Foreign Policy

Petraeus reportedly exposes the Obama administration's phony story about Benghazi as political expediency.

"Because we now know the truth of what happened — CIA reports were edited to remove the names of al Qaeda groups involved in the attack, Petraeus said under oath — we also know the motive. It was political self-preservation, meaning the president and his team put politics first."

I think there's more to it than that.

"If that was meant to pressure him to protect the president, it failed spectacularly. Whatever his personal failings, Petraeus reinforced his reputation for professional integrity."

The same guy who lied the same lie for the president three days after the attack and who gave away classified information to his mistress has professional integrity? That's funny.

The White House denies it made any edits. Petraeus probably made the edits himself when was being a good little political tool for Obama. I think the ruination of Petraeus has only just begun.

"The edits would have been made after the statements had left the CIA for review by the Defense and State departments, ultimately landing at the White House."

It could have been anybody.

I just want to set one thing straight: none of the Petraeus's women are beautiful. I've heard both Broadwell and Kelley described as beautiful dozens of times. Are you kidding me? Not even close. This is a bunch of crap. The press wants Americans to believe that Petraeus, Allen and the rest of their government heroes are supermen, so naturally they could only be tempted by the most beautiful women. Don't make me spit on my keyboard. These men are loser, sociopathic men who have to use the government's power coercion to make up for their lack of manliness, and they hook up with any woman, ugly or average - look at Petraeus's wife - to satisfy their animal instincts.

Here's the article that prompted that rant.

"The US has lost one war and is fast losing a second, yet what really upsets Americans seems to be a juicy sexual scandal; beautiful female general groupies; US brass in Tampa, Florida, living like potentates; the FBI investigating CIA; and the fall of America’s most important intelligence official, former top general, David Petraeus.
After America’s ugly, dreary election, it’s fun seeing the great and good caught with their pants down. Petreaus’ slinky paramour, the ambitious femme fatale, Paula Broadwell, is easy on the eyes. So are voluptuous Tampa temptresses Jill Kelley and her sister who ignited this scandal by sending catty emails to the FBI."

Voluptuous does not equal beautiful. Not even close. And Petraeus was neither great nor good. I think the same will be proven of Allen. I'm disappointed to see Margolis feeding this fantasy. But Margolis does provide an excellent review of the war record.

"Petraeus and his fellow generals used every weapon in the US arsenal against Iraq’s eleven resistance groups (deceptively misnamed “al-Qaida” by Washington), including the mass ethnic cleansing of two million Sunni Iraqis, death squads, torture, and brutal reprisals."

And the record before Petraeus.

"UN officials assert that some 500,000 Iraqis, mostly children, died due to the US-led blockade under Saddam Hussein. At least another half million died from the US 2003 invasion until 2011. Yet after all this, the US forces were forced pull out of Iraq at the end of what Saddam Hussein vowed would be the “Mother of All Battles.”
Cost of Iraq: $1.6-2.4 trillion; almost 5,000 US soldiers dead, 35,000 seriously wounded. Some triumph. America has yet to accept the painful fact that while it won all the tactical engagements in Iraq, it lost the bigger war."

That's why I respect Margolis. Here's more.

"Petraeus was then sent to work his magic in Afghanistan before returning to Washington to head CIA. There, the brainy general, who had a knack for self-promotion and public relations, tried again to crush the Pashtun resistance by massive bombardments, billions in high tech gear, reprisals that wiped out entire villages, search and destroy missions. Torture and executions were as common as during the Soviet occupation."

I've yet to hear evidence of the torture. I've read hints that Petraeus allowed Iraqis to torture people, but I've never seen hard evidence. I've never seen evidence he tortured people in Afghanistan. I read LewRockwell.com and other alternative and antiwar sites every day, but I've never seen hard evidence that Petraeus or other Americans tortured people in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's not for lack of trying. I've seen thousands of assertions. But I have never seen evidence. Show me. I'm an openminded guy. Show me, and I'll pass it on in this blog.

"Cost of Afghan War: $1 trillion and rising. Afghan dead unknown. US military, some 2,100 dead, 17,000 wounded.
The US military has clearly been fought to a standstill in Afghanistan by medieval tribesmen with AK-47’s, reconfirming its name - “graveyard of empires.”
As for the military genius of Gen. Petraeus, recall the famous cry of King Pyrrhus, “one more such victory and we are lost.”"

That is much needed sanity.