Murtha Says He Has ‘Lost A Lot Of Confidence’ In Military Leaders, Including Petraeus

[ProSense]

Murtha Says He Has ‘Lost A Lot Of Confidence’ In Military Leaders, Including Petraeus

On ABC’s This Week today, host George Stephanopoulos asked Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) about whether Congress would “move again to get a timetable for withdrawal in September if the benchmarks aren’t met, even if General Petraeus…comes to Congress in September and says he needs more time.” “He has an awful lot of credibility,” he added.

Murtha quickly disputed Stephanopoulos’s premise. “George, let me tell you, I’ve lost a lot of confidence in many of the military leaders. Because they say what the White house wants them to say,” said Murtha. Asked if he included Petraeus in his lack of confidence, Murtha added, “I’m waiting to see what he has to say. But I am absolutely convinced there has been this overly optimistic picture of what’s going on in Iraq, while the figures show the opposite.” Watch it:

Unfortunately, Murtha is right. Petraeus, and other military officers, have a history of supporting the administration line, despite the facts on the ground.

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Talabani Says Iraqi Troops Will Be Ready ‘Next Year,’ After Making Same Promise Two Years Ago

Since 2005, President Bush has argued that the U.S. strategy in Iraq is: “As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down.” This morning on ABC’s This Week, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani promised that Iraqi troops will be able to defend their country by the “end of the next year.” Watch it:

But as TalkLeft points out, Talabani’s timeline is unlikely. On April 11, 2005, Talabani also promised that Iraqi forces would be able to defend their country “within two years“:

The newly elected president of Iraq said Sunday he expects that U.S. troops will be gone from his country within two years. Jalal Talabani told CNN two years should be enough time for Iraqi forces to rebuild and secure control of the country as well as take over the job currently being performed by some 140,000 U.S. troops.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also promised in Nov. 2006 that his “country’s forces would be able to assume security command by June 2007 — which could allow the United States to start withdrawing its troops.”

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Unfortunately for U.S. troops, the military poodles and complicit media are selling them out.

[ray of light]

1. I stand with Murtha on this.

[kenny blankenship]

2. If anyone knows examples of generals who thought that they should be relieved of command

and the whole campaign folded, the war ended, with their own names going down in the annals of military history in the LOSER column, I'd love to hear about them.

Generals report only PROGRESS--they are making progress, maybe not as much progress as they had hoped, but "good" progress--or if it can't be called good, "significant" progress. But if you will just send them more men and more money, and above all have more patience, they will emerge victorious. That is what they always say.

Baghdad could burn to the ground and you could still rely on Petraeus to say we need to give him more of everything and just let him continue the fight until Final Victory.

If I cared to know what Petraeus will say in September, I could just listen to Karl Rove today.

[frogcycle]

3. bush has systematically purged those who would speak out

I am appalled that the top echelons of the military don't see it as their duty to the Constitution that they are sworn to uphold to at least tell the truth when asked. Of course others did and got fired, but the military is supposed to have instilled a loyalty to country ahead of selfish sel-interest. Getting canned is not the worst thing that can happen. I wonder what Shinsecki is doing now? If we had a free press, he'd be on all the talk shows. Why in the hell is he not a better talking head than pat buchanan?

Olberman should be beating his door down.

[Rydz777]

4. While in uniform, they'll all salute Bush. Only after they retire will

the truth come out - just as Sanchez is now speaking up.