."

CLINTON: "If left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."

 

CLINTON: "He has also given aid, comfort and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al-Qaeda members."

 

CLINTON: "So it is with conviction that I support this resolution as being in the best interests of our nation."

 

NARRATOR: "But now that she's running for President, Hillary Clinton has changed her position, even joining with the radical group MoveOn.org in attacking American General Petraeus. Clinton stood silently by when MoveOn.org ran this venomous ad in The New York Times."

 

NARRATOR: "The same General she called an expert not long ago."

NARRATOR: "Now, she is questioning his honesty."

 

HILLARY CLINTON: "The reports that you provide to us really require the willing suspension of disbelief."

 

NARRATOR: "Just when our troops need all our support to finish the job, Hillary Clinton is turning her back on them. General Petraeus and the brave men and women now serving under him deserve an apology. And our nation deserves better. Senator Clinton, do the right thing. Apologize for your comments and condemn the MoveOn.org ad."

Congressional Democrats will now try to gather enough votes to impose a different plan from Petraeus' on the President. There’s no reason to believe they'll succeed.  read more »

Gen. David Petraeus didn’t stand a chance.  read more »

Neither Gen. David H. Petraeus nor Ambassador Ryan Crocker could convincingly claim that the American military escalation in Iraq is achieving its stated goals.  read more »