Petraeus Plays Along Posted by Ilan Goldenberg

Spencer Ackerman points out something important.

A New York Republican named John McHugh conflated Al Qaeda with Al Qaeda in Iraq and asked the leading question: "We are really talking about the primary security interest of each and every American or do I have that wrong?"

Petraeus: "That is correct." Unbelievable. He really cherry-picks what strategy-level questions he wants to answer, doesn't he?

Let's be clear.  Al Qaeda Central is on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.  The NIE said that the major threat to the homeland comes from this group and that AQI is a separate organization.  Petraeus and Crocker's willingness to on the one hand correct very specific details and on the other let broad generalizations slip is irritating.  Coincidently they also seem to pick and choose, based on whether the generalization is in line with their policy or not.