Bush-Petraeus-Crocker hits

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Some links to Iraq-Bush-Petraeus-Crocker-related stories:

-- WaPo: "Senators Take Petraeus, Crocker to Task." Good, but to what end? Here's Sen. Chuck Hagel, whom I celebrated earlier today: "Where is this going? Are we going to continue to invest American blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what?" The right rhetorical questions from one of the most credible war critics.

-- HuffPo: Petraeus doesn't know if what he's doing in Iraq is making America safer. This he admitted to Sen. John Warner today.

-- CNN: "President Bush is expected this week to announce his plans for cutting back U.S. troop numbers in Iraq, a senior administration official said Tuesday." Troops that are scheduled to come home, with numbers coming down to "pre-surge levels". The first stage of a larger withdrawal or an unavoidable move (there aren't any more troops to send over)?

-- TP: "Is Petraeus’ Drawdown Part Of The White House’s 2008 Political Strategy?" Yes. In this White House, all decisions, Iraq-related or not, are essentially political decisions. Troop cuts to pre-surge levels are quite simply unavoidable given the current realities of the U.S. military, but they will come at a time that most benefits the Republicans, that is, right before next November's elections.

-- Prof. Cole: "Despite what the pundits will say, I fear the testimony of Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on the Hill Monday and Tuesday is not a turning point, does not give Bush breathing room, and is largely irrelevant." As usual, a brilliant post. Read it all.

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