Left In Lowell

This is huge. As John says, someone leaked this preliminary preview of this internal Pentagon report very deliberately. Newsweek says:

NEWSWEEK has learned that a separate internal report being prepared by a Pentagon working group will “differ substantially” from Petraeus’s recommendations, according to an official who is privy to the ongoing discussions but would speak about them only on condition of anonymity. An early version of the report, which is currently being drafted and is expected to be completed by the beginning of next year, will “recommend a very rapid reduction in American forces: as much as two-thirds of the existing force very quickly, while keeping the remainder there.” The strategy will involve unwinding the still large U.S. presence in big forward operation bases and putting smaller teams in outposts. “There is interest at senior levels [of the Pentagon] in getting alternative views” to Petraeus, the official said. Among others, Centcom commander Admiral William Fallon is known to want to draw down faster than Petraeus.

It looks like there’s a quiet, legitimate mutiny of policy in the Pentagon regarding the surge and Iraq. This, more than anything else, could signal the end of Bush’s war.

Couple that with this little tidbit - Petraeus can’t seem to bring himself to honestly answer the question, “does the surge strategy make America safer?” Hopefully Patraeus’ testimony unravels quickly. By lying to us for the sake of Bush’s propaganda scheme, he’s hurting America.