Petraeus sees ‘significant but uneven’ progress

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

General defends Iraq 'surge' ahead of quizzing by 3 presidential candidates

WASHINGTON - The four-star general in charge of U.S. forces in Iraq wants more time in a war that is now in its sixth year. Democrats say he has got until the November elections.

Gen. David Petraeus told lawmakers on Tuesday that there has been "significant but uneven security progress" in Iraq and the situation remains fragile.

He also was expected to tell two Senate committees that last year's "surge" influx of 30,000 troops in Iraq had helped calm some of the sectarian violence but that to prevent a backslide in security, troops would likely be needed in large numbers through the end of the year.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24007825/

[hobbit709]

1. The good general only "sees" what his masters want him to.

[saigon68]

14. Betrayus is paying Saddam's old army $400.00 a month in US cash

They are also arming the various Sunni factions for the upcoming civil war

[hatrack]

2. Let me guess . . "signs of progress . . . too soon to leave . . . rebuilding Iraqi forces . . .

. . . stability improving . . . room for improvement . . . encouraging developments . . . weak spots remain . . . too early to end US committments."

There, now you don't have to watch hours and hours of pesky hearings!

[sabra]

4. "we'll know more over the next 4-6 months..."

[hatrack]

8. Of course!! The all-important Friedman Unit! How could I forget?!?!

:evilgrin:

[acmavm]

3. Democrats say 'he has until the November elections'? Well that's

just way too damn long. It was apparent how many years ago that this was an exercise in bloody futility? Since before Shock and Awe.

[patrice]

5. Gen. Petreus, tell The People that there is little or no corelation between Death and

"Winning" and that "Winning" is what ONE person says it is = YOUR BOSS, for whom you keep the CANNON FODDER coming.

[LynnTheDem]

6. ONLY 52 mortar blasts on the Green Zone last week!!!

WOOHOOOO!!!

George W. bUsh's "SUCCESS"!!!

How many more will die for a MFing pile of rightwingnut politician's lies???

[Tempest]

7. Did the good general mention how al-Sadr was the reason for the calm?

If it wasn't for al-Sadr's 6 month cease-fire (recently broken), the surge would have just meant more dead U.S. soldiers.

[Tempest]

9. Shiite cleric threatens to end militia's cease-fire

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is threatening to end the oft-broken, seven-month cease-fire of his Mehdi Army militia, according to a statement from him on a Sadrist Web site.

Fighting in al-Sadr's stronghold of Sadr City stretched into its third consecutive day Tuesday as he postponed a large demonstration planned for Wednesday in Baghdad.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/08/iraq.soldiers/index.html

[Magleetis]

10. More time

More money, more death. Tell us a new story asshole.

[maddezmom]

11. Petraeus wants troop drawdowns suspended

WASHINGTON - The U.S. general commanding the Iraq war called Tuesday for an open-ended suspension of U.S. troop withdrawals this summer, asserting that an overly rapid withdrawal would jeopardize recent security gains.

Gen. David Petraeus told a Senate hearing that he recommends a 45-day "period of consolidation and evaluation" once the extra combat forces that President Bush ordered to Iraq last year have completed their pullout in July. He did not commit to a timetable for resuming troop reductions after the 45-day pause.

"At the end of that period, we will commence a process of assessment to examine the conditions on the ground and, over time, determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions," Petraeus said.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080408/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=Aohg8jvmAqdCTj86roLOkv.s0NUE

[louis-t]

12. And, again, they lie to the troops.

Promises made, never kept. "Many of you will be going home soon." then "We're extending deployments." "We're going to cut your Iraq stay from 18 to 12 months, wait, no we're not."

[Yavin4]

13. That's Some Catch That Catch-22

Sums up Iraq brilliantly.

[jazzjunkysue]

15. "Arbeit macht frei."

Written in iron in the gate to Auschwitz: It means work makes you free.