Petraeus: 'military objectives met'
Updated on 10 September 2007
General Petraeus' arrival was more like that of a rock star than a general.
There was an excitable atmosphere for one of the most heavily anticipated appearances on the Hill.
David Petraeus, appearing here unfirm, is meant to look like he is giving an impartial, independent assessment. The war's opponents insist this is really just the Bush report.
The idea of General Petraeus giving a progress report started as a very casual idea that hardened into an unwelcome deadline for the White House - now being seen as a pivotal point in the war.
A PR fightback is running ads lobbying "in support of victory in Iraq". They don't describe what victory in Iraq would look like.
While newspaper ads accuse Petraeus of betraying America by twisting the statistics to suggest success.
But the Petraeus report is not the crucial one. Even if congress and the public do believe that significant military progress has been made, that only matters if improved security leads to political progress.
And the more significant assessment - the one from US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker - will be unable to report any real progress towards political reconciliation.
President Bush now compares Iraq to Vietnam. He should take a look at this - General Westmoreland appearing before a sceptical congress in 1967 to persuade them to stay the course.
He was wrong then. Before General Petraeus even said a word today opponents claim he is just as mistaken.
Democratic presidential candidates want a timetable for withdrawal - but they know it's the next president who will have to handle leaving Iraq.
Democrats in congress still don't have the votes to force this president to make significant troop cuts.
US troop numbers will reduce a little early next year. But they have to - so that's no real concession.
And many young soldiers will soon be heading to Iraq. While the White house policy remains to wait and to hope for something they can really call progress if not victory.
