General Petraeus is the last in a long line of political hacks who have moved to the Highest Command in the US military based on the peter principle and the politcal expediencies of those in ultimate power.

Of course Gen. P. lies through his teeth at Congressional hearings. That's what he was hired to do. The Green Zone is under constant attack. There isn't a square centimeter of safe territory in Iraq. The US/British/QuislingIraqi forces just suffered a major defeat in Basra, and Petraeus says, "All is well, but... we have to stay and beef up our forces...?"

What the hell did anyone expect???? That he would tell the truth and say,

"Yep, things are pretty grim... our Occupation forces have not succeeded in holding onto anymore ground except that they stand on. The Green Zone is under constant attack. Our soldiers continue to be cut down at an alarming rate. Morale amongst the troops is close to zero...Civilians are being murdered and displaced at an increasing rate.... the government we've installed is corrupt and incompetent... its armed forces are lacking in morale and loyalty....everyone is under intense mental and physical anguish...we are universally hated throughout the country... the war is horribly expensive and is destroying the US as well as the global economy... Oh God! It's Horrible! Please! We need to get out now... (breaks into heart-rending sobs of true anguish) The death! The horror! Oh God! Oh God! I can't take it any more!"

That would be honest, but General Petraeus did not reach his position of authority on the basis of such traits as honesty and integrity.

Bravo debois,I was just going to make the SAME comment with the addition of Darfur and Congo!
I wouldn't expect ANY MORE from the DARK WHITE HOUSE,than the VERY LEAST!
In fact the refugees can handle their return in probably a much better way than I would entrust to Bush' bunch.
I reckon they should start compensating those displaced refugees by first:
-EMPTYING the Republican AND Democratic party campaign coffers,
-plus,take the White House-ers frozen personal war-profits,
-and the missing Iraqi fiscal millions,
AND GIVE IT ALL BACK! PRONTO! You broke it---you pay for it!
Peace,Salaam,Shalom!

Bush did not care about our own refugees...those who have not yet recovered from Katrina, do you think he gives a rat's a.. about Iraqi refugees?

When General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker testified before a Senate Committee this week, they pointed to "security improvements" and a "drop in violence" in Iraq over the last year, but there was one issue never mentioned: that's the issue of Iraqi refugees.

According to the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration, almost 5 million Iraqis have now been displaced by violence in their country. Over 2.4 million fled their homes for safer areas within Iraq, up to 1.5 million are living in Syria, and more than 1 million refugees fled to Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and the Gulf States. I've just returned from Syria and Jordan where the influx of Iraqi refugees has created an enormous burden on these countries and is a massive humanitarian crisis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5tL8BeWwg