Chicken Shit: What about the Media?

Very few news sources reported one of the best stories of last week: the Asia Times writes that
" [Petraeus' boss] Fallon told Petraeus that he considered him to be "an ass-kissing little chickenshit" and added, "I hate people like that," the sources say. That remark reportedly came after Petraeus began the meeting by making remarks that Fallon interpreted as trying to ingratiate himself with a superior."

Not only is this a funny story ipso facto, it also reveals how little we are seeing of divisions within the military over Iraq policy in the mainstream media. It is abundantly clear that Bush used Petraeus as his talking dog, disgracefully sending him on a political mission to the Hill and mainstream Media to sell a shitty policy on a shitty war that is going now where. However, very few media outlets are reporting on whether the generally really represents the best military strategic thinking in this country. What are his superiors saying? what about those on the grounds? The times op-ed by 7 Iraqi soldiers was an exception.

The reason it is so important to find out the debates within the military itself is to overcome the biggest obstacle to ending this war. The pro-war lobby has the monopoly on the "the army said so" trump card, and can easily paint anti-war people as anti-patriotic or peaceniks. More information on divisions within the army and the real debates going on about the surge and how to end the war would neutralize the pro-war lobby that is still far too strong.