Biden on MTP -- "Petraeus is telling the truth".

And that is said before General Petraeus even testifies. Don't these guys ever search for truth ?



I'd feel a lot better if our Senators would take a more objective view of this upcoming testimony than Biden appears to.

Instead of proclaiming that the good general would never lie, let them subject him to a cross examination that will prove that for a fact. It seems that any time our leaders meet in public, they spend the time boasting of each others virtues and bull shitting the public about other things. Let us demand more of the people we send to Washington to protect our interests.

When it comes down to it, for all his good talk, he sides with the Bushies.

I think that Biden has said the general is an honest man, but that his conclusions are simply wrong. I'm not sure what advantages there would be to having Biden make this into personal attacks, rather than debating the issues of the war.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/16/bidens-son-to-deploy-to-iraq/

Although Beau is part of the JAG, I suspect Joe would like to do what he can to keep his kid at home; although, not thru special priveleges. Not only is Beau the son of a senior US Senator/Presidential Candidate but he happens to be the Attorney General of Delaware. Yet he's still heading to Iraq

It's the follow-ups.   Such as --

"Who the hell do you think you are talking to !"   That gets them to groveling and will reveal some truth.

But they can't say that to a person they have already proclaimed to more honorable than Caesar.

At least he is today, not sure if they have other hearings scheduled.


FROM CAPITOL HILL
Conditions in Iraq
Gen. David H. Petraeus, commanding general, Multi-National Force, and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker discuss the details of their report on the military and political situation in Iraq. They testify before a joint hearing of the House Armed Services Cmte. and the House Foreign Affairs Cmte.
MON., C-SPAN3, 12:30PM ET


http://www.cspan.org/

SEN. BIDEN: I don’t buy into that. This is an honorable guy. He’s telling the truth.

I have his letter here like you just quoted from. He acknowledges—look, by its own measure, the surge has failed. What was the reason for the surge? To provide breathing room. For what purpose? To allow the sectarian warring factions to work out a political compromise. He acknowledges that’s not there. He’s telling the truth. There’ve been some tactical gains, but they have no ultimate bearing, at this point, on the prospect of there being a political settlement in Iraq that would allow American troops to come home without leaving chaos behind. So I, I just—I think that’s pretty hard-edged. He’s an honorable guy. I disagree with what his recommendation is likely to be, but I don’t think he is cooking the books. He’s stating the part that he believes is true. There’s been some limited tactical success, but quite frankly, it’s irrelevant to this central problem. The central problem is a sectarian war. If every jihadist in Iraq was killed tomorrow, we’d still have a major civil war killing thousands—wounding thousands of Americans and killing hundreds of Americans just since the surge began.

Biden is saying that although the surge might be working to some extent, it's a failure in policy. OPs like this one are very misleading.

but the die was cast when he proclaimed that Patreaus is honorable -- indicating he will never lie. So when the public hears what he has to say, they will be forced to believe him. I'd suggest a more cynical attitude.

And the public does not have a copy of his letter.

I like Biden, but I don't like to see the elites polish each others apples at our expense.

All Biden is doing is showing he has a hell of alot more class then what you'll ever have.

Our senators and representatives don't have to bad mouth these people in order to express the truth. Biden is nothing more than showing class with what he just said about Petraeus but I highly doubt Biden is caving in to the surge.

If you're going to quote a politician try to include his/her ENTIRE statement and not a sentence pulled out of context so you can start a slam against someone

to make this discussion into a personal attack, he would appeal to an extremely limited group of people. It's important to stay focused on what is important, which is finding the best solution to the terrible mess that Bush & Cheney have created in Iraq. Biden has some of the most progressive ideas on that topic, and that is why it is important for people to listen to what he has to say. The taking of one snippet out of context is not helpful.

I saw no reason to add every word he said on MTP. And still don't. Part of that has to do with respect of copyright laws.

Thanks for including the ENTIRE transcript and not just a few snippets to allow bashing of a candidate

You're the tops!

then to see it twisted by a disingenious one-liner was against something I strongly believe in, telling the whole truth.

And you see how people took that snippet. The first two responders were outraged at Biden. Many DUers do not click through to links and do all the reading. For the most part I think they are trusting the OP to give them the relevant facts.

And Lynne, you're pretty cool!

:puke:

I sincerely doubt that the family and friends of the late Lt. Colonel Ted Westhusing think that General Petraeous is such a "good guy."




http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004022.php

snip
With the Pentagon's inspector general set to arrive in Iraq in a few weeks to personally investigate allegations of corruption in, among other places, the training of Iraqi security forces, it's worth remembering that suspicions of wrongdoing in the command led one officer to take his own life out of apparent shame. In a suicide note left on his bed in Baghdad, Lt. Colonel Ted Westhusing wrote, "I didn't volunteer to support corrupt, money grubbing contractors, nor work for commanders only interested in themselves." Westhusing, 44, killed himself on June 5, 2005.

Much about Westhusing's case remains a mystery. According to a definitive Los Angeles Times exploration of his death published in November 2005, the committed Christian and West Point graduate began working for the training command, known as MNTSC-I, in January of 2005. General David Petraeus, who now leads U.S. forces in Iraq, commanded MNTSC-I in 2004 and 2005. Westhusing's primary responsibility was to oversee a private company, USIS, which held a $79 million contract to train Iraqi special forces, and Petraeus told him he had exceeded "lofty expectations."
/snip

IMO, Petraeus is the worst of the worst: Highly intelligent and corrupt to the bone. :thumbsdown:

'I Am Sullied – No More'
Col. Ted Westhusing chose death over dishonor in Iraq

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A469141

All we are left with now is the SCREENED "spring butt" General Officers who will spin positive any shred of information.

NEVER FORGET: These highly intelligent but morally corrupt Active Duty General Officers serve The Military Industrial Complex - NOT their troops nor the American People.

No, General Peaches won't save us Senators Biden and Reid. It's time to lose that disgusting "man crush" you have for General Betray-US. :grr: :thumbsdown:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1772336&mesg_id=1772350

This was posted just above yours in the thread.

BTW - Joe Biden's kid is being shipped off to Iraq early next year.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/16/bidens-son-to-deploy-to-iraq/

So Joe has alot more at stake with this war.

talks SO MUCH, it often fall out into the BENIGN OR appears that he's speaking out of both sides of his mouth. Further when the vote crunch comes, he'll, in true Biden form, protest, then fold like a cheap suit. This, IMO, is not hearsay but Biden's true MO. :shrug:

Biden reminds me of the George Thorogood tune, "You talk too much." Never the less, he is a highly intelligent man and effective when he puts HIMSELF in check.

I've been following the guy for decades and the one thing about Biden is he is not a reactionary. I highly doubt that Biden will be the one that folds, but hell, if you sleep easier at night you can say whatever you say. Hell - you want to talk about FOLDING then we can talk about how Russ Feingold voted for both Ashcroft AND Roberts in the judiciary committee. But I guess since Russ is more reactionary we'll just close our eyes to that lil discretion

Joe is your typical poker player where he shows little emotions until it's time to show your cards. And if you read the ENTIRE transcript you'll see where he's already show doubt towards Petraeus.

(Petraeus was the architect of the "surge" and has spun the war over and over..)

What a stooge.

Another way to put it, he is in a lose-lose situation. He is being forced to put lipstick on a pig by Bush. Let's hear him out and then express our opinion.

able to "hear him out." :grr:

All these General Officers who remain on Active Duty are morally corrupt. PERIOD! :thumbsdown: