Summary: Here's what I thought you'd like to hear about today: How's that Surge Going, Congressman?Defending Alberto -Anyone out there?Next Steps on Iran -Why Bombing isn't such a good ideaA Moving Tribute to the Lion of Fallujah Download Subscribe Add Wizbang Podcast to iTunes Play clip. How's that Surge Going, Congressman? Success has many fathers, it is said, but failure is an orphan. When it comes to Iraq debate in Congress, we are seeing the exact opposite of that old saw. By advocating withdrawal, the Democrats appear to be demanding the credit for the eventual failure of our efforts in Iraq. The latest incarnation of that sentiment is a pair of resolutions under consideration in the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee last week. Chairman Ike Skelton gaveled a hearing to:receive testimony on H.R. 3087, to require the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior military leaders, to develop and transmit to Congress a comprehensive strategy for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces in Iraq, and H.R. 3159, the "Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act of 2007." H.R. 3159 would require the Pentagon to abide by their new policy of 15 months of deployment and 12 months at home training and equipping. If the Pentagon were required to do this, the surge of troops would have to end by April of 2008, according to the Washington Post: Regardless of what decisions are made in Washington and Baghdad, the U.S. military cannot sustain the current force levels beyond March 2008 because of force rotations.This clever bill the Democrats are advocating will require removing troops from Iraq to meet the terms of the existing Pentagon policy. According to the experts at the Post, a surge beyond March 2008 would require Secretary Gates to go back on his pledge to maintain the 15 on/12 off plan. It's a tried and true way to use someone's words to restrict their choices. But credit is due to Chairman Skelton for bringing to the committee two well regarded witnesses. First up was General Jack Keane, a former Army Chief of Staff and current member of the Pentagon's Defense Policy Board, testified in opposition to the resolutions. The second witness was Lawrence Korb, of the Center for American Progress, who has ready the NY Times and the Washington Post quite thoroughly. I jest, since Mr. Korb is very knowledgeable on matters of defense and represented his side quite well in the debate. I'm going to play a few clips from the show. First up is a section of Keane's opening remarks. Thanks to C-SPAN for the audio, and Iraq Insider for the transcript. Play clip. After General Keane, Lawrence Korb spoke about the broken Army, and concluded by supporting the resolutions under consideration. Thanks to American Progress for the testimony transcript. He has finished his litany of troop problems, and moves to plugging his latest book. Play clip. Notice the protester at the end of that last clip. There were more as the day wore on. The hearing went on for four hours and 45 minutes, and General Keane had to leave after two hours. This was the source of much consternation from some of the lower level Democratic Congress critters. This next clip starts off with Tom Cole, Republican from Oklahoma talking about the inability of the Iraqi politicians to come together and legislate as the benchmarks require. Play clip. Boyda is a piece of work. I listened to the entire hearing and heard no references by General Keane to a vacation in Iraq. Her straw man argument is that people are claiming a paradise in Iraq. No one said that. Keane acknowledged the violence still prevalent in Iraq. Boyda's problem is that she is unable to listen to anyone whose facts conflicted with her prejudices. And what really bothered me is her insistence that we find a way to come together and put these crazy partisan politics behind us.. What a load
