You have to feel sorry for General Petraeus.
He is about to be vanquished by an enemy he never saw coming: his own government.
The entire country has been waiting for the General's September report on the escalation of violence in Iraq known as the surge.
According to script, we're given the impression that a negative report might lead to the timely return of our troops.
Recent comments by the good General suggest he'll request a little more time for the surge to work.
Maybe a few more months.
Perhaps another year.
Or longer.
Others have a different view.
The BBC has noticed progress.
The New York Times declares that Petraeus has transformed US troop morale.
Victory is in sight! If you get your news from the internet and not just from the controlled, censored media, you'll realize that the surge has only created more violence, more deaths and destruction.
And victory, no matter how you define it, is as far away as ever.
Many believed, myself among them, that the General's report was already written.
Whatever the actual situation, more time would be needed - at least enough time for Bush to leave office and turn over his catastrophe to someone else.
But wait! Now we're told that the September Petraeus report will not even be written by General Petraeus.
It will be written by the White House! After some sort of "input" from the General.
The Bush administration will be giving its own progress report on its own Iraq policies - using the name of General Petraeus to add some sort of legitimacy.
Is there a single living soul in this once-free country who would believe a single word? Unbelievable! You would think that someone woth a Princeton Ph.
D would be aware of the consequences of lending his name to such a fraudulent document.
I can only surmise that the General may have spent a little too much time in the boiling Iraqi sun.
I have just 2 words of advice for the General: Colin Powell.
Former US Army General.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Former United States Secretary of State.
General Colin Powell, at one time perhaps the most admired and respected man in the country - who could have had the Presidency for the asking.
General Powell who almost single-handedly tried to defend our government - until he was overwhelmed by the predatory neocon takeover we still suffer from today.
Until February 5, 2003, when he delivered a speech to the United Nations, trying to justify war in Iraq with fictitious, manufactured "evidence" about weapons of mass destruction.
Powell later called it a "blot" on his record.
It was more than a blot.
A man who had the respect of the entire world, lost it all.
All dignity.
All respect.
Reputation shattered.
The achievements of a lifetime - gone forever.
And for what? Cui Bono? Whose benefit? I would think twice, General Petraeus, before you allow your name to be used on a fictitious document manufactured for the benefit of George Bush.
You could very well find yourself consigned to the oblivion enjoyed by your fellow General.
Speaking of which, General Powell surfaced recently in a television rerun of some event, showing him singing and dancing, and you had to cringe at the awkwardness of the former statesman, so completely out of his element, trying to perform in a new and unfamiliar role.
Think twice, General Petraeus.
You too could lose it all.
Maybe you and Colin Powell could get an act together.
The dancing Generals.
You could play the Catskill circuit.
Here's a lesson all your years of service and Princeton schooling probably never taught: There are few things as import as respect.
Once you lose it, it's gone forever.
Don't sacrifice your career, your good name and your respect for the likes of George Bush.
He isn't worth it.