Thursday, August 02, 2007
Counterpropaganda on the surge
Are there any plans for congressional committees to hold hearings featuring Gen. Shinseki, Gen. Pace, the Joint Chiefs at the time of the discussion about the surge, et al, as Gen. Petraeus releases his report saying that there has been progress in Iraq?
If not, why not?
The notion that the administration is merely "listening to the commanders on the ground" is, of course, transparently false.
They fired the last guy because he didn't support the surge. The administration has ignored and scorned expert military advice since the beginning of the war. That should be highlighted right as Gen. Petraeus, who is a somewhat partisan figure with a poor record in his statements about the war, releases his report.
What's more, the idea that the elected officials should just shut up about whether or not the war is a sound balancing of costs and benefits is quite at odds with how representative democracy is supposed to work.
If not, why not?
The notion that the administration is merely "listening to the commanders on the ground" is, of course, transparently false.
They fired the last guy because he didn't support the surge. The administration has ignored and scorned expert military advice since the beginning of the war. That should be highlighted right as Gen. Petraeus, who is a somewhat partisan figure with a poor record in his statements about the war, releases his report.
What's more, the idea that the elected officials should just shut up about whether or not the war is a sound balancing of costs and benefits is quite at odds with how representative democracy is supposed to work.
