Isn't the bottom line that Petraeus said he needs the surge to

[Joe for Clark]

continue til next summer?? Almost another year??

That in the face of no political give by the Iraqi government we are being asked to "surge" for another year??

Joe

[Bobbieo]

1. And why would that surprise anyone???

[Joe for Clark]

4. It was pretty honest. I was surprised he could be that point blank.

He surely dressed up his comments - no doubt.

But I think his testimony - minus the BS - is that he needs the surge to go on for another year or so, that even after next summer he would keep the same number of guys there before it started, and will make no projection about the futre after next summer, other than he thinks it might be better.

And if that is the meat of his report - then I think he makes a pretty good argument for stopping this now.

Joe

[flpoljunkie]

2. You are quite right, Joe for Clark. It's an endless and winless occupation.

[tridim]

3. Next summer my ASS.. They want to stay in Iraq for 50 years.

The longer they stay, the more money they can steal from the American taxpayer.

[Brigid]

5. Is Patraeus nuts?

Americans will be rioting in the streets by next summer if things have not improved -- and I mean hugely by then. No way can the American people be so stupid as to put up with this for another year.

[Bitwit1234]

6. Then he will have all summer to say he is bringing the troops home

and ending the war to get the republicans elected in November 08.

[tekisui]

7. I thought we would run out of troops if the *surge* lasted past Spring '08

[Joe for Clark]

8. I think so -

So didn't he just ask for the impossible??

Isn't this that straight forward - if you cut the rest of the obligatory BS?

Joe

[Bok_Tukalo]

9. Next summer is all we have left

It is arithmetic now. The military cannot sustain the surge longer so when it is stated that we "can" begin bringing soldiers home, the more accurate word is "must."

[Joe for Clark]

10. Good observation.

I don't think we have til next summer before the breakdown in our forces is beyond fixing though.

I think even getting until March is a big big stretch.

Joe

[tekisui]

11. I heard a congresswoman back from Iraq say ....

We don't have ONE, not ONE, Army, Marine or Nat.'l Gaurd Unit ready for deployment. Not One ready to respond to a threat or disaster here or anywhere else in the world. NOT ONE.

Army of Not Even One....

[Joe for Clark]

13. It is actually scary now -

We have gotten so totally commited to that Iraq fight - that if something does happen - and god knows such things usually come up unexpectedly - we have nothing.

We have a worn out army with used up equipment left to defend us.

I think.

Joe

[madokie]

12. mr beTrayUS is real worried at this hearing because he knows we know he is lying his ass off

and lying to congress is a felony. I would about guarantee that one couldn't drive a nail up his ass right now because of that knowledge too. The opening statements by the chairman and a couple of the others put him on notice that they are not there to play the games he thought he would be engaging in today and tomorrow. beTrayUS is one scared Rat right now