Petraeus: Iraq progress is ‘almost breathtaking.’
In an interview with CNN this morning, Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, declared that “what is taking place in Anbar is almost breathtaking.” “Clearly there is still work to be done,” he added. Watch it:
Also “breathtaking,” but unmentioned by Petraeus, is the fact that with 200 people killed in the first week of June, sectarian violence is on the rise in Iraq.
Transcript:
CNN HOST: General David Petraeus spoke to CNN in an exclusive interview from Baghdad.
GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS: What is taking place in Anbar is almost breathtaking. In the last several months, tribes that previously, at the very least, turned a blind eye to what al Qaeda was doing in that province. Are now opposing al Qaeda very vigorously and the level of violence in Anbar has plummetted. Although there clearly is still work to be done, particularly in Eastern Anbar province and in some areas inside the city of Fallujah. And we will do that work as we get all the forces on the ground here in the weeks and months ahead.
We do think that we can make a big difference in the security situation in Iraq. We hope to consolidate and build on what is happening in Anbar province. We hope to stabilize Dialya, to stabilize some of the networks in Baghdad, and to take away some of the sanctuaries around Baghdad that al Qaeda has used for some time.
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42 Responses to “Petraeus: Iraq progress is ‘almost breathtaking.’”
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Can these people EVER TELL THE TRUTH?
June 8th, 2007 at 1:30 pmCaption: “See no evil….”
June 8th, 2007 at 1:32 pmAnbar province is mostly deserted desert, so I guess we killed off all the beduins to make it peaceful and depopulated.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:35 pmCaption: “See? I close my eyes and I can imagine what I want!”
June 8th, 2007 at 1:36 pmThese guys get a position and loss their intregrity. They toe the company line and forget where they came from. As stated in comment 2, See no evil, Speak no evil. That is the administration talking point and he who breaks it, does so at his peril.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:40 pmCan these people EVER TELL THE TRUTH?
Comment by Aimee — June 8, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
Well, in theory, one’s breath can be taken away by witnessing the constant death and miserable suffering of a certain war torn province.
Just saying…
June 8th, 2007 at 1:43 pmThe General’s lies are breathtaking.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:44 pmEvery day another heaping helping of total Bushshit!!!!!
June 8th, 2007 at 1:44 pmGen. Betray-us is a War Criminal.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:46 pmDoes anyone else think he looks like Dana Carvery impersonating Bush Sr.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:46 pmAll of his preoccupation with al Kayda, while the major factions of the insurgency go on bombing and killing all around him……
June 8th, 2007 at 1:51 pmJust more battlefield B S.
Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhp…………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………….
Ppppppppppfffffffffffff
Nope
June 8th, 2007 at 1:52 pmThe level to which you would stoop to lie to the public in support of your belligerent and warmongering chimp in chief is also breathtaking, Petraeus.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:57 pmGet up off your knees — it is unbecoming a soldier. Even a yes-man like you.
LIAR LIAR LIAR Iraq fighters restore al-Qaeda ties
The Islamic Army in Iraq is one of the strongest and best-organised Sunni armed groups, responsible for dozens of attacks on American forces in Iraq.
Lately it has been at odds with al-Qaeda, a group it has at times fought alongside.
“This was after a group of the finest Muslim clerics contacted the two parties in order to reach a truce to preserve the Muslims’ blood and to avoid that our enemies rejoice from us fighting among each other.”
Returning to those days could lead to a sharp increase in American casualties in Iraq.
http://english.aljazeera.net/ NR/ exeres/ 6E55B921-35D5-4710-82D4-C37A45902A7E.htm
————– Note this is also on YAHOO AND REUTERS
so whos lying now
June 8th, 2007 at 1:58 pmBreathtaking: loosing the ability to breathe.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:04 pmLIER LIER PANTS ON FIRE
I THOUGHT WE ARE DEFEATED
WHICH IS IT DUDE
OH… IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER NOW… THERE’S SMOOZIN, CRUISIN,
TWISTING, BLOWIN IN THE WIND WITH MY BANK BUDDIES WHO NEED
BUSINESS, LIKE 100 BILLION DOLLARS EVERY MONTH
SO THEY GET RICH RICH RICH WHILE WE GET POOR POOR POOR AND PUT
INTO DEBT FOREVER THANKS TO THE TOTALLY CORRUPT FEDERAL RESERVE
THERE IS SO MUCH CORRUPTION GOING ON IT’S ENOUGH TO FRIGGIN
PUKE AND BARF THEM OUT DUDE
BUT THE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY RIGGED, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, SO
FRIGGIN CORRUPT, LITERALLY ALL OF US ARE IN A FRIGGIN MESS DUDE
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHAT MATTERS IS THE ELFS POT, THE LOCK BOX
IS TOTALLY RAIDED DUDE… IT’S SO FRIGGIN CORRUPT IT’S ENOUGH TO
FRIGGIN PUKE.
SO YES… FAR SUPERIOR SERVICE AT MCDONALDS FOR THE WORKING CLASS
AND NO… FRIGGIN SERVICES, YOU GET THE GREASE PITS DUMP DUDE
TOTALLY FRIGGIN CORRUPTED DUDE
June 8th, 2007 at 2:05 pmhttp://icasualties.org/oif/Provincemap.aspx
LOOK AT THE ABOVE US CASUALTY RATE IN IRAQ
Record deaths are in the Anbar region 1232 even Baghdad 1017
LIAR - Islamic Army and Al Queda had a truce and now dont want to kill Iraqis ONLY US soldiers
This guys pants are on fire
June 8th, 2007 at 2:06 pmThe new war czar said yesterday that “very little” progress has been achieved and he sounded pessimistic. He predicted a lot of violence coming.
Petraeus is smoking some good shit.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:06 pmwhat’s breathtaking is that 2 1/2 years after petraeus said there were 100,000 combat-ready iraqi troops, there are still 150,000 american troops in iraq. but hey, he needed to get his pal re-elected, even if it meant giving false hope to the families of those troops.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:17 pmWhat do you expect him to say? He’s a loyal Bushie.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:20 pmThe stage is being set for when September comes. Isn’t the pattern obvious already? Bush NEVER intendeds to leave Iraq so when everyone is pointing to September as some sort of “timetable” as to the progress of an escelation that is already failing, supporters will point to Anbar province as proof that the surge must be allowed to continue. You already have war supporters citing that very point. What bothers me is that the Democrats are so weak in countering the crap that this administration spews on a daily basis. I fear that they will capitulate once September comes and allow the killing to continue.
Shame on the Democrats for not standing up Bush. They now own this occupation as well for not cutting off funding and bringing our soldiers home. We will be in Iraq forever or as long as there is still “black gold” in the region.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:23 pm(Reuters) - An Iraqi militant group said on Wednesday it has reached a ceasefire deal with Iraq’s wing of al Qaeda to end clashes between the two Sunni insurgent groups waging a violent campaign against U.S.-led forces in iraq.
“A deal has been reached between the Islamic Army in Iraq and al Qaeda in Iraq that stipulates an immediate end to all military operation between the two sides in all sectors including capture operation,†the Islamis Army in Iraq said in a statement on a Web site used by militants including al Qaeda.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:24 pmWhich end of the binoculars is he looking through???
June 8th, 2007 at 2:28 pmWhich end of the binoculars is he looking through???
Comment by david — June 8, 2007 @ 2:28 pm
He must get all his news from al-Hurra
June 8th, 2007 at 2:35 pmbut the Anbar province is doing much better than just a few months ago.
General Petraus comments are right on the money.
but nope, we can’t have success in Iraq, if we do, Bush approval ratings will go up and Democrats will never get into the White House.
So let us trash Bush and anyone who dares support him!!!
Bush is wrong!!! and we Democrats are right!!!
Iraq must fail in order for us to be able to gain power and put a Democrat in the White House.
Failure at all cost will benefit us the Democratic Party.
June 8th, 2007 at 2:56 pmAlmost as breathtaking as having a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shave your testicles?
June 8th, 2007 at 2:57 pmlook thru these rose colored glasses…it’s BREATHTAKING!. Meanwhile our soldiers die for?
June 8th, 2007 at 3:01 pmYet another Chimpy kiss a$$, towing the same old tired, bullsh*t line!
Staaaaaaayyyyyyyy da coouuurrrrrssssssssseeeee!!!!!!
June 8th, 2007 at 3:02 pmBreathtaking as in the Seinfeld episode with the ugly baby that the pediatrician described as “breathtaking” while the gang rolled their eyes.
June 8th, 2007 at 3:08 pmWhen the violence goes up, things are going well. When the violence goes down, things are going well. There’s absolutely no way to measure success with these people.
June 8th, 2007 at 3:38 pm“breathtaking”…. is that some fancy military terminology im aware of? is it measured in friedman units?
June 8th, 2007 at 3:44 pmBreath taking. Yes, permanently taking the breath out of hundreds daily.
June 8th, 2007 at 4:28 pmWhy does the top brass hate our troops?
June 8th, 2007 at 4:50 pmWhen the car-bombs go off, the overpressure kinda takes your breath away, too.
June 8th, 2007 at 5:03 pmIs this man stoned or something?
June 8th, 2007 at 5:36 pm…You people are too cynical…
…REALLY!
…they’re “literally” throwing candy at us…
-Gen. Betraeus-
June 8th, 2007 at 5:37 pmWe’re escalating the war. That’s been made clear. When Petraeus says that what’s gone down so far isn’t even the half of it, that the full surge won’t happen for another couple of weeks, that means we’re going for a re-do of the war. We’re going to be killing everything that moves. There’s going to be acceptance for U.S. occupation or there’s going to be nobody left alive in Iraq.
Thanks Democrats! (for voting for that military spending bill 2 weeks ago)
June 8th, 2007 at 7:13 pmJust like I predicted afew days ago,Petraeus is a slime ball and a liar.Just for a star & promotion this gas bag is willing to part ways with his writings and Philosophies on counter-insurgency warfare.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:43 pmNice going Petraeus how many young americans have lost their lives just because you were more interested in obtaining a promotion rather than truth-telling.
“clearly there is still work to be done…”….zzzzzz blah blah blah - what is the bet that the 1st words out of bush’s and petraeus’ mouths come september will be “we have made significant progress!!!!…but there is still work to be done” - odds anybody?? - it’s a slam dunk!!
June 8th, 2007 at 10:17 pmThe “Anbar Awakening” is very real with 25 of 31 tribes uniting against Al Queda. If you bother to follow events, the Marine casulties in the western Anbar province, where one or two died each day this time last year, are non-existant lately. When the shieks told the Coalition leaders of their intent to fight Al Queda, there was disbelief until there were taken outside where 2000 Sunnis had lined up to volunteer as police. They are now so strong that a brigade was sent to Bagdad recently to help oust insurgents. The only thing to be seen is if our political leadership will pull the brave troops out before all the Al Queda clean up is completed and the Sunnis turn their new found unity against us. It will be a horrific bloodbath.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:14 pmWay to fix the world. Thanks.
June 15th, 2007 at 4:55 amGET A GRIP!!!! WHERE DO ALL OF YOU NEGATIVE COMMENTERS COME FROM? ARE YOU AMERICANS???
June 18th, 2007 at 3:33 pm