memeorandum: Security in Iraq still elusive (Leila Fadel/McClatchy Washington Bureau)

3:20 AM ET, September 11, 2007

Top Items:

The General's Long View Could Cut Withdrawal Debate Short — If Gen. David H. Petraeus has his way, tens of thousands of U.S. troops will be in Iraq for years to come. — Iraq's armed forces are improving, Petraeus told Congress yesterday. Overall violence is down.

Discussion: Prairie Weather, The Mahablog and The Democratic Daily

Frank James / The Swamp:

Petraeus 'Betray Us' ad is group's 'shock and awe' — MoveOn.org was looking to get attention and so they have with their full-page New York Times ad in which they slam Gen. David Petraeus, rhyming his name with "betray us." It's the liberal group's version of shock and awe.

CNN Political Ticker:

Thompson calls on Democrats to return MoveOn.org donations — COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) - Former senator and Republican White House hopeful Fred Thompson called on Democratic presidential candidates Monday to refund all donations received from MoveOn.org after the liberal advocacy group ran …

Discussion: Say Anything, Blue Crab Boulevard, Wake up America and Riehl World View

Think Progress:

REPORT: Petraeus Spent At Least 17 Days In August Flacking For Bush's Escalation — The Washington Post reported this weekend that the White House political office and Gen. David Petraeus' unit have been "hard-wired" together, working jointly to "map out ways of selling the surge."

Discussion: Hullabaloo and Empire Burlesque

Austin Bay Blog:

Initial thoughts on Petraeus-Crocker testimony — After three hours of testimony — at times grueling testimony — I've some initial reactions. (As it is, I have to get ready to give a speech this evening.) — My first thought is MoveOn.org lost this political battle — the chumps went an …

Discussion: The Monkey Tennis Centre, Gateway Pundit, Guardian, Agence France Presse, Instapundit.com, michellemalkin.com and CNN

CNN Political Ticker:

Kerry: MoveOn.org is 'over the top' — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, criticized MoveOn.org Monday for taking an ad out in The New York Times criticizing Gen. David Petraeus. The general is testifying before Congress today about the situation in Iraq.

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard and michellemalkin.com

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:

No More Flack for Iraq — While many in the media would like to unquestioningly accept the White House narrative that General David Petraeus walks on water and that all of his claims about progress in Iraq are undoubtedly true, the fact is that Petraeus has a history of extremely bad judgment with regard to the war.

Discussion: TalkLeft, Eschaton, CNN, Salon, Beautiful Horizons, Open Left and DownWithTyranny!

George Will / Real Clear Politics:

By Bush's Own Standard, Surge Has Failed — Before Gen. David Petraeus' report, and to give it a context of optimism, the president visited Iraq's Anbar province to underscore the success of the surge in making some hitherto anarchic areas less so. More significant, however, was the fact that the president did not visit Baghdad.

Discussion: race42008.com

Ed Kilgore / Democratic Strategist:
Petraeus Made EZ

Discussion: New York Post, The Atlantic Online and Daily Kos

Michael Hirsh / Newsweek:
Newsweek: Rating Petraeus' report

Discussion: Hot Air

ABCNEWS:
MoveOn.org Ad Takes Aim at Petraeus

Discussion: Redstate

Deacon / Power Line:
MOVEON.ORG HITS THE BOTTOM

Discussion: Gay Patriot, National Review, Captain's Quarters, WILLisms.com, HazZzMat, Weekly Standard, The Caucus, Redstate, The Politico, Heading Right and The Hill

David Stout / New York Times:
Slow Progress Being Made in Iraq, Petraeus Tells Congress

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg, The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Think Progress, ABCNEWS, Pottersville, The Moderate Voice, Outside The Beltway, The Swamp, MoJoBlog, DownWithTyranny!, The Gavel, The Politico, CNN Political Ticker, PoliBlog (TM) and Wake up America

The Washington Post / The Trail:

Anti-Thompson Site Connects to Romney Camp — A top adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney appears to be behind today's launch of a new Web site attacking GOP presidential rival Fred Thompson. — The site, www.phoneyfred.org, paints an unflattering picture of Thompson …

Discussion: Captain's Quarters, Talking Points Memo, The Politico, The Caucus, DownWithTyranny!, race42008.com, eyeon08.com and The American Mind

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Thompson wants 'due process' for Bin Laden

Discussion: Associated Press, The Carpetbagger Report, Hot Air, Stop The ACLU, AMERICAblog and Daily Pundit

Lara Jakes Jordan / Associated Press:

Clinton to return $850,000 raised by Hsu — WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign said Monday it will return $850,000 in donations raised by Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, who is under federal investigation for allegedly violating election laws.

Discussion: Suitably Flip, The Politico, Power Line, Hot Air, Stop The ACLU, Blue Crab Boulevard, JammieWearingFool, Wizbang, Sweetness & Light and Gateway Pundit

John Solomon / The Trail:
Clintons to Return $850,000 in Hsu Funds

Discussion: TalkLeft

Spud / Inside Cable News:

Uh oh... *Sigh* — How can someone so shallow, be so far off the deep end? — *Sigh* — Give Me A Break!!

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Captain's Quarters, Olbermann Watch, Patterico's Pontifications, The Jawa Report and Sister Toldjah

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

THAT POLL OF IRAQIS — There's been a lot of attention to that poll that showed that the great majority of Iraqis (70%) believe that the surge has failed and that security conditions have deteriorated. But there's a lot more in that poll that's worth looking at. (Click here for the full results.)

Discussion: The Atlantic Online and Eschaton

Andrew Sullivan / The Atlantic Online:

Clinton Questions Petraeus — After blaming the previous "supine" Congress and Rumsfeld for our current impasse, she repeats that skepticism of Petraeus's report is merited. She seems to have conceded that there's no chance that the Congress can stop the continued escalation.

Discussion: Corrente

James Joyner / Outside The Beltway:

New Gig — I'm starting a new chapter in my professional career this morning, having been hired as the managing editor for the Atlantic Council of the United States. Over the next few weeks, I'll be working with CEO Fred Kempe and the senior leadership of the Council in relaunching their Web presence.

Discussion: The Impolitic, Blue Crab Boulevard and The American Mind