Changes

Senator [[Hillary Clinton]], who helped appoint him, called him a liar when he gave his September 2007 report on President Bush's "[[troop surge]]". <ref>When questioning him on September 11, she lectured that, "I think that the reports that you provide to us really require a willing suspension of disbelief." [http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070918/EDITORIAL/109180036/1013&template=nextpage (Washington Times editorial)] </ref> In response to this report, Petraeus was the victim of [[liberal]] advocacy group [[MoveOn.org]]'s "vicious"<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/09/11/moveons_mccarthy_moment/ MoveOn's McCarthy moment], By Peter D. Feaver, ''Boston Globe'', September 11, 2007.</ref> attack campaign subsidized by the ''[[New York Times]]''<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/09132007/news/nationalnews/times_gives_lefties_a_hefty_di.htm Time Gives Lefties a Hefty Discount for "Betray us" Ad], Charles Hurt, ''New York Post'', September 13, 2007.</ref> which contributed a monetary discount for an advertisement, without foundation, entitled "General Petraeus or General Betray Us"? The accusation of treason sparked so much controversy that even the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-controlled [[Senate]] passed a resolution condemning the attack on General Petraeus.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297498,00.html Senate Votes to Condemn MoveOn for Ad Attacking General Petraeus], [[FOX News]], September 20, 2007.</ref>

Senator [[Hillary Clinton]], who helped appoint him, called him a liar when he gave his September 2007 report on President Bush's "[[troop surge]]". <ref>When questioning him on September 11, she lectured that, "I think that the reports that you provide to us really require a willing suspension of disbelief." [http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070918/EDITORIAL/109180036/1013&template=nextpage (Washington Times editorial)] </ref> In response to this report, Petraeus was the victim of [[liberal]] advocacy group [[MoveOn.org]]'s "vicious"<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/09/11/moveons_mccarthy_moment/ MoveOn's McCarthy moment], By Peter D. Feaver, ''Boston Globe'', September 11, 2007.</ref> attack campaign subsidized by the ''[[New York Times]]''<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/09132007/news/nationalnews/times_gives_lefties_a_hefty_di.htm Time Gives Lefties a Hefty Discount for "Betray us" Ad], Charles Hurt, ''New York Post'', September 13, 2007.</ref> which contributed a monetary discount for an advertisement, without foundation, entitled "General Petraeus or General Betray Us"? The accusation of treason sparked so much controversy that even the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-controlled [[Senate]] passed a resolution condemning the attack on General Petraeus.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297498,00.html Senate Votes to Condemn MoveOn for Ad Attacking General Petraeus], [[FOX News]], September 20, 2007.</ref>

===The Surge: 2007-8===

===The Surge: 2007-8===

President Bush removed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and tried the warfighting strategy proposed by General David Petraeus, who was given additional forces.  Petraeus sent in 30,000 additional combat troops under Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, who contained the insurgency and cleared the enemy out of the "belts" surrounding Baghdad.  Sunni leaders and tribal chiefs, fed up with al Qaeda atrocities, set up militias in tactical alliance with coalition and Iraqi government forces, The long ceasefire of Moqtada al Sadr's Shia extremists helped to reduce sectarian tension. Within a few months, Baghdad had been transformed: attacks were down by 60%, civilian deaths had dropped 70% and sectarian attacks of one sort and other had fallen by a staggering 90%. The success of "The Surge" strategy made possible the achievement of Bush's timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq's major cities in summer 2009.<ref> Kimberly Kagan, ''The Surge: A Military History'' (2009)</ref>

President Bush removed Defense Secretary [[Donald Rumsfeld]] and tried the warfighting strategy proposed by General Petraeus, who was given additional forces.  Petraeus sent in 30,000 additional combat troops under Lt. Gen. [[Ray Odierno]], who contained the insurgency and cleared the enemy out of the "belts" surrounding Baghdad.  Sunni leaders and tribal chiefs, fed up with al Qaeda atrocities, set up militias in tactical alliance with coalition and Iraqi government forces, The long ceasefire of Moqtada al Sadr's Shia extremists helped to reduce sectarian tension. Within a few months, Baghdad had been transformed: attacks were down by 60%, civilian deaths had dropped 70% and sectarian attacks of one sort and other had fallen by a staggering 90%. The success of "The Surge" strategy made possible the achievement of Bush's timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq's major cities in summer 2009.<ref> Kimberly Kagan, ''The Surge: A Military History'' (2009)</ref>

==See Also==

==See Also==