White Houses Uses Gen. Petraeus As PR Flack To Promote War Czar
White Houses Uses Gen. Petraeus As PR Flack To Promote War Czar
Ever since President Bush announced his escalation policy, war supporters have relied on the credibility of Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, to deflect criticism. Earlier this month, President Bush mentioned Petraeus by name no less than 12 times in a speech arguing for his strategy in Iraq, at one point saying, “the best messenger, by the way, for us is David Petraeus.”
But the manner in which the administration has rolled out Petraeus to help sell its war policy at home is threatening that credibility. In a fact sheet released to reporters yesterday about Bush’s new war czar, both Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker are quoted in a manner more suited for use on a book jacket:
Gen. David Petraeus: “Doug Lute knows Iraq, the region, and Washington, and he’ll be a great addition to the team that is striving to achieve success in Iraq. He is also a doer.” (General David Petraeus, 5/15/07)
Amb. Ryan Crocker: “I look forward to working closely with LTG Doug Lute in the coming months. His knowledge and experience will make him a valuable partner to our efforts in Iraq.” (Iraq Ambassador Ryan Crocker, 5/15/07)
Yesterday, ABC’s Martha Raddatz asked White House spokesman Tony Snow if his press office had solicited quotes from a uniformed military officer, and if so, whether that was appropriate. Snow dodged both questions, instead offering a sarcastic remark. “[I]t’s clearly a burning issue so we’ll look into it for you.” Watch it:
The Lute press release is another example of Rep. John Murtha’s contention that the White House has been using Gen. Petraeus as a political prop.
Transcript:
Q Tony, I noticed on one of your press releases today about Lieutenant General Lute that there were several quotes — you may have done this in the past, but there were quotes from General Petraeus saying how great he is, and Ambassador Crocker. Are these things — you have your press office solicit quotes from people, particularly someone in uniform, to make positive comments about people you know?
MR. SNOW: No, I don’t know how the quotes came about. We didn’t do it out of the White House press office. But on the other hand –
Q It appears they — it didn’t have any source other than he said it yesterday.
MR. SNOW: Yes, well, look, I think it’s — on the question, does General Petraeus think he’s a good and worthy choice, the answer is, yes.
Q And do you think it’s appropriate to just send out — or did they call him up, or how did they solicit these quotes?
MR. SNOW: I don’t know, Martha, but it’s clearly a burning issue so we’ll look into it for you.
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SHOCK AND AWE!!!
May 17th, 2007 at 5:27 pmGeneral Betrayus is just another whore for the Chimp.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:31 pmThe White House is using the General for political purposes.
I am so not shocked.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:31 pmOkay Tony, don’t put yourself out. But you didn’t have a head injury just something intestinal so why can’t you answer.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:32 pmThis makes General David Petraeus look and smell like a first class W H O R E, just as this happened in Vietnam time. Back in those days we went through Generals like shoes. Same as now. Only difference Bush is insane to think that the american people can’t see through the Peter Pan Stage.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:33 pmIf you study the
May 17th, 2007 at 5:35 pmH I S T O R Y of Vietnam, you will see what they are doing, just a different year.
this petraeus is no solution to our problems, and most likely will be used as a tool, as we see here.
On top of it, how is a warmaker supposed to be good at bringing us peace? The military is supposed to DEFEND this country, not aggress against the entire world.
The General’s strategry to bring “peace” to Iraq is not much different than the failed policies in Vietnam.
Some reading on this:
“The Petraeus Fiction”
May 17th, 2007 at 5:36 pmhttp://www.populistamerica.com/the_petraeus_fiction
I wonder what General Betrayus thinks about vetoing a pay raise for our troops, an increase in widow benefits, and Buy American.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:49 pmi don’t think there’s any question that petraeus is a political prop… that’s precisely the reason the other generals were sacked and petraeus put in instead… bush only wants someone who will parrot his talking points, reliably and without question… looks like he got his man… oh, and btw, ryan crocker too…
And, yes, I DO take it personally
May 17th, 2007 at 5:53 pmEveryone associated with GDumbya’s administration is flacking so there really isn’t any news in Patreus’s behavior. It’s all spin 24/7 and, even with that, they can’t cover up the incompetence and stench of this failed executive.
Lute’s appointment is discouraging — not so much because he will eventually be thrown under the bus (as he surely will) — but because it gives GDumbya and Patreus another way of ducking the issue because they will triangulate with Lute and he will clearly know nothing for months and months. Don’t expect to hear anything of any value from these morons . . . Gates is the only person who can even pretend to speak with any authority.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:55 pmMLB is promoting a idea to have secondbase coaches. Just about as dumb.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:00 pmNot on topic, but very fresh: The bus has just run over Wolfy……
May 17th, 2007 at 6:10 pmFlacker Guy: “He’s a doer.”
Former War Czar Guy: “Yo Lute, do me.”
May 17th, 2007 at 6:10 pmAs a civilian, I worked for a Colonel for many years. Petraeus was known as A Golden Boy–the kind of person who always did the “right” thing and was groomed from the beginning to make it to the top. This isn’t to say he wasn’t smart, effective, etc. The idea was that he just always seemed to be in the right place at the right time…and was promoted.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:13 pmI really feel sorry for that poor dumb b*stard Doug Lute. Doesn’t he know that all the s*it that’s going to come out of Iraq is going to land right on his shoulders. I wouldn’t take that job for anything, even if I believed in The Plan. It should just be called Official Scapegoat.
The stupid part… okay, the even more stupid part… is that for this to work, they should have done it right away back in 2001. This late in the game I don’t know what good it will do them.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:14 pmIs it just me and my addled senses, or Snow even more Snowjob since he has returned?
Perino was in way over head. Did they go back to Snow a beg him to return despite a medical condition that would rightfully excuse him, inflating his already turgid ego with flattery and ra-ra? It seems so to me, and it also appears to have gone right to his head, pun intended.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:18 pmMeet the New Westmorland, same as the old Westmorland.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:20 pmWhat’s taking the trolls so long to respond? Oh wait kkkarl hasn’t gotten the talking points to them yet.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:20 pmI think it’s disgusting how Snow steps on all those reporters and they just take it. I know they’re afraid of being froze out (and some of them are in on it) but I wonder what Snow would do if they all just walked out on him.
I know.. way too much to hope for.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:28 pmIsn’t there some kind of law or regulation or statute that makes it illegal to use people in the military as props? I remember reading about this issue sometime ago, that indicated that was the case.
May 17th, 2007 at 6:41 pmFlack Flack Flack
May 17th, 2007 at 6:50 pmyou oughtta know by now
If thats moving up
I’m moving out
Snow is getting grayer by the week.
Must be the continuous lying and covering up that’s stressin’ him out.
May 17th, 2007 at 7:36 pmPetraeus… NOOOOOO!!!!
He’ll be so burnt when this is finally over. But he may be back for the Big Saudi Arabian War of 2012.
Meanwhile, why refusing to be a Team Player is good (something that authoritarian fools never understand):
“How our generals got so mediocre”
http://www.slate.com/id/2166215?nav=tap3
May 17th, 2007 at 8:00 pmAbraham Lincoln asked this….” If you call a dogs tail a leg, how many legs did the dog have???” the answer of course is 4 legs, because calling a dog’s tail a leg don’t make it a leg.
May 17th, 2007 at 8:12 pmAnd calling the Iraq war anything but an unmittigated disaster don’t make it a victory. Bush thinks he can explain his way out of this….he can’t.
Skip the book. Wait for the movie. A direct to DVD special.
May 17th, 2007 at 8:42 pm[edit] Resignation
May 17th, 2007 at 9:19 pmOn October 10, 1973, Spiro Agnew became the second Vice President to resign the office. Unlike John C. Calhoun, who resigned to take a seat in the Senate, Agnew resigned and then pleaded nolo contendere (no contest) to criminal charges of tax evasion and money laundering, part of a negotiated resolution to a scheme wherein he accepted $29,500 in bribes during his tenure as governor of Maryland.
MY bet is still on resignation for health reasons.
#26 This non sequiter appears courtesy of sloppy Windows management. OOps.
May 17th, 2007 at 9:23 pm