Petraeus beats back Dems on Hill

One has to marvel at the manner in which Washington Democrats responded to testimony from Gen. David Petraeus on the status of Iraq.

Petraeus calmly and confidently answered questions before several House and Senate committees, even when the questions where often hectoring, rhetorical missives. At times, congressional Democrats seemed to be suggesting that the four-star general was lying or misleading them with selective statistics.

At times, they acted as if they know more about the military situation in Iraq than he does, without realizing how ridiculous that makes them look. Before he even made his first appearance, the left-wing activist group, MoveOn.org, ran an ad in the New York Times that referred to him as "General Betray Us" in suggesting that he is a flunky who is "cooking the books" for the Bush administration.

How incredibly insulting. When it was all done, Petraeus and his main message remained intact: The counterinsurgency strategy he has been leading has been successful by several measures, most importantly in curbing violence in Iraq.

President Bush accepted his findings and recommendations, which include returning to approximately pre-surge troop levels by next July, because of the progress that Petraeus reported. Bush told the country to expect a long-term relationship with Iraq, a "political, economic and security engagement" that will extend beyond his presidency.

We have to wonder whose advice Democrats would listen to if they were commander in chief.

Consider what Sen. Hillary Clinton said when she was questioning Petraeus: "Despite what I view as your rather extraordinary efforts and your testimony both yesterday and today, I think that the reports that you provide to us really require the willing suspension of disbelief."

Sounds to us like she didn't believe what he had to say.

If she can't believe the nation's most prominent general, an officer with impeccable credentials, then who would she listen to?

Surely not MoveOn.org.