What to expect in September report

Lt. Col. Patrick:

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In the less than 7 months since his 81-0 confirmation in the Senate, General Petraeus has watched his 'supporters' continuously bait him into a sense of failure. Withdrawal. Give up. Give in. The war is lost. Defeat. Agendas by the media and defeatists have already called him and his credibility into question. All of these attacks are only appetizers to the main dish--the General's September report on Iraq. There's no convincing any of them of progress in Iraq. This update on the Iraq war is merely an ambush by naysayers. A trap.

I can't think of a better person to approach this September media trap than General Petraeus. This sure-footed soldier coauthored the Army's new Field Manual 3-24 on counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. This guy wrote the book on avoiding ambushes. He's used to fighting enemies that run and hide from positive news. Media attempts to use guerrilla-style "polls" will be dealt with swiftly and with laser-guided precision from the top soldier actually on the ground in Iraq. "Low morale" reports will be countered with re-enlistment rates. Hidden agendas focused on our national elections in 2008 will be answered with an emphasis on our national security in 2007 and beyond.

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There is more. Petraeus is a smart guy and he knows the traps in Washington. He will put together an honest report that will be difficult for honest people to challenge. BTW, Lt. Col. Patrick's blog Duty in the Desert is very good. I have added it to my list.