Iraq, War & Politics: I'm tired! Are you?

I guess after General Petraeus's report to Congress today along with one from Ambassador Ryan Crocker, I am a bit exhausted. It was 6 plus hours of testimony where the outcome had been decided in advance by both sides of the debate. It wasn't even covered by major networks. I had to watch it on C-Span. Both men were articulate, although not as informative as many wanted. To be honest, we are in this war past the 2008 election, as nothing will take place to get us out. I don't like it, but I am going to live with it.

Why you ask? I'll give you the best reasons I can. First of all, I'm tired of the whole thing. I have been disappointed by this President, VP and entire Administration for the continued subversion of the Constitution. I am tired that only one or two Republican leaders like Sen. Chuck Hagel, Sen. John Warner and Rep. Ron Paul, haven't put their party ahead of the country and the Constitution. And I am tired of the impotent Democrats who removed their saber tooth after getting a majority in the last election and must have checked it, along with their spines, at the door of Congress and the Senate.

I'm tired of trying to convince the public through my writings here to mobilize and get involved while they are too busy with taking their kids to school, shopping at Wal-Mart, working at their jobs relentlessly each week. I'm tired of trying to convince others that they can make a difference because they truly don't care.

So here's where I'm coming out of this. If the Military families, who bear the greatest sacrifice for the consequences of this war, aren't protesting in the streets in significant numbers, and we don't have an Army that is going AWOL in mass, then I say keep at it this war and let's focus instead on Britany Spears or some good entertainment like the new Fall schedule of shows. Then we'll be close to Christmas shopping, which always starts before Thanksgiving. Before you know it we will be enjoying the next summer. Wake me up on November 3rd, 2008 so I can vote on November 4th, 2008. I feel better now, almost rested. But then, there’s tomorrow.

General Petraeus comments about Sunni insurgents

In his first news briefing, General Petraeus reveals some interesting tidbits about the Sunni insurgent groups. To quote AP writer Lauren Frayer from Baghdad, and General Petraeus's news conference "Last year, 11 Sunni insurgent groups working through mediators offered to immediately stop attacks on American-led forces in Iraq if the Shiite-led government and Washington set a two-year timetable for withdrawing all coalition forces from the country, according to insurgent and government officials."

She quotes the following from an Arab newspaper, "The Arabic newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported last year that U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad met seven times with insurgent representatives in late 2005 and early 2006. But the extremists broke off the contacts in April 2006 after the U.S. side failed to respond to a series of demands."

She also says, "One of Iraq's most expansive militias — the Mahdi Army of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr — appears to have set aside its weapons under intense government pressure to lend support to the Baghdad security plan.

Mahdi militiamen also have allowed Iraqi authorities to try to protect at least 1 million pilgrims heading to Karbala, about 50 miles south of Baghdad."

Folks, that was last year and now fits the timetable the Democrats are pushing for. Seems like everyone, including Sunni insurgents, are on the same timetable page except President Bush and VP Cheney and whatever Republican Senators they can arm twist to keep in line. Senator Chuck Hagel, again braving the White House scorn, has positioned the possibility for Republicans of the unthinkable- Impeaching President Bush, as he has lost his faith in this Commander in Chief, as many have. I never had any faith in the first place, so it is difficult to lose something you never had.

The good General has put before us the fact that we are going to have to deal and resolve issues with folks like Al-Sadr, as I said Nov. 26th in this post titled, "Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and the Shiites in Iraq. Petraeus's comments tell me Al-Sadr is entering the political process more in a big way than before and he will be at the table as a force to reckon with. I have read somewhere that while he has gone to Iran as we are building up forces, he does not want Iranian control over the Iraqi's Shia population. We shall see.

A hope in the war effort in Iraq.

I was away facilitating a retreat for a client yesterday and was having the group of around 18 executives list the 3 people who have been the greatest people who had inspired them in their lives. One executive said, Dave Petraeus (current General in charge of all operations in Iraq). I then asked each of them to identify the core qualities of these people. When it was this executive’s time to respond to my question, he said it was Petraeus's ability to get results, reward those results and inspire creativity from those he led.

If we ever needed those skills, this is the time. No matter the public discourse on this war, I felt a little reassured that this leader is someone who is admired still from his former troops. Let's all pray for his success, for us, the Iraqi people and the world, as long as we happen to be there.