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Petraeus On Al Qaida

By Big Tent Democrat, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 11:43:30 AM EST
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In his interview with Alan Colmes, Gen. David Petraeus said:

[T]he attacks that have the most strategic significance, the -- again, the car-bombings, the suicide vest attacks and so forth that cause such significant damage to the psychological fabric of Iraqi society and as well as just sheer physical damage, those are conducted by al Qaeda Iraq. And they are very clearly linked to the so-called AQSL, the al Qaeda senior leadership, located in the Pakistan/Afghanistan border tribal areas, without question. I mean, we -- you have seen released on a number of occasions communications between them. And I can assure you that that does go on.

If this is so, is it not then essential to US interests in Iraq that the United States attack Al Qaida in Pakistan? Barack Obama has stated, and was criticized by Mitt Romney for it, that as President, he would attack Al Qaida in Pakistan, hopefully with the cooperation of the Pakistani government, but if necessary, without it. If Petraeus is correct that Al Qaida leadership in Pakistan is controlling Al Qaida in Iraq, then why isn't Petraeus urging stronger measures against Al Qaida leadership in Pakistan to help the effort in Iraq?

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    Petraeus On Al Qaida | 9 comments (9 topical)

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    progress (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Sumner on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 11:48:05 AM EST
    INTERVIEWER: "Do you think that the government is winning the battle against terrorists?"

    HELPMANN: "Oh yes. Our morale is much higher than theirs, we're fielding all their strokes, running a lot of them out, and pretty consistently knocking them for six. I'd say they're nearly out of the game." -- from Brazil (1985), screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Tom Stoppard
    I love that movie (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by andgarden on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 11:52:39 AM EST
    My British step-brother tells me that there are many cricket subtexts that I am missing in that particular conversation.

    Parent
    I wish I was missing the American (none / 0) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Aug 10, 2007 at 06:45:19 AM EST
    version of this conversation that Petraeus is inspiring in many soldiers right now ;(  Seems like they've even stopped noticing their own body counts at the moment.  I reminded a few yesterday about Petraeus' stellar accounts of Iraqi forces in 2005.  I think they heard me for about 5 secs and then the fog descended again.  I knew it was going to happen.  I thought I had girded my loins to witness it take shape before me but it still sucks how easily led they can be.  Anything to avoid how they will feel, how we all will feel when fully dealing with what has been done in our name.  I think to myself that this must be exactly how we came to be in Vietnam burning down the village to save it...........from feeling our shame.

    Parent
    progress (none / 0) (#1)
    by Sumner on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 11:47:45 AM EST
    INTERVIEWER: "Do you think that the government is winning the battle against terrorists?"

    HELPMANN: "Oh yes. Our morale is much higher than theirs, we're fielding all their strokes, running a lot of them out, and pretty consistently knocking them for six. I'd say they're nearly out of the game." -- from Brazil (1985), screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Tom Stoppard
    I missed that part of the interview. (none / 0) (#4)
    by andgarden on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 11:53:08 AM EST
    I agree with your point.

    If true, they will stop when we leave. (none / 0) (#5)
    by lilybart on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 12:31:12 PM EST
    I doubt that al qaeda really wants to kill Iraqi civlians. What they want is to kill US and kill civilians to make life tough for US and the government we installed.

    So, if we leave, they stop blowing up civilians.

    Very simple, thanks David.

    Maybe because... (none / 0) (#6)
    by libertarian soldier on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 12:32:06 PM EST
    1.  Military guys have no standing to be publicly commenting on what the military should do in regions outside their Area of Operations; they leave that the military guys responsible for those regions.  And/or
    2.  He sees the intel and knows there is nothing actionable for us to be doing there.  And/or
    3.  He sees the intel and knows we are doing stuff either covertly or clandestinely and is not going to address it.


    The paragraph and sentence before (none / 0) (#7)
    by oculus on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 12:52:27 PM EST
    the quote attribute 2/3rds of the attacks to something other than Al Queda.  But, yes, Petraeus's statement does give a glimmer what he thinks we should be doing.  

    The latest excuse (none / 0) (#8)
    by koshembos on Thu Aug 09, 2007 at 01:05:44 PM EST
    The existence and strength of Al Qaida in Iraq comes to us from a lying, misleading and misinforming administration. I will not be surprised if Al Qaida in Iraq is like the former WMD in Iraq.

    Petraeus On Al Qaida | 9 comments (9 topical)

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