Petraeus Moves the Goalposts - Again

Are people really going to fall for this again?

Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in the war in Iraq, said that he expects this fall to recommend additional cuts in U.S. troop levels there.

He said that he plans to make an assessment by September, when he would move to take over the U.S. Central Command, if he is confirmed for that position, as is expected.

"My sense is I will be able to make a recommendation at that time for further reductions," Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee today in a hearing to confirm him for the Centcom post. He said he didn't know how large those cuts might be.

Anyone who believes this will be at all meaningful and not just a stunt is out of their minds. This has been a constant refrain since the beginning of the war.

p.s. Other interesting bits from this hearing included Petraeus arguing for negotiation and diplomacy with Iran like an appeaser from the Chamberlain school, admitting that the real danger spot in the world is the Afghan-Pakistan border, and his potential successor in Iraq, Raymond Odierno, describing the desired end state in the country and admitting that there would then be no need for US troops. I did a roundup at my site.