Military wants more views on Iraq reports (say too much emphasis on Patraeus)

[rodeodance]

Source: LATimes

Military wants more views on Iraq reports

Barbara Davidson / LAT

November 26, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Top military leaders at the Pentagon want to avoid a repeat of the last public assessment of the Iraq war -- with its relentless focus on the opinion of a single commander -- when the Bush administration makes its next crucial decision about the size of the U.S. force.

Concerned about the war's effect on public trust in the military, the leading officials said they hoped the next major assessment early next year would not place as much emphasis on the views of Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, who in September spent dozens of hours in testimony before Congress and in televised interviews.


Defense officials believe his testimony succeeded in muting a congressional debate and in giving them breathing room for their counter-insurgency strategy, but at a potentially high cost. In addition to the burden on Petraeus, some officials believe, an incessant spotlight on one general risks politicizing the military and undermining the public's faith that military leaders will give honest assessments of the war's progress.

"This is not Dave Petraeus' war. This is George Bush's war," said one senior official, underscoring the military's view that its role is to carry out the decisions made by political leaders

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-trust26nov26,0,5883694.story?coll=la-home-center

[rockybelt]

1. Is Petreus

getting ready to talk the truth? Why else would they want to push him to the back burner?