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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Monday, September 10, 2007

Answering a question

Last Wednesday, I posited a question, "Will Petraeus and his credibility end up being chewed up the way Colin Powell was?"

I think today we have the answer, and the answer is yes.

As you read the straight news coverage of the hearings today and tomorrow, notice the tone and construction of the coverage.

Now, my next prediction is a flash forward to 2009 or 2010 when Petraeus releases his self-exculpating book blaming everyone else for what Iraq has become.

posted by mikevotes at 9:12 PM

6 Comments:

  • Unlike Powell Petraeus has been careful not to tell any actual lies. He hasn't been totally honest about the 'progress' in Anbar though. The insurgent 'cooperation' comes at a price, Kirkuk most likely.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:39 AM  

  • I still don't believe the US has Kirkuk to trade. I think it's the Shia bloc's to give away.

    And I don't think Petraeus' honesty is as much of an issue. If the thing turns pearshaped all his optimistic statements will come back to bite him. Plus, in the public mind, he will be associated with it beyond anyone else.

    On the side of his defense, he can always say "I tried to serve my country in an impossible situation."

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 10:39 AM  

  • He's a soldier. He can hardly say...we're losing this...let's quit. I think most people will blame Bush.

    re Kirkuk....I can see the Shia and the Sunni making a deal. The Kurds will be back in their box.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:01 AM  

  • I agree on Petraeus. Much of the reporting on him back to 2003 painted him as a "career builder," which means he's always likely to frame his endeavors as positive.

    And re kirkuk, In the short term, I just see the Shia and Kurds as the more natural alliance, however, if the Kurds to get Kirkuk and then go independent, the Shia would lose their share of the oil.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 1:19 PM  

  • Petreaus....I just don't think Americans are comforetable crticizing generals. Even Colin powell got off pretty cheap.

    Kirkuk....I came across this from the Baath Party. It's a little hysterical but it lays out the position re. Kirkuk's Arabs.

    http://tinyurl.com/3x95rz

    Neither Turkey nor Saudi nor Iran want the Kurds to get it. The Shia (and America) should think very seriously before they give it to the Kurds.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:37 PM  

  • I agree, and again, even the Shia don't have a full long term interest in giving it to them, but in the short term politics, dangling it in front of them to hold together a political coalition makes sense.

    Whether they intend to honor that is another matter.

    The Iraqi government has started paying the "moving fees" to the few Sunnis who took the bribe to leave Kirkuk.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 1:51 PM  

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