If he doesn't follow the script he will be transferred to Fort Wainwright.

This is a very important editorial, in my opinion, because this may be the only and best way to fight the current insanity that this administration is promoting with all its deceptive and manipulative techniques.

I see this as a form of non-violent resistance that is being practiced by the author and all the others like Scott Ritter that have seen the truth and are no longer willing to drink the right-wing "cool-aid".

I'm sure this excellent piece with all it's important points will not get the exposure it deserves and should get in the corporate media, but as with Gandi and King the force of truth and justice cannot be denied! (and thanks to the internet, there is less and less ability to suppress our voice worldwide!)

Historical lessons, current events, and rational interpretation of intellegence had normally precluded egotism & theocracy for major decisions in our republic. Unfortunately, this is not the case now.

The current administration is manipulated by ego, the energy cartel,& the radical religious right wing to extents never before experienced in our history. The ill conceived invasion of Iraq, the plans to provide arms to some Middle East Countries, current suggestion to invade Iran, & the dreadful war on our environment are only some examples.

Those who object or oppose his policies can expect retalation( ie the dreadful character assassination of a trip;e amputee Viet Vet because he promoted an investigation into the9/11 disasster which Bush opposed).

Unless Americans begin reacting to logic rather than rhetoric, and take back our country from this illegally placed administration now, the rights that we have enjoyed for two centuries may evaporate--and Americans we can blame themselves for this

I'm so tired of this rhetoric, Robert Settgast, of explaining what is wrong with this current administration as if anyone with a brain and breathing and an IQ over 70 doesn't already know! Yes, our government has gone to hell. Yes, "we need to take back our country from this illegally placed administration now,the rights that we have enjoyed for two centuries may evaporate-and Americans we can blame themselves for this."
1) The rights may evaporate? They already have especialy dissent in any fashion.
2) And Americans can blame themselves for this. Why? Is it our fault as Americans that we have effectively lost our voice? Is it our fault that impeachment is off the table? Is it our fault the democrats we put in office are cowards and complicit? Is it our fault the Supreme Court gave the election to Bush? Is it our fault were still in Iraq even though polls indicate over half want out? Is it our fault the government sees every problem as a nail and our military as a hammer? Is it our fault lobbyists descend like vultures on Washington everyday? Is it our fault protestors are arrested,or fenced out and treated shabbily when they try and assert their right to peaceful assembly?
You act like we can snap our fingers and take back this country. Elections are rigged,votes manipulated,our democracy is in a shambles and the main reason is decades of CORRUPTION AND GREED not the hard working taxpaying average American!! And dont use that old rhetoric about not being involved we are supposed to have a REPRESENTATIVE government because our forefathers knew the average farmer couldn't and wouldn't have the time or energy or means to travel to Washington in a buckboard or handsome cab to participate! So put blame where it deserves to go on all the bad actors that have turned our government into a horror flick!!

Thank you for this powerful statement. But sadly, the general will instead promote the White House's warmongering agenda. Somewhat less certain is how Congress will react when he does so. From a psychological perspective, warmongering often "works" because we fail to confront it with cogent and uncompromising counter-arguments. We find such resistance to be especially difficult when the warmongers target our core concerns about personal and collective vulnerability, injustice, distrust, superiority, and helplessness. I apply this analysis to the Bush administration's war in Iraq—and its possible plans for an attack on Iran—in a 10-minute online video entitled "Resisting the Drums of War." The video examines ten warmongering appeals and counterarguments against them. It's available for viewing HERE.

If he doesn't lie he will be replaced. Bush has replaced every General who doesn't tell him what he want's to hear and what he want's to hear are lies that agree with his lies . The war in Iraq is lost as far as the U.S. is concerned. Iraq is in a civil war and as long as we stay there it will only get worse.The Iraqis resent us being there with good reason.The maniac Bush and tyrant Cheney with their illegal actions have destroyed a once great country for greed and the love of oil.These criminals should already be impeached and run out of office.

The author says -

"You will, of course, also cite failures and disappointments. This will give the necessary "balance" to your presentation to make it sound as credible as possible. You will say that much work remains to be done, that the road ahead is a difficult one, but that with Americans' support our military will get the job done in Iraq."

I look forward to checking off the items on this list when the report comes out. I have no doubt that it will be a matter of only a minute or two before I end up crying and laughing my ass off in equal measures, bravo.

Does anyone believe anyone in this administration?
George Bush, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Alberto Gonzalez, Condi Rice, George Tenet, Donald Rumsfeld...all liars and criminals.

The first thing that needs to happen is that the media must stop calling this report "The Petraeus Report." It is being written by the White House. They have acknowledged that ("We thought everyone knew that.") Why anyone with an ounce of self respect would allow their name to be used on someone else's "homework assignment" is more than I can understand. So, first and foremost, let's stop pretending Petraeus is writing this. Then we can all get on with the reality that it is all lies, obfuscation, dissembling. The question is straightforward: How do you justify continuing a war that was started under false pretenses? If the reasons for the war were a lie, continuation of the war is . . . what? Insane? Criminal? Immoral? The adjectives go on and on. But the simple fact is there is no reason, other than pure disregard for human life (both American and Iraqi) to carry on destroying Iraq. We broke it, and we do not have the credentials (or brains) to fix it. We need to ask for help; and we need to gracefully and humbly accept it. And we need to acknowledge that we were wrong on a monumental level.

dougrambo
Got to agree with your rant. It's always the fault of the people, isn't it?

I've never considered the resignation of a government lackey an act of courage just because he wakes up one day and realizes that he actually is a lackey and declares to his wife that there's just some shit he will no longer eat. Where's the courage in walking away quietly to collect the generous lifetime benefits government lackeys entitle themselves to?

Courage would require said lackey to announce that he is quitting because there is some shit he will not eat, just like he told his wife, and that he thinks Bush is a criminal and the government is a sink hole of corruption.

But they don't do that, these resigners. Resigning is like not voting.

Now, whistle-blowing, that takes some courage because you put yourself on the line. Your vicious rat of a boss will try to screw you and your family to the tenth generation. You will feel pain if you blow a whistle, more pain than you would simply resigning with a public statement and a middle finger. Look at Daniel Ellsberg. Now there's an example of courage. There was a government lackey who threw off his lackiehood and began to act like a man. He actually did something.

General Petraeus will stay on message and be a team player because he's convinced himself that his lackiehood is noble service to his country. A true blue military man is not troubled by moral issues that afflict civilians. Following orders relieves him of the burden of his own humanity. He isn't interested in freedom. In fact, he doesn't even like freedom, which is true of most career military types who spend their lives covering their asses and living off public money in their military cocoon. He just likes to pretend that he's defending freedom. Lying is as natural to him as polishing his boots.

And there's the rub, this burden of humanity, or freedom, since freedom is the highest aspiration of humanity. It may be true that many Americans are slack, apathetic, ignorant and content to remain so, but it is also true that many others are ardent defenders of freedom, more than willing to shoulder that burden. The problem is that these people are not in government. If the people fall short, the denizens of government are so much worse. There are more sheeple in the government than in the general population, and these vicious government sheeple have gathered up all the power for themselves.

American patriots try to get the message out and it is subverted with every move they make. Cindy Sheehan has put herself on the line, as have others less recognizable, and she doesn't seem to mind banging her head against a wall. Soon enough, it will become apparent to those Americans who are not afraid of freedom that the time for revolution has arrived.

It is beginning to happen, you can see it taking shape around a man like Ron Paul who grows bolder every day with the upwelling of support. Here is a revolutionary. Nevermind that he's a skinny, soft spoken, nerdy sort of guy. He's no lackey and what he says is revolutionary. The fake government will shut him out, just like Bush has learned how to keep protestors out of sight and out of mind, but little Ron Paul is sewing the dragon's teeth.

The more the lackeys try to protect their own game and their phony war on terror, the more the anger will spread in the population. Soon enough the concensus these government bastards are trying to enforce with their unConstitutional laws and their black operations will collapse. The US corporation will be dissolved. The "WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MILITARY" will collapse because too many of these "defenders of freedom" will wake up and realize they are destroying freedom, not defending it.

But General Petraeus will not be one of them.

It's a good thing the administration is bull headed and does not listen to the opinions of the those who's comments I have been reading on this site. Almost every story and opinion is completely one sided. You are so blinded by hatred of this administration that no matter what they do, even if they saved the world, you will always find a reason to attack them. You discredit their report before it's even presented. It's the same key words I read over and over here... Big corporations are bad, this country is fascist, impeach impreach, oh no, someone might be listening in on a phone call, they heard what we're having for dinner?!! Have you really lost any rights? Which ones specifically? Because I haven't lost any. Stop your incessant crying and get on the right team. America is the problem? Give me a break. Ok, maybe sometimes I'll admit. But we are still the ray of hope in this miserable world and you should appreciate that. Damn right we will look out for our own interests, just as we always have. That is why you able to freely blog on this site. You are ultimately hurting this country by spreading this hatred mentality and you should realize it. And for those that think that our government orchestrated 9/11. Now there's a fantasy that completely ignores all logic. They can't do anything right, but they can pull off the biggest conspiracy of all time? Every conspiracy theory has been debunked, why do you always ignore that? Do you really think that Al quaeda does not exist? I have even heard that one too. Are you for real? Do you really think this administration could pay off/threaten the number of people that would be required to support the instane conspiracy theories that you believe in? They are just not logical. So tell me, what is the next conspiracy going to be when we are attacked again. I'm sure you are already working on it, instead of evaluating the facts after it happens. When it happens, and it will, you will once again blame the US and support the position of our enemies. We have been at war with radical islam for many years, thankfully people are finally starting to realize it. If you don't realize that you are not only blind, but mentally handicapped. Fortunately, the fringe opinions I have read here are ultimately only a small fraction of the population and is irrevelant. I just wish you would stop spreading the hatred.

"Fortunately, the fringe opinions I have read here are ultimately only a small fraction of the population and is irrevelant. I just wish you would stop spreading the hatred."

Do you recognize that these two sentences are mutually exclusive? If we're an irrelevant fringe, obviously we're not "spreading" anything.

Our opinions are in fact those of a global majority, including among former allies. The only people who DON'T believe that the current administration is a catastrophe for the US, for the planet, are the rump of Republicans who are monolingual, read only what the Reverende Moon and Rupert Murdoch and Milton Scaife find fit to print, and seldom if ever have travelled beyond the borders of their country or their own state, unless sent off to kill people "in our own interests" . . . which turns out to be most counterproductive to our interests.

Read "Confessions of a Former Dittohead" by Jim Derych or David Brock's "Blinded by the Right". Read Thomas Frank's "What's the Matter with Kansas?" Read John Perkins' "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" and Chalmer Johnson's books. Watch the recent documentary, with no radicals in it whatsoever, "Why We Fight."

It's possible to leave the right behind. I grew out of it. So can you.

Excellent editorial and good advice to a good general. Let's just hope he stays a good and honorable general in the next few weeks.

miketampa1

"...But we are still the ray of hope in this miserable world and you should appreciate that. Damn right we will look out for our own interests, just as we always have."

I don´t know which planet you are living on but be assured that the majority of people living on the earth DO NOT see the US as "the ray of hope" but rather as the greatest menace that has ever afflicted this planet. As a teenager I was shocked to see people burning the American flag on TV, now I understand their feelings very well.

Of course we Europeans have no reason to take the moral highground: we invented capitalism and the complete nonsense of a self-regulating market, which lead to unprecedented poverty and misery in the the second half of the 19 century (mainly in Britain) and culminated in the first World War. But only the impressive efforts of US "think-tanks" (aided by the IMF) have managed to spread this insane ideology across the planet with terrible results for developing countries.

We invented chemical warfare, discovered radioactivity and the potential of atoms to release enormous amounts of energy which of course the US exploited first to develop nuclear weapons.(if Hitler had not forced most of the scientific elite (being Jewish) to emigrate the first nukes would have appeared here).

The myth that the US in an act of great altruism "saved us from fascim" is still alive today, although the historical evidence shows a more complex picture which can be illustrated by quoting Truman "if we see that Germany is winning we ought to help Russia and if Russia is winning we ought to help Germany and that way let them kill as many as possible" Truman also called Stalin (a brutal dictator and mass murderer) "old Joe" and regarded him as a "decent fellow".

It is true that we owe a lot to the US soldiers who died in the war and we are grateful for their sacrifice. But some of their political and business leaders also supported Nazi ideology (e.g. grandpa Bush, Henry Ford (said to be Hitler´s hero for his anti-semitism)and many US companies (like Ford and Opel (German subsidy of GM)profited from the war. (the even got medals from Hitler for their great contributions)

That the US has "helped" to overthrow more than 50 democratic governments and supported the worst tyrants if it was "in our interest" is well documented. The latest case was Saddam Hussein of course, who was first seen shaking hands with Donald Rumsfeld in 1983, received millions in military aid to kill Iranians but when his obedience to his masters waned and he invaded Kuwait the transformation was swift: from ally to terrorist in one day. That US foreign policy in strategic regions can be summed up with "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" is also well known. Former CIA Agents appeared on TV to tell us that "We created them" (the Taliban who later supported Al Qaeda). They were US tools to fight the Russians, Pakistani tools to fight the Indian army in Kashmir and prevent Pashtun nationalism and Saudi tools to spread their radical version of Islam. The CIA even handed out Stinger rockets in this dangerous region but tried to
buy them back later ...(!)(whole story see "GHOST WARS" by Steven Coll)

To sum up, the world is really impressed with US politics: How a country, that used to be a role model for democracy (before 1945) was turned into a plutocracy by corporate America and Wall Street, that´s impressive.

How the whole election circus is still going on, although there really is no choice (the lesser of two evils...) How Americans are manipulated by silly slogans, repeated over and over again, TV ads and smear campaigns against political opponents; it seems all important issues are now controlled by the PR industry....

How a politician is harrassed by the media and hypocritical rightwing candidates for sexual misconduct (as if it was the greatest crime) but the real crimes seem not important....

How US support for Israel - inspite of its numerous violations of international law, human rights and the unspeakable suffering of the Palestinians - has increased political and religious extremism in the whole region and the perception that only brutal violence can raise international awareness about the grave injustice in the region...

Of course our politicans have a lot to answer for, too, but the really stunning thing about US political leaders is, that they seem unable to learn from past mistakes and that after Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-Contra, and many other scandals, nothing ever changes. The same lies, the same deceptions, the same empty words about patriotism and "supporting our troops"...

It seems a whole nation has no longer the ability to think for themselves.. and those who still do think (like the readers of CD) cannot make themselves heard. Many commentators on this website mention that the polls have shown that the majority of the US public is opposing this or supporting that - but who cares on Capitol hill? White House and Congress must serve their base: "special interests" of various sorts but not the general public. The whole election process is so compromised that it is hard to see why Americans still bother to vote at all...

A suggestion: boycott the next election; this would be a clear sign of protest, if only 10 or 15 % cast their votes, it would show that the US has reached the democratic level of a banana republic...... Why spend so much money on election campaigns when the system does not change?

CRUX PUPPY: Compelling posting. Excellent points, too, MINITRU and DICHTENFREUND (I didn't know you were a "convert"!)

minitru
miketampa1 and others who defend the status quo are not inclined to listen to opposing views because when they insert the key, the sleek new car that will never be paid off before it is replaced by another newer one comes to life and off they go, cruising that smooth blacktop, feeling free.

They are grateful to have what they have and believe that people like General Petraeus make it possible for them to have what they have. This is what they have been told, and they generally believe what they are told.

They live in a top-down world, you see, a world in which those above them guarantee their freedom to acquire what they want. They do not question authority because they know their place in the food chain and are content to be in it.

They do not feel it is their place to criticize those more powerful and knowledgeable than themselves. So long as they can live comfortably and get what they want, they believe themselves to have real freedom and will challenge you, as miketampa1 does, to prove that you are not free. Miketampa1 looks at his life and cannot see any rights that he, personally, has lost. That may be because he has never tried to exercise his rights as a free citizen beyond his consumer right to get all the goods he wants, and it may be because he doesn't care whether some one else is snatched off the street and held without bail or charge. He probably doesn't know what "habeas corpus" is and he's probably never read the Constitution.

So long as he's got his, he doesn't give a shit if you don't have yours. If you don't have yours, he believes it's because you're a slacker and don't deserve it in the first place. Rush Limbaugh is a smart and funny guy.

miketampa1 believes that rights are bestowed upon us, such as the right to "freely blog on this site" and that we should be grateful to those who have power for permitting us to criticize them and express our hateful opinions. He doesn't know what an "unalienable right" is. He thinks it is something the powerful generously bestow upon the weak.

Back in the mid-18th Century, he would have supported the Crown, and those radical ingrates dressed up like Indians who dumped all that tea in Boston harbor would have raised his hackles considerably. To him, it's only right our government should tax our labor and send in the IRS SWAT if we refuse.

These people do not ask questions, they follow orders and believe what they are told. Why? It is more comfortable that way.

Freedom is not that comfortable.

mid-18th Century, I meant to say. And I'd like to add that my good friend, miketampa1, likely also believes that it is only right that the IRS should tax our labor and send in the SWAT team if we refuse to pay. He might be on that team, actually, defending our freedom.

Anyone who wants to know how life feels to an Iraqi family these days, should check out the vivid posting by a young Iraqi woman in the 'Baghdad Burning' blog as she tells the story of her family's flight to Syria.
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

I think this should be required reading for all decision makers and implementors of the war, as well as we citizens who provide the money and manpower to continue it.

Those that need to be "free" will never be convinced of the truth of your words cruxpuppy and that is extremely depressing to me.

So now I am going to crawl into my hole and study tone and color.

I have been listening to the General speak to Congress. I'm afraid he is not taking your advice. He is spinning and lying and filling the chamber with copious amounts of bull shit. Very stinky bull shit I might add. Just like Powell he is a Bush 'yes man". Who would be dumb enough to think Bush would NOT appoint a yes man? And so it goes. I think this General Betray-us ought to be beaten like a snake. He is one slimy son of a bitch! Just like his master.

I bet my bottom dollar that this General BetrayUs is a replica of General Waste-more-land. The system hasn't given him 4 **** for nothing.

Is it really that convoluted or do they want us to think that it is? We can't just give them reparations and pull out? Why is this so hard? I was listening to this guy whose name sounds like a Star Wars or Planet of the Apes villian on the radio while working, and my head was splitting. Not only from how this has become a tangled and very convenient and profitable "mess", but also how much of what these people are saying complete BS!

They're making a killing over there! They're preparing the Middle East for more Westernization. THAT's why they won't bring the troops back home. This isn't single-mindedness here. This isn't mere stupidity at work. No one bungled anything, at least not without purpose. They didn't get "bad intel". It hasn't been a failure in the least. They have prett much succeeded in what they wanted to do and want to keep on riding this money train for as long as they can. It's depraved greed. They can't take their cash to hell with them, yet they want to keep making more and more. Perpetual war for perpetual profits for people in power.

The troops need to get out now! Not next year, not next month, not next week, NOW! Let the Iraqis has things out after WE GET THE HELL OUT!

"General Petraeus will stay on message and be a team player because he's convinced himself that his lackiehood is noble service to his country."

BS! I'm sorry. He's in on the action also. These aren't decent men who are merely misguided.

Go ahead and philosophize and spout clever rhetoric all you want. I'm beyond that right now. Everything has already been said. We wore out this record at least two years ago. I'm sick of the articles saying "We Need To Exit Iraq", as if it's some new, revolutionary idea. As if I'm supposed to respond, "Hmmm, oh really? Wow."

Good lord.

It's very, very simple. Look at where the money is going. No one needs to write a dissertation on this. It's very clear who has been rewarded in spades following the events of 9/11/01.

I keep feeling as if many of us are looking at a big, jumbled ball of wire, and we're all trying to untangle it, even though it is of no value. Throw the damn thing out!

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about and should just let the eggheads and longhairs handle it. They like to figure out Rubik's Cubes. I just want to get rid of it and get on with life.

Theories are unproven.
Me? I'm a conspiracy truthist.