Yeah, Right, Whatever

Many of you have probably heard that a certain retired Army General was quite critical of our prosecution of the war in Iraq. Well... that's kind of what he said in this speech to military reporters. The quote that the reporters latch onto went something like this.

THE BEST WE CAN DO WITH THIS FLAWED APPROACH IS STAVE OFF DEFEAT. THE ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS AND THE ENTIRE INTERAGENCY, ESPECIALLY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, MUST SHOULDER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MUST HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

THERE HAS BEEN A GLARING, UNFORTUNATE, DISPLAY OF INCOMPETENT STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP WITHIN OUR NATIONAL LEADERS. AS A JAPANESE PROVERB SAYS, "ACTION WITHOUT VISION IS A NIGHTMARE." THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT AMERICA IS LIVING A NIGHTMARE WITH NO END IN SIGHT.

But there was a lot that they obviously didn't hear. They didn't hear him chastising the partisan bickering that is interfering with the management of the war. They didn't hear him talking about those who say we've lost the war because it's politically beneficial for them. They didn't hear him practically beg for bipartisan cooperation.

They didn't hear him almost mocking the reporters themselves for making judgements about his integrity, intelligence, and honesty, having never met him. They didn't hear him giving a Journalism 101 lecture (which they'd obviously skipped in school). They never heard him ask for ethical journalism.

In essence, they heard what they wanted to hear. As usual.

It was a good, hard-hitting speech. Too bad they didn't hear it.