Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
NBC; CNN
April 7, 2008
NBC Nightly News, 7:00 PM
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Ten Americans have been killed in Iraq over the last two days; ten American families tonight dealing with the worst possible news. Against that backdrop and after spiking violence in Iraq, as we mentioned, Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding general for U.S. forces there, has come to Washington this week to testify before Congress.
Our own Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon has a preview tonight.
JIM MIKLASZEWSKI: Military officials say Gen. David Petraeus will tell Congress tomorrow he’s still determined to withdraw all five U.S. surge combat brigades, nearly 20,000 soldiers, by the end of July. But Petraeus will stop there. U.S. sources tell NBC News Petraeus wants to keep some 140,000 American forces in Iraq at least through the U.S. presidential elections in November and depending on the level of violence perhaps through the end of the year.
GEN. BARRY MCCAFFREY (RET.) [U.S. Army]: We don’t want to be there with inadequate U.S. combat power between now and the end of this administration.
MIKLASZEWSKI: Most of the ten American soldiers killed in the past two days died in fierce fighting in Sadr City and in rocket attacks on Baghdad’s Green Zone.
The White House is concerned that Iraq not collapse into chaos in the closing days of the administration. At the Pentagon recently, President Bush himself warned against withdrawing U.S. forces too rapidly.
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: The terrorists and extremists step in, they fill vacuums, establish safe havens, and use them to spread chaos and carnage.
MIKLASZEWSKI: President Bush is expected to announce later this week he’s going to cut those punishing 15-month combat tours for U.S. back to one year. Gen. Petraeus will face some tough grilling tomorrow about Iraqi security forces and that failed offensive in Basra two weeks ago, but Democrats tell us most of their fire will be aimed at the Bush administration’s handling of the war, and their biggest question: How soon can more U.S. troops come home? Brian?
WILLIAMS: Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon for us tonight. Jim, thanks.
The Situation Room (CNN), 5:00 PM
WOLF BLITZER: The U.S. military commander in Iraq starts briefing congress tomorrow on the state of the war. But General David Petraeus will be stepping into the cross fire of the presidential campaign. The candidates will be working their day jobs on Capitol Hill tomorrow hanging on every word.
Let's go to our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Barbara?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this is where it all begins, the senate hearing room, the first of several congressional appearances throughout the week.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) STARR: When General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker go to Capitol Hill, a lot of attention will be on the presidential candidates. Senators McCain, Clinton, and Obama, likely to use the hearings as their bully pulpit. Petraeus is widely expected to say no more troop cuts until the surge ends in July. So the only suspense, when will the political theater begin?
MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: Petraeus was already in a sense in the middle of the presidential campaign.
STARR: Senator McCain, an administration supporter will say Iraq needs more time.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All this will require that we keep a sufficient level of American forces in Iraq until security conditions are such that our commanders on the ground recommend otherwise.
STARR: Senator Clinton's position, the U.S. has given Iraqis their freedom. Now bring the troops home.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have acted honorably, we have fulfilled the mission that our troops were given and it is time to bring them home.
STARR: The Democrats problem? Challenges General Petraeus's case for holding on to 140,000 troops. With U.S. troops helping Iraqis in the recent fighting against Shiite militias, Republicans will say troops need to stay, Democrats will disagree.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to bring one to two brigades out per month. At that pace, it will take about 16 months to get all of our combat troops out.
STARR: Michael O'Hanlon is a previous Clinton adviser.
O'HANLON: For McCain to say stay the course doesn't explain how you handle Basra. For Obama to say get out in 16 months doesn't tell you how if you get out in 16 months --
STARR: And Senator Clinton?
O'HANLON: She's also been in favor of getting out fairly fast and that leaves the same questions for her as Senator Obama. (END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: A top aide to Petraeus tells CNN the general is well aware everything he says will be viewed through the political prism. But that he is determined to stay out of the fray once he sits down at this witness table, stay out of it if he can. Wolf?
BLITZER: Barbara, thanks very much. Barbara Starr reporting from the hill.
April 7, 2008
NBC Nightly News, 7:00 PM
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Ten Americans have been killed in Iraq over the last two days; ten American families tonight dealing with the worst possible news. Against that backdrop and after spiking violence in Iraq, as we mentioned, Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding general for U.S. forces there, has come to Washington this week to testify before Congress.
Our own Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon has a preview tonight.
JIM MIKLASZEWSKI: Military officials say Gen. David Petraeus will tell Congress tomorrow he’s still determined to withdraw all five U.S. surge combat brigades, nearly 20,000 soldiers, by the end of July. But Petraeus will stop there. U.S. sources tell NBC News Petraeus wants to keep some 140,000 American forces in Iraq at least through the U.S. presidential elections in November and depending on the level of violence perhaps through the end of the year.
GEN. BARRY MCCAFFREY (RET.) [U.S. Army]: We don’t want to be there with inadequate U.S. combat power between now and the end of this administration.
MIKLASZEWSKI: Most of the ten American soldiers killed in the past two days died in fierce fighting in Sadr City and in rocket attacks on Baghdad’s Green Zone.
The White House is concerned that Iraq not collapse into chaos in the closing days of the administration. At the Pentagon recently, President Bush himself warned against withdrawing U.S. forces too rapidly.
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: The terrorists and extremists step in, they fill vacuums, establish safe havens, and use them to spread chaos and carnage.
MIKLASZEWSKI: President Bush is expected to announce later this week he’s going to cut those punishing 15-month combat tours for U.S. back to one year. Gen. Petraeus will face some tough grilling tomorrow about Iraqi security forces and that failed offensive in Basra two weeks ago, but Democrats tell us most of their fire will be aimed at the Bush administration’s handling of the war, and their biggest question: How soon can more U.S. troops come home? Brian?
WILLIAMS: Jim Miklaszewski at the Pentagon for us tonight. Jim, thanks.
The Situation Room (CNN), 5:00 PM
WOLF BLITZER: The U.S. military commander in Iraq starts briefing congress tomorrow on the state of the war. But General David Petraeus will be stepping into the cross fire of the presidential campaign. The candidates will be working their day jobs on Capitol Hill tomorrow hanging on every word.
Let's go to our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr. Barbara?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this is where it all begins, the senate hearing room, the first of several congressional appearances throughout the week.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) STARR: When General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker go to Capitol Hill, a lot of attention will be on the presidential candidates. Senators McCain, Clinton, and Obama, likely to use the hearings as their bully pulpit. Petraeus is widely expected to say no more troop cuts until the surge ends in July. So the only suspense, when will the political theater begin?
MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: Petraeus was already in a sense in the middle of the presidential campaign.
STARR: Senator McCain, an administration supporter will say Iraq needs more time.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All this will require that we keep a sufficient level of American forces in Iraq until security conditions are such that our commanders on the ground recommend otherwise.
STARR: Senator Clinton's position, the U.S. has given Iraqis their freedom. Now bring the troops home.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have acted honorably, we have fulfilled the mission that our troops were given and it is time to bring them home.
STARR: The Democrats problem? Challenges General Petraeus's case for holding on to 140,000 troops. With U.S. troops helping Iraqis in the recent fighting against Shiite militias, Republicans will say troops need to stay, Democrats will disagree.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to bring one to two brigades out per month. At that pace, it will take about 16 months to get all of our combat troops out.
STARR: Michael O'Hanlon is a previous Clinton adviser.
O'HANLON: For McCain to say stay the course doesn't explain how you handle Basra. For Obama to say get out in 16 months doesn't tell you how if you get out in 16 months --
STARR: And Senator Clinton?
O'HANLON: She's also been in favor of getting out fairly fast and that leaves the same questions for her as Senator Obama. (END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: A top aide to Petraeus tells CNN the general is well aware everything he says will be viewed through the political prism. But that he is determined to stay out of the fray once he sits down at this witness table, stay out of it if he can. Wolf?
BLITZER: Barbara, thanks very much. Barbara Starr reporting from the hill.