Why David Petraeus Didn't Give an Honest Answer When Asked if the War in Iraq was Making America Safe

The question was asked. But it was not answered. And in the vacillation and refusal to answer...lies the answer. Among the many justifications for both entering into a war with Iraq and continuing it indefinitely is that the security of Americans depend upon success. If America had not invaded Iraq and had not toppled Saddam Hussein, we were told, American security would be at indefinite risk. If we do not continue until this objective-less war reaches its unclear end, Americans cannot feel safe. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney ran for what really can't be accurately termed a re-election in 2004 by essentially telling Americans that if they cast their vote for John Kerry they would be sacrificing their safety. The Republicans have consistently forwarded the notion that somehow Americans cannot feel safe unless there is success in Iraq.

There is no success in Iraq. And when David Petraeus was pressed on the issue to answer a question from a Republican Senator-John Warner-whether or not the war in Iraq is serving to make Americans safer, he could not give a straight answer. He at first vacillated and avoided answering the question. When Warner again pressed him Petraeus was forced to answer that he did not know for sure whether or not American soldiers dying in Iraq was making American citizens safer at home. But here's the thing. If the answer was yes, he would immediately have said so. The fact that he didn't actually say Americans aren't safer due to the war in Iraq doesn't mean that's not what he believed. Republicans and other supporters of this war on fond of engaging the either/or argument. As Pres. Bush himself has said, either are you are with him or you are with the terrorists. Well, that is ridiculous, of course. But when David Petraeus cannot adamantly and confidently tell Senator John Warner that the war on terror being conducted in Iraq has made America safe that truly is a case for adopting the either/or argument. Either the war has made us safe or it has not.

It has not.

The war in Iraq cannot make us safe. It defies reason to even suggest that it can. Why? Because in order for Americans to ever truly be safe, every single Muslim who might one day want to engage in a terrorist act within these borders would have to be killed. Even more: all those who are now merely babies would have to be indoctrinated into a belief that is at odds with current Islamic extremist belief. As long as there is a Muslim left alive who wants to engage in terrorist acts, Americans will not be safe. After four years plus, there are not only fewer potential terrorists, there are more. Pres. Bush's legacy will be that he was responsible for creating more terrorists than Osama Bin Laden. The question that John Warner asked needed to be confronted because, as Warner surely knew, there is only one honest answer to that question.

Too bad David Petraeus wasn't honest enough to provide it.