Gen. Petraeus speaks 
Michelle Malkin

“It is not in our power to turn back the clock to the day before the al Askaria Mosque was bombed. We can, however, in partnership with our Iraqi colleagues, help improve the security situation and enable the Iraqi people to control the demons responsible for the vicious sectarian violence of the past year; demons that tore at the very fabric of Iraqi society. Indeed, our operations will endeavor to provide Iraqi citizens and leaders a chance to mend that fabric.”

Gen. David Petraeus gave his first news conference today since taking over command last month. His message is the same one Bryan Preston and I heard over and over from officers of the Dagger Brigade during our January embed:

Counterinsurgency will not succeed by military force alone.

The Pentagon Channel has the full press briefing video.

The White House distills the following highlights from the briefing: ...

Jules Crittenden has lots more here.

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Video: Petraeus’s first press conference;
Update: Pullout could start by July 1, says Pelosi;
Update: Boehner on Dem plan: “Failure at any cost”
Allahpundit

I hadn’t seen any footage of him speaking until today and I figured many of you are in the same boat, so here’s the man one of the Freepers is calling “Betraus.” Why? Because he suggested that instead of hunting them to the last man, which would be impossible anyway, we might need to negotiate with some of the Sunni jihadist and Shiite militia groups — but not the Mahdi Army, for which he sees no role. The boss says this is already common knowledge among the troops she spoke with in Baghdad. It’s apparently common knowledge in the White House too because not only is the U.S.-Iran tete a tete still on for this weekend, it might include bilateral talks.

[video link]

Pelosi unveiled the long-awaited Democratic compromise pullout plan about an hour ago: withdrawal will begin by the end of this year if Maliki can’t meet the security and economic benchmarks set for him, and if he can, then withdrawal will begin next March with everyone out by fall 2008. (In fact, the doviest doves will submit an alternate bill calling for unconditional withdrawal by December 31.) We’ll see what happens to that now that Odierno has said he needs a surge until at least next February, and now that Petraeus himself has formally announced “encouraging signs” from the surge.

Update: Politico puts the Pelosi plan in starker terms: in a worst case scenario, if Maliki can’t meet the first benchmark set for him, withdrawal would have to begin immediately after July 1. Petraeus and Odierno have said repeatedly they won’t know whether the surge is working systemically until the summer.

Update: ...

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Headline Says Democratic War Plan …
Jules Crittenden

… but it looks like a modified Surrender Plan to me.  Out by fall ‘08, if not by fall ‘07. 

In a direct challenge to President Bush, House Democrats are advancing legislation requiring the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of next year.

Democratic officials who described the measure said the timetable would be accelerated — to the end of 2007 — if the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki does not meet goals for providing Iraq’s security.

The conditions, described as tentative until presented to the Democratic rank and file Thursday, would be added to legislation providing nearly $100 billion the Bush administration has requested for fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They’re anonymous, pending caucus results, suggesting Democrats are leaving room for a clear shot at their collective foot. ...