Petraeus Lets Slip the Ugly Truth of this War

TimesOnLine ^ | Sept 22, 2007 | Andrew Sullivan

[AirBorn]

When historians look back on the past week in Washington, I suspect they will see it as a seminal moment. It was the moment when the president and his party recommitted themselves to an indefinite, decades-long Iraq occupation, and when the Iraq war was formally handed over to the next president, with forces near the maxed-out 2006 level.

The realist and moderate Republicans were essentially defused by the calm, factual demeanour of General David Petraeus, with the key senators John Warner, Richard Lugar and Pete Domenici deferring to the president in the face of the first trickle of good news from Anbar.

Amazingly, the president even got the press to echo the notion that he is actually withdrawing troops, when he is simply maintaining the maximum level compatible with not breaking the US military entirely.

[AirBorn]

ORIGINALLY- My readings began on the "DRUDGE REPORT"- http://www.drudgereport.com/ when I came across the story, " Israel Siezes North Korean Nuclear Material from Syria " http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article2512380.ece -Clicked that piece on- and started going down the " Continuously-Open Doors " of Other Available RELATED News Stories! But I scanned around this open page looking for any other possibly interesting further material to read.

In the "NEWS" section- Where I Assumed that Title & Section would still connote articles containing : OBJECTIVE reporting, with Fact Based, VERIFIABLE, Experienced and Known Sources- I had went on to follow & to read - under the title of " Explore Iraqi News " , THIS above "News Article".

It was here My eyes-as an alert reader- rested upon a panel a little down on the left side of the page - stating here was some more " BACKROUND " material I could also read through to further gain more "Knowledge" and facts so as to make an Educated and Complete Personal Opinion of all info included in " The Surge " progress and history up to date.

There I came across THIS article ( which theme looked very familiar from another past , Later Proved Mis-Quoted & Proven Wrong article" Secratary of Defense ROBERT GATES's Taken out of Context Comment? http://www.mrc.org "ABC touts "Straight Talk" from Gates on Iraq that Matches Media " CyberAlert.) concerning again, another " High Administration, and/or Main Military Person " making what what presented as a Very Negative, Contradictatory & Confusing Comments in the face of their (past ) Present Supportive & Positive Reporting of the Coalition "SURGE" just recently Reported on in Washington, D.C.!

It was THEN I realized-once again-that Obviously this News OUTLET had simply (And probably quite Innocently!...er...) mistakenly placed this SUBJECTIVE Opinion Piece in what is suppose to be the OBJECTIVE, Fact based News "Reporting" area.

I mean-after all- This paper wouldn't un-responsibly and purposely place a Opinion piece, written by a New Republic author Known for his Anti-War, Anti-Bush stand in the NEWS section UNLESS they prefaced such a piece with the normal " The Following OPINIONS here do not express the..." fore-warning expected.

But Forget even THAT for a moment.

Forget that the this Piece PRESENTED as " News Reporting" is nothing more than an article full of Personal, Un-Fact Based , SUBJECTIVE Opinions.

Forget too that this Known Anti-Bush, Subjective & Biased Author falsely presented His OWN personally Held & Subjective VIEWS as FACTUAL and WHITE-HOUSE-STATED " REASONS FOR U.S.'s (And a "Colaition" of allies? Aren't THEY there some where in all of this?) Involvement in Invasion of Iraq and desposing of the Saddam Hussien (AND Sons) Regime.

(WHY does the Media want Usay & Qusay Forgotten??)

And even TRY, if you can, to forget the normal & expected from the left reporting using listings of " Un-Named " and therefore Un-Verifiable "Sources" as their Sole Proof in backing Un-Verifiable statements but Opinions of their and the author's own agenda. And...

Try to forget , AGAIN!, the CHEERY PICKING , and taking out of context of Quotes that were used with the planned aims to Purposely Mis-direct readers and direct & shape popular mass opinions and polls, WITHOUT the leeway or giving of any Fair Opportunity to Equally Confront said charges and statements .( It IS always easy by media elites to attack on the weekend where any defensive response would be slow if non-existent at all, in being publically & Immediately made !)

MY main (Rhetorical) question and CONSTANT complaint though ,concerning these numerous instances of ABUSE OF OWNERSHIP/Editors of Such Known-Name News Outlets/papers concerning such as this article is- " Do I ( and the public ) have to always Constantly Have to Read On through TON of all the Vitriol, Propaganda, Subjectivity and mis-represented as "NEWS" Left-Leaning Drool in these articles just to find that in the VERY LAST SENTENCE & Paragraph Lays the Suppose NewsBusting Item/POINT at which the Original Title was written for in the first place!

Or is THIS just the normal, repetitive,everyday in the liberal media press, formality to ensure the Public get LEAD through the Constant Propaganda? and stays ontop and Brain Washed with all of the Left's Main Propaganda Speaking Points!?

And they all wonder why they are losing Readership and advertisers!

DA

PS-Maybe some, what are losely called " Papers " should simple preface on their front & Following pages warnings such as, " To any Alert Readers; Please immediate inform us if you may accidentally come across ANY : Facts, Verifiable Information or Actual Cross-Examinable SOURCES given here is our paper ! So as that we may Immediately Stamp Out This annoying and counter to our Agenda, Non-Controlable Items interferring with our Own Propaganda! Thank You ; the Editors...."

[Always Right]

You can’t trust the media to accurately reflect any presentation or speech. The media will always filter out all the positives and distort and exaggerate the negatives to fit their farout leftwing American-hating views.

[LS]

I guess Sullivan is deaf. I distinctly recall Pres. Bush on several occasions before we EVER invaded Iraq saying the WoT would take a “generation.”

[AirBorn]

Quite Naturally.

Yet even scarier is knowing that when I contemplate and review all that I know (At my late age too) and have known concerning all that is involved when I say the word "Media"-is that the Shocking aspect is How LONG they have been such Hypocrites and how Far Reaching their influence has been through American History!

From the Early days of the Invention of Mud Raking in American Press- to the present, it is scarey to think of the all but Complete Monopoly the Liberal Far Left of the media :the Press, TV and now Cable news & their Talking Heads, have today!

Thinking of the Power of Their Influence it is amazing in the face of that Power that ANYTHING Positive, Progressive and Pro-Active that has been done to date to secure OUR Nation's Interests and Secuirty! And all Good Done only by a small handful of "Good People" at that!

Thus MY Favorite Quote, " Evil wins when Good People stand by and do Nothing "

Thus; " Good Americans "; Who believe IN the Concept of a Democratic, Declaration of Independence based & Constitution Based FREE nation and yet stand by and do NOT participate in Voicing Their Opinions, or Writing/Calling their so-called Elected REPRESENTATIVES have me wondering about their wisdom: or lack of it! same as:

I wonder about those that also think that while it is OKAY to travel hundreds of miles and spend the monies to go to " Concerts " & " Meet-Ups " so as to merely have their pictures taken with certain personalities or for mere "Bragging Rights" amoung their circle of friends -Yet seem to NOT be as Excitemed/Motivated or dedicated to attend very Important and Needed Rallies and Marches where their Numbers are desperately needed to add to those who have sacrificed to plan, organize and attend in ACTIVE participation-to let our leaders , World opinion and Troops KNOW what policies & Actions we support.

And 08' is right around the corner! as is our Future History too.

DA

[AirBorn]

Good Point LS!

And added to that idea too. In his article-I do not recall(Cause it is NOT there maybe! hahaha!) and "Direct Link" to ANY Direct White House Quote that vaugley even represents or reflects is assertions and accusations in HIS Personal LIST of "Reason for going to war". Did you?

I would LOVE to be like the media! and be able to quote for ANY situation, that, "....a Very High Ranking, yet needing to remain anonymous person, told me NOT to go into work today boss!.." or give such same "Story" to my land lord, Credit Card payment center, Phonebills, etc.!!

Yet Tit-for-Tat Media Talking Heads were Ripping a forty year professional General who wrote the BOOK on Counter Insurgency Techniques has HIS Report attacked with the media (and Libs) DEMANDING " Where are your sources?? Where did you get your numbers from! "!

Yet the American PUBLIC Is Waking Up! Hence the severe Drop in such papers/News outlets subscriptions and support! They just won't admit to it that is THEM making the mistakes of treating the Public as if they are still easily lead and politically/policy Un-educated simpltons-easily fooled & lead!!

[Enduring Freedom]

Why do I suddenly feed the urge to reorganize my pantry and plant orchids?

[AirBorn]

Well-I have another 4-5 hours/ 300 or so of : FIGHT FOR VICTORY-Gathering of Eagles Pictures to go load, edit, and then UP Load into a photo site so I can put it up here.

But I will have the "Sunday" shows on in the backround! So I hope THAT doesn't slow me down-but WE all DO have to remain being "In the Know" concerning matters like this and many such ARTICLES as WE can succesfully defend our stances and Publically, Knowledgably CORRECT others when they confront us using these liberal media lies as their basis for their Anti-Bush, Anti-America agendas!

God Bless you all and have a Great Sunday- and REMEMBER:

Just a " Every Soldier is a Rifleman "- EVERY American & Freeper (PW, Eagle, Vet, Etc.) Should be a Well Educated, Well Informed, Intellectual Fighter as well!

[Bulldawg Fan]

“The realist and moderate Republicans” Surrender crowd.

The Times cant stand the thought of victory. Oh well, they can go fawn over Hitler II at Columbia tomorrow.

[AirBorn]

Hi E F! Tell me about it!

like WHY do I feel like: Putting on that New Muffler so I don't get a ticket and can go to WORK Monday without loking over my shoulder while going to EARN A LIVING! Or...

Why Am I NOT ; doing laundry, fixing up our place which needs work! doing my charity rounds ? Instead of spending 4 hours to put up EAGLES Pics & Video?

WHY am I not going out to enjoy my ONE Day OFF from work like most people instead of staying a few hours behind a computer; Searching, Reading, Printing, Filing all Info that could be of ANY Use for our group and Conservatives concerning winning in 08'.

WHY don't I just turn back the clock to how I was 20 years ago- and WALK AWAY from concerning myself with Political activism-getting at the Truth of the news- so I can Live my life Inncoently for my remaining years ENJOYING myself while Rome Burns around me? Since in a few 3-5 amybe more years when I die it won't MATTER to as what I have been DOING Politically/Actively anyhow?!?

Because-IF I did that- Walked away back then-I never would have ever meet Great Americans such as yourself.

And If I walked away now- I wouldn't be able to Live with myself either.

[ontap]

Does anyone actually believe a war can be fought where everything falls into place and there are no setbacks. We’ve been at this war for four years and have lost only a little over 3000 of our men. No one would have believed that when we started. We were told at the beginning it would be a long hard slog. Americans I am afraid have lost their spine. It’s very sad.

[Allegra]

This is such an UGLE WAR!

[ontap]

Is there any other kind?

[Hacklehead]

“Petraeus Lets Slip the Ugle Truth...War”

This is Hugh.

[Eagles Talon IV]

The whole article is based, seemingly, on Patreaus’s response to a J Warner question asking whether this war has made or will make us safer. The Generals initial answer was something less then strongly affirmative but he restated his feelings later on.

However, like the children they are, the ever hysterical left is holding fast to what they believe was a less then positive outlook, in fact what they consider to be a capitulation to ultimate failure.

besides that the article is a week old and i haven’t heard anything else about this except for today on this forum and the day after he answered the question. Seems like an attempt to revive a dead story, but I could be wrong.

[13Sisters76]

We have never been at “peace”. The closest we have ever come is to be in a state of non-attention to something that was happening somewhere else, even when our military was deployed.

There has hardly been a time when other countries, especially “old” Europe didn’t hate us and/or envy us. We are a country that used the principles of a form of government that had never been tried before and in that created the most amazing society and culture and the most wealth for the most people that had EVER been seen in human history. Twice we baled Europe out and saved their butts. And we weren’t even 200 years old. We have allies- not “friends”. It’s time to lose the Pollyanna attitude.

As far back as the Crusades, Islam has been a cancer on the planet. They hate us a lot more than old Europe, but we shouldn’t take it very personally- they hate everyone. It is also quite unsurprising that they should attack us. If they can hurt us, what chance does ANY other country have? This cancer intends to metastasize.

We are at war. The war started long before 9-11, even though we chose not to be involved before then- or rather, the dems and Clinton chose not to be. It was declared and taken seriously by the bad guys even as we remained so sure we were “safe”. It will continue long after the dems “VietNam” it. I wonder how many innocent citizens will die before the left stops blaming US for it and starts believing what the terrorists say?

The left- the idiots in the blogs, the demonRAT politicians and the “useful idiots” that vote for them, The “more-money-than-brains” crowd in Hollyweird, the “mainstream” media, and the sheltered academic elites- mean to destroy everything that has made this country what it is. I WILL say it- they HATE this country, they are unpatriotic and they are negative, mean-spirited liars. They GOT theirs and have every intention of keeping the “club” small. Success by those they consider “rednecks” and “little people” just cannot be had. We must be controlled and quiet. What is funny is that, even as they think they can use the enemies of America (for now and this time, it is the islamofascists), and they then believe they can “control” them.

We are fighting a two-front war: the one from without and the, far more important, one within.

[mimaw]

Andy’s not deaf he’s just queer and pissed as hell that he can’t get married. He thinks and writes with his penis.

[Carbonado]

Once again, THIS IS THE REAL WAR.

The real war is against the irrational and incoherent mythologies of the Leftists who control so much of the general public debate. Through their control of the information and entertainment industries and academia, they wage a war of disinformation and misdirection.

Theirs is a philosophy of guilty, one-sided perfectionism and fantasy. They are what they are.

[Allegra]

Is there any other kind?

Ever seen one....up close? {evil cackle}

[redstates4ever]

"Did someone say 'ugly'?"

[r9etb]

When historians look back on the past week in Washington, I suspect they will see it as a seminal moment

Knowing who Mr. Sullivan is, and what he does with his genitals, I found myself unable to work my way around this sentence....