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2006-04-20 Home Front: WoT

Petraeus troubled by Rumsfeld-retired generals flap

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Posted by lotp 2006-04-20 07:18|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 very interesting. Petraues isnt joining the chorus against Rummy, but hes not really defending him either (as Pace, Myers, and Franks are) He certainly says lessons were forgotten, and its reasonable to ask why. Petraues is highly respected, and he could be decisive. He clearly doesnt want to be, perhaps because he sees higher position in HIS future, and he doesnt want, when he reaches that higher position to Have to deal with a military where its routine for retired gens to speak out - but at the same time he knows how fed up the Army is with Rummy, and he doesnt want to alienate them.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 10:20|| 2006-04-20 10:20|| Front Page Top

#2 He also knows the next Prez may be a donk. That's why, when one gets to the level Petraeus is on the brink of, the job involves both internal and external politics no matter how much theortists try to draw bright lines.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-04-20 10:32|| 2006-04-20 10:32|| Front Page Top

#3 Or the next Prez might be John McCain, who doesnt like Rummy much either.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 10:48|| 2006-04-20 10:48|| Front Page Top

#4 McCain's not a donk?

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-04-20 10:52|| 2006-04-20 10:52|| Front Page Top

#5 uh, no. Look at his positions on everything from abortion, to labor rules at DoD. Hes a conservative. Not a moderate, a conservative. A strongly neo con leaning conservative, at that. He is however A. a genuine American nationalist, which for him means not being a firebreathing partisan B. A man of integrity and independence

If McCain runs against a DLC type democrat, Hillary or Mark Warner, or Evan Bayh, or Joe Biden, I will almost certainly vote Dem - McCain is too conservative for me on many issues. But, if the Dems nominate someone I who is too dovish for me (or who raises other serious problems), Feingold, or Kerry, or Dean, or Gore, or Clark, I might well vote for McCain, with confidence that the overall fate of the Republic is in good hands.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 10:59|| 2006-04-20 10:59|| Front Page Top

#6 Hes a conservative.

McCain-Feingold was not conservative legislation.

Posted by Pappy 2006-04-20 11:34|| 2006-04-20 11:34|| Front Page Top

#7 Nor is the Kennedy-McCain Immigration Amnesty bill.

Posted by Wholugum Sporong1231 2006-04-20 11:43|| 2006-04-20 11:43|| Front Page Top

#8 McCain is too conservative for me on many issues.

Like free speech?

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2006-04-20 14:05|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-04-20 14:05|| Front Page Top

#9 LOL. He must be talking about the other Sen McCain, the one in the second alternate universe on the Left. This one lives with his wet finger in the wind. The RINO version of Hillary. Oh wait, lh says Hillary's a centrist.

Okay, a pattern is emerging. I think I understand, now. Nevermind.

Posted by Clolump Slush1863 2006-04-20 14:13|| 2006-04-20 14:13|| Front Page Top

#10 LTG Petraeus was LTC Petraeus a few years back and standing on a rifle range at Fort Campbell, KY when an accidental discharge 5.56 round found his chest. He was rushed to Vanderbilt Hospital and attended to by Doctor Bill Frist. Should be no surprise they've been very close friends ever since. Don't look for the LTG Patreaus, who some refer to as the'perfumed prince,' to bash anyone in the administration. And by the way, he's still on active duty.

Posted by Besoeker 2006-04-20 14:19|| 2006-04-20 14:19|| Front Page Top

#11 Petraeus is taking the appropriate stance. He's not pitching a book, not running for office, not siding with the donks, and not being an obstacle of transformation.

How refreshing

Posted by Captain America 2006-04-20 14:49|| 2006-04-20 14:49|| Front Page Top

#12 "Like free speech?"

No. Like health care. Like social spending in general. Like any labor issue. Like abortion. Like just about any domestic issue that cleanly splits conservatives and liberals (and immigration is not one of them) other than campaign finance reform.

and yes, Hillary policy positions are centrist, for the most part.

Youre confusing personality, and partisanship, with ideology.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 15:23|| 2006-04-20 15:23|| Front Page Top

#13 Fall 2004 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Conservative Index - The John Birch Society 90 percent in Fall 2004.

2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Eagle Forum 50 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus - Personal Liberties on personal liberties 84 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus 82 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus - Economic Issues on economic issues 80 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the American Conservative Union 80 percent in 2005.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 15:24|| 2006-04-20 15:24|| Front Page Top

#14 Fall 2004 Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Conservative Index - The John Birch Society 33 percent in Fall 2004.

2005 Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Eagle Forum 25 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus - Personal Liberties on personal liberties 45 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus 28 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus - Economic Issues on economic issues 11 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Clinton supported the interests of the American Conservative Union 12 percent in 2005.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 15:27|| 2006-04-20 15:27|| Front Page Top

#15 Fall 2004 Senator Kennedy supported the interests of the Conservative Index - The John Birch Society 11 percent in Fall 2004.

2005 Senator Kennedy supported the interests of the Eagle Forum 33 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Kennedy supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus - Personal Liberties on personal liberties 32 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Kennedy supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus 21 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Kennedy supported the interests of the Republican Liberty Caucus - Economic Issues on economic issues 10 percent in 2005.

2005 Senator Kennedy supported the interests of the American Conservative Union 0 percent in 2005.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 15:28|| 2006-04-20 15:28|| Front Page Top

#16 2005 Senator McCain supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2005.

2004 Senator McCain supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2004.

2003-2004 Senator McCain supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 82 percent in 2003-2004.

2003 Senator McCain supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2003.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 15:30|| 2006-04-20 15:30|| Front Page Top

#17 Yup. Kennedy is a centrist, just like Hildebeast.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-04-20 15:36|| 2006-04-20 15:36|| Front Page Top

#18 and Kos is a moderate

Posted by Frank G 2006-04-20 15:37|| 2006-04-20 15:37|| Front Page Top

#19 no. Kennedy is a liberal.

Clinton is a liberal leaning centrist.

And McCain a conservative.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 15:38|| 2006-04-20 15:38|| Front Page Top

#20 do you think that Bill Kristol is also not a conservative?

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 15:39|| 2006-04-20 15:39|| Front Page Top

#21 Had a good laugh at the pic. Where can I get it?

Posted by Ptah">Ptah 2006-04-20 15:49|| http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org]">[http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org] 2006-04-20 15:49|| Front Page Top

#22 Use the secret vast-right-wing mouseclick Ptah.

Posted by 6 2006-04-20 17:32|| 2006-04-20 17:32|| Front Page Top

#23 There's a great deal of statistical fluff in there. Let's eliminate the Kennedy post entirely - irrelevant. Same for Clinton - she's someone else's cross to bear.

Lots of stats don't make good stats or relevant stats.

The NARAL post was a waste - his base is Arizona, lol.

The Eagle Forum, which is a single-issue outfit (Pro-Family they call themselves) is safe stuff in AZ.

The RLC, which isn't actually Republican but Libertarian (founded and run by self-proclaimed Libertarians), doesn't break down the bills and votes - so I have no idea what they stand for, other than themselves, so their grades of McCain's votes means nothing to me.

The indexes just don't cut it. Issues cut it. His prominent membership in The Gang of Fourteen, his bogus election funding reform bill (McCain-Feingold) and the amazingly flawed immigration bill (Kennedy-McCain) are all serious issues everyone knows about where we actually get to see what he thinks... and I find him lacking right down to his toes.

The RINOs, of which he is a prominent herd member IMHO, have completely botched the last few years of majority. They should've nuked the filibuster. They should've collected their courage and pushed through the judicial appointments that languished (some dying) during the Donk Legislative Games. They should've shown spine and resolution in the face of silly Donk stunts which were of no value except partisan MSM fodder. They should've acted like leaders with commitment and spine. But they didn't. McCain is one of them on many important (to me) issues, such as judicial activism and immigration. He's conveniently nuanced on other issues (wet finger describes it well) where a stalwart conservative would've helped get things done. He and Frist and Schumer and Snowe and Collins and Voinovich and the rest of the cowards didn't.

A pox on the lot. He'll never get my vote.

Posted by Whaick Crinens7005 2006-04-20 17:48|| 2006-04-20 17:48|| Front Page Top

#24 "The indexes just don't cut it. Issues cut it. His prominent membership in The Gang of Fourteen, his bogus election funding reform bill (McCain-Feingold) and the amazingly flawed immigration bill (Kennedy-McCain) are all serious issues everyone knows about where we actually get to see what he thinks... and I find him lacking right down to his toes."

He joined the gang of 14 not cause he likes liberal justices, but cause he was trying to find a way out for the Senate from another partisan disaster. Thats not a sign hes not a conservative. Immigration like i said, cuts different ways. There are business conservatives who take a very different view of immigration than other conservatives.

That leaves McCain- Feingold. Which is ultimately a process thing. In any case, is he RINO cause he disagrees with you on one issue? By that definition many folks who we think of as liberals arent.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 17:58|| 2006-04-20 17:58|| Front Page Top

#25 you can attack the conserv groups all you want. As far i can tell, no one other than the most extreme folks on the right think hes a "Rino".

As for adjusting for the fact that hes from Arizona, thats just too funny. Do you apply the same geographical adjustment to liberal Dems, to prove theyre really moderates in disguise?

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-04-20 18:01|| 2006-04-20 18:01|| Front Page Top

#26 LOL. Were those supposed to be incisive responses? AZ's certainly more conservative than NY, wouldn't you say? So the fact that he's from AZ is relevant and your comment is rather specious.

How about the 527's that ran wild in 2004, easily skirting and subverting the so-called reforms of McCain-Feingold? The last election season was one of the most incoherent and "lawless" ever. The Soros, Tides, et al campaign to discredit the poor little actual grassroots donation-funded SwiftBoat Vets was despicable. That they wasted their money was heavenly.

Have you even looked at the analysis of what Kennedy-McCain would yield? How about 35M+ immigrants since it provides amnesty for the 12M here now and grants fast-track citizenship to all of their adult relatives? Anyone favoring this piece of crap isn't a conservative in any sense of the word.

I'm not sure why you defend McCain since you are Hillary's man. I agree with WC.

Posted by Whavirt Hupoluque9472 2006-04-20 18:22|| 2006-04-20 18:22|| Front Page Top

#27 I wonder how different my military career would ahve been if we got to vote for our leaders? As my TI graciously pointed out of the very first day in basic: "This aint a democracy, we just defend it." These perfumed princes should try to remember that the next time they feel the need to parrot the LLL moonbat fever swamp talking points.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2006-04-20 19:06|| 2006-04-20 19:06|| Front Page Top

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