War and Propaganda Council
BushCo says that–since they haven’t seen Petraeus in a week–they clearly couldn’t have given him a script for today’s hearing.
The White House and its allies on Capitol Hill have pushed back hard atthis critique. Administration officials said they are not directing orreviewing the testimony of Petraeus and Crocker. A senior militaryofficial close to Petraeus said the general’s congressional testimonyhas not been provided to the White House or the Pentagon "and the first time all will hear it will be in the hearing Monday."
White House officials acknowledge that they know the key elements ofthe Petraeus-Crocker assessment and recommendations. President Bushheard Petraeus and Crocker outline their main points in two lengthysessions — one by videoconference on Aug. 31, the other when he metthe two at an air base in Anbar province on Labor Day. Bush and Petraeus have not spoken since then.
"We’re not by any means in the dark," said one senior administration official, who would only speak on background. [my emphasis]
To which I’ll just recall what Pat Lang had to say about the trip to Anbar.
I note that the president’s travel party to AssadAir base in Anbar Province includes; Gates, Rice, Pace, Fallon, Lute,Hadley. There, he will, of course, see Petraeus and Crocker as well. Anyone else of note? Any AEIers? Sounds like a council of war to me. Nice and isolated, minimal press interference and possibility ofoperational security planning breach. Well thought out. This will bea good place to get everyone "on board" and to coordinate tactics forthe Petraeus/Crocker show to come.
So all it means is that BushCo went to Anbar to decide on a plan before they heard all the other reports.
And goodness, has anyone invented the telephone yet?
Face it EW, they really think we’re that stupid.
Yes, but which war were they planning?
Your post here, Marcy, suggests they were working out their latest lie about Iraq, but I wonder how often the subject of Iran came into the war plans.
This has a deja-vu effrect on me right now, seems we went through this before, when Tommy Franks klearned that he was tasked with attacking Iraq, when we were just making progress in Afghanistan, he blew a gasket and had a cuss-fit.
WIll Petraeus face the same kind of orders, the kind he can’t disobeay, but the kind he knows means starting outright war with Iran?
If Bush had not been so determined to spout tirades against Iran the last couple weeks, I might not be as concerned. But the Labor Day war summit may well have been as much, or more, about Iran than about Iraq.
O/T, but
Slate’s second Goldsmith extract is up today and calls the controversy about â€The Terrorist Surveillance Programâ€
Goldsmith is coming squarely down on the â€Gonzales lied to Congress†charge….
Impeachment is still an option for Gonzales.
BushCo says that–since they haven’t seen Petraeus in a week they clearly couldn’t have given him a script for today’s hearing.
I haven’t spoken to my boss in a couple of days. I clearly will have no idea what to do at work today. They keep telling me about this invention called â€paperâ€, where you can write things down and then look at them later. Guess I ought to give it a try.
Is anyone else getting this reaction? I have flipped between MSNBC and CNN which are both showing static shots of the pending surge report. A lot of giant smiles, gladhanding and excitement. Petraeus and Crocker making the rounds like conquering rockstars or a President on his way into a joyful State of the Union address. This should be a somber event for relation of facts; but Petraesus and Crocker are flitting around like the just nominated ticket at a presidential nominating convention. What a load of crap.
Uh, or email, or phone, or cell phone, or fax, or text message. Why would they even bother to say something like that? That’s like my teenagers when they go past curfew and tell me their phone was dead and they didn’t call to let me know they would be late. Yah, right and NO ONE else had a phone anywhere!! right?? Ugh.
Last night I caught Robert Redford being interviewed by someone who’s name does not merit me remembering them almost scolded Redford for not having a meaningful dialogue with the president about global warming. Redford said over and over again that such talks would be short and not heard, a waste of time. He stated why these talks would be a waste of time such as the fact that the president’s action has been to stop the research from getting out to the american people. It blew my mind. This guy kept saying â€well, I hope someday you and the president can get together and have a meaningful discussion about this.†Brain dead. Or willful spin??? It just made me sick.