http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/29/eveningnews/main2865127.shtml It appears Mr. Biddle is an insider, and this looks bad to me. Just keep bleeding out with long odds of eventual success.
We haven't played our cards right so far, so there's no reason to think a a royal flush is on the horizon.
Petraeus is said to be the best general in the army. He said give him untill September to assess the surge. Fair enough. I think it will be a hot, deadly summer in Iraq, though. If Petraeus can't show progress against the insurgents and an Iraqi goverment starting to take chage of security in the fall, then it's over.
Am I the only one who sees a problem with an adviser to an American commander during a time of war making such comments to the media? Either you work for the media or you work for the military, which means you keep your mouth shut.
I agree. Making statements like that does not help the mission. Sure, you can measure the odds and plan for a failure on the inside, but don't advertise it.
This is spin from Central Command. Comments like this happen for one of two reasons: 1. They are lowering expectations so that it won't be shocking when bad news is delivered in September. 2. They are lowering expectations so that it will be encouraging when good news is delivered in September.
