September 15, 2007

Warner Elicits A Smidgen of Truth

SEN. WARNER: I want to ask one last question to the general.

Again, my respect for you and how I've come to know you, you feel very, very deeply, every single soldier, airman, Marine, sailor that you have under your command. And I think back about George Marshall in World War II when he was faced with decisions. In every respect you face the same tough decisions that he and Eisenhower and others faced in that period.

And he said in his diary, I was very careful to send to President Roosevelt every few days a statement of our casualties. I tried to keep before him all the time the casualty results, because you get hardened to these things, and yet you have to be very careful to keep them always in the forefront of your mind. End quote.

Interesting. Fascinating.

I'm confident that you do that. And you're advising our president now on a strategy. We don't know what it'll be. But I hope that if in any way you disagree that you will so advise him.

And secondly I hope in the recesses of your heart that you know that strategy will continue the casualties, stress on our forces, stress on military families, stress on all Americans.

Are you able to say at this time if we continue what you have laid before the Congress here as a strategy do you feel that that is making America safer?

GEN. PETRAEUS: Sir, I believe that this is indeed the best course of action to achieve our objectives in Iraq.

SEN. WARNER: Does that make America safer?

GEN. PETRAEUS: Sir, I don't know, actually. I have not sat down and sorted out in my own mind. What I have focused on and been riveted on is how to accomplish the mission of the Multi-National Force-Iraq.

I have not stepped back to look at -- and you've heard, with other committees, in fact, you know, what is the impact on -- I've certainly taken into account the impact on the military. The strain on our ground forces, in particular, has very much been a factor in my recommendations.

But I have tried to focus on doing what I think a commander is supposed to do, which is to determine the best recommendations to achieve the objectives of the policy from which his mission is derived. And that is what I have sought to do, sir.

SEN. WARNER: Well, once the president makes his statement, I hope you do consider it very carefully, as I know you will.

Very politely, but in a manner I suspect shook Petreaus some given Warner's stature, the Senator from Virginia was warning Petreaus not to be overly "riveted" in myopic fashion (rather like a very 'goals-oriented' ambitious careerist, fitting for a Ph.D from Princeton) on a specific mission, to the detriment of the broader national interest. He also intimated he speak truth to power to the President when necessary (asking him, in essence, not to be a shill), suggesting Warner has some concern on this score. As for Warner's intimations about whether the human toll was worth it, given that the person spearheading our Iraq effort couldn't even say if the war in Iraq was making America safer, when put on the spot in such manner, one must conclude the answer is no, ultimately. It saddens me that men like Warner haven't broken with the President's failed policy more dramatically, a la Hagel. In their hearts, they know this is an irreparable disaster, and yet they can't bring themselves to declare so more forcefully.