Pelosi Tells Petraeus What to Say

The Politico reports that Speaker Pelosi is setting out parameters for the content of General Petraeus’ testimony when he appears before the House:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) warned Army Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Thursday not to “put a shine on recent events” in Iraq when they testify before Congress next week. “I hope we don’t hear any glorification of what happened in Basra,” said Pelosi, referring to a recent military offensive against Shiite militants in the city led by the Iraqi government and supported by U.S. forces. Although powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr agreed to a ceasefire after six days of fighting, Pelosi wondered why the U.S. was caught off guard by the offensive and questioned how the ceasefire was achieved, saying the terms were “probably dictated from Iran.” “We have to know the real ground truths of what is happening there, not put a shine on events because of a resolution that looks less violent when in fact it has been dictated by al-Sadr, who can grant or withhold that call for violence,” Pelosi said.

First off, credit where it’s due: any sign that Democrats take the Iranian threat seriously is heartening. If Speaker Pelosi is working on a realistic strategy to confront the killers in Teheran, we’d be eager to provide any assistance she may need. And while Sadr is working with Iran, and his sponsors in that nation likely told him to cease fighting, Pelosi seems to labor under the misimpression that the decision was made from a position of strength. While it’s not exactly clear what this incident means for Iraq in the long run, it’s clear that Sadr’s ambitions have been thwarted, at least for now. Further, Pelosi comes off as silly — even for her — when she tells Petraeus what the realities are on the ground in Iraq. Undoubtedly she has excellent sources for news, but it’s just possible that Petraeus may have something to add to the insights she’s already gleaned from the New York Times and Huffington Post. And if she really knows all there is to know about Iraq, perhaps she can offer competing testimony around the same time as General Petraeus. It’s always nice to give the loyal opposition a chance to test the knowledge of war experts like the Speaker.

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