Petraeus ‘Frustrated’ By Admirers Lindsey Graham And John McCain’s Opposition To Chris Hill
Petraeus ‘Frustrated’ By Admirers Lindsey Graham And John McCain’s Opposition To Chris Hill
Earlier this month, Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced their opposition to the nomination of Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Iraq. “While Mr. Hill is a talented diplomat who has served our country for many years, his selection for this post concerns us,” said the two senators in a statement. The McCain/Graham statement was the first shot fired by “a cadre of Senate Republicans” aiming to sink Hill’s nomination.
But the senators’ effort to derail Hill took a major hit today when Foreign Policy’s Laura Rozen reported that “Centcom commander Gen. David Petraeus, top Iraq commander Gen. Raymond Odierno, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are frustrated by the delay in getting a U.S. ambassador confirmed and into place in Iraq.” Though Rozen’s initial report was based on anonymous sources, she later updated with an on the record statement from the Pentagon:
The U.S. military chief spokesman Geoff Morrell told The Cable Thursday: “Generals Odierno and Petraeus have come out very publicly and very forcefully in support of Amb. Hill’s nomination. I know they support it. They know him from previous assignments, they like him, they believe he is well suited to the job and are anxiously awaiting his confirmation because they do need help, frankly. … With regards to [Senate] members who have issue with him, I would say this,” Morrell added. “We appreciate their steadfast support of the Iraq mission. But you can’t be bullish in support of that mission and not send an ambassador in a timely fashion.”
The pushback from Petraeus must be especially stinging considering the high esteem that senators like Graham and McCain have for the general:
– Asked in August to name “the three wisest people” who he “would rely on heavily in an administration,” McCain replied, “First one, I think, would be General David Petraeus, one of the great military leaders in American history.”
– “Thank God for General Petraeus, one of the great generals in American history,” said McCain in April 2008.
–On Meet The Press in July 2007, Graham spoke of Petraeus as though he “could see past obstacles that blocked ordinary men.” “I will not vote for anything until generous—General Petraeus passes on it,” said Graham.
– “If I could promote you to five stars, I would,” said Graham when Petraeus testified before Congress last April. “I cannot tell you how proud I am of both of you,” he said to Petraeus and Ryan Crocker.
Former McCain aide Michael Goldfarb writes at the Weekly Standard that Petraeus and Odierno’s support for Hill deals “a serious blow to the campaign against his appointment.”
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“McCain and Graham, they have betrayed us,” brayed the brave Petraeus!
March 19th, 2009 at 5:08 pmI guess the McCain/Graham wet dream over Petraeus is over.
Wah.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:12 pmGeez, Lindsey. Why don’t you and McCain get a room somewhere? With all of McCain’s house’s, you are certain to find one in a color you like. The poor dear.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:12 pmSee, before the Obama Administration embraced him, “Petraeus” was simply a term in the Republican vocabulary used to demean the left. It has since lost its meaning…
March 19th, 2009 at 5:20 pmIs their anyone else Johnny can betray with his maverick nature?
No one comes to mind.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:20 pmIn best Tina Fey voice: “How mavericky of him, you betcha!”
March 19th, 2009 at 5:27 pmIt’s great how the truth constantly comes out and tries to set these clowns free. To their detriment, they never accept the offer.
Kinda like the trolls who frequent tp.
:]
March 19th, 2009 at 5:30 pmStratRat,
March 19th, 2009 at 5:33 pmMcCain has reservations with Joe Liberman.
John McCain hasn’t learned a thing from being rebuked by the american people. Lady Linsey is a blabbering idiot and shoots himself in the foot with his big mouth.
McCain & Graham: Two total jacka$$es!
March 19th, 2009 at 5:33 pmIt’s time for the people to begin asking that the sore loser John McCain be taken from our sight. We patently rejected him at the polls so who gives a flying crapola what he has to say?
That goes for criminal Cheney, too! He was absent for 8 years working like a snake behind the scenes screwing the american people left and right and NOW he has the balls to come out of his dungeon to make accusations about Obama.
As Richard Dreyfus said today: Cheney should be in jail!
March 19th, 2009 at 5:35 pmThat goes for his sidekick Bush as well.
Who is the real “pair” here do ya’think? McCain and LoverLips Lieberman? Or is he two-timing holy Joe and hitting the sheets with Lady graham?
March 19th, 2009 at 5:35 pmMcCain/Graham 2024!
March 19th, 2009 at 5:48 pmPalin/Plumber 2012!!!
March 19th, 2009 at 5:49 pmWhat is the Matter with Sen. McCain and Sen. Graham??
Do they think the Iraqi Ambassador will just be a Freelancer, and follow any old policies that come to Mind??
Ambassador Hill would and will serve at the pleasure of President Obama. His policies will be Obama’s Policies.
Gen. Petraeus gets it. Gen. Odierno gets it.
I think McCain is Not thinking before commenting.
And….the current Ambassador, Ryan Crocker, is quoted as saying..
“The Events that the Iraq War will Be REMEMBERED for, has NOT YET HAPPENED”
We better get an Ambassador for Iraq Pronto.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:57 pmThis just proves again that these ridiculous Republicans who block nominations for personal reasons should be given the boot; they pretend to know so much, yet know so little.
March 19th, 2009 at 6:14 pmAh, such a sad state of affairs for these two. Relegated to irrelevance, Graham and McLame still cry out for attention, floundering desperately across the political landscape, still touting a demonstrably failed ideology. They remain pompous and pious in their disregard for reality. Much like ancient fossilized bones, McCain’s glory has long since faded, as has any semblance of credibility he once had.
Graham’s world is crumbling around him. The permanent majority he and his K-Street cohorts worked so long to achieve never came to fruition due to combination of corruption, greed, intellectual laziness, a morally and fiscally bankrupt ideology, and of course George Bu$h, he who destroys everything he touches.
March 19th, 2009 at 6:18 pmmabey they can ask boss oxylush limpballs what he thinks before they answer ..or will mcgramppy throw petraeus under the bus like he did his daughter
March 19th, 2009 at 6:42 pmMcCain and his yapping puppy, Graham, are always playing politics. It’s what they do. Think back over the years, and their photo ops, their comments in the press; they are always playing the game (although, often not very well). They don’t really care about the America they claim to love and protect. They care about McCain and Graham, and the GOP.
March 19th, 2009 at 7:07 pmI find this all amusing. Betrayus betrayed by the RepubliCons. There are so many RepubliCons and DINOS to vote out. There are so many obstructionists to get rid off.
March 19th, 2009 at 7:09 pmIsn’t this really Charles Freeman, Part Two?
March 19th, 2009 at 9:36 pmThe country is geting ripped off. We have big problems and the Republicans are playing the so sincere underdogs. It is about time that they either lead, follow or get the hell out of the way. Ithink that is a simple enough request.
March 19th, 2009 at 9:57 pmMcCain and Graham are traitors. They are terrorist trying to destroy America’s security for their own political gain.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:23 pmThey quite literally are in Bizarro World. It doesn’t matter what it is, if Obama is for it, they are against it. It doesn’t matter that it is paradoxical that Bush people are for it. If Republicans, Bushies, the American people are for it, and Obama is for it, they are against it.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:40 pmThe Reich is like a bunch of BULLYS in the school yard and they just got their collective A$$e$ kicked and are running around crying and stomping their feet until someone listens to them………..We aren`t listening anymore because the left is in charge and we use diplomacy not the barrel of a gun.Grampy and the rest of the American Taliban can kiss our a$$e$ and get off our lawn!
March 19th, 2009 at 11:50 pmMcCain and Graham are the worst persons in the world today.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:47 ammccain probably thinks the ambassador is a “smart @ss” because he knows the difference between sunni and shia..
March 20th, 2009 at 6:03 amI admire Patreaeus’ military acumen, and his understanding of how to battle insurgencies. He does, however, come close to crossing the line between his military position and politics. We will see him running for President in a few years. As a Republican.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:09 am