" Thanks, AJ -- that's still a "rough transcript," not an official transcript, but it gets me a lot closer. I can listen again to the video clip and read along and make corrections until I have a pretty clean version.

excnyer -- I just meant your dream isn't everyone's. It's terrific that you've been able to get there where you want to be. I doubt there will be much left by the time I'm retirement age -- certainly not any of the Social Security I paid into it, and that'll be gone even faster if we let the fools start investing it.

I haven't been as far south on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but I've been on it in Virginia and it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Enjoy! "

" Found a link for you FG. I searched on ""wexler" +transcript +memorial" and came up with, you guessed it, a crooksandliars.com link near the top, amongst others.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/09/10/rep-wexler-gen-petraeus-testimony-eerily-similar-to-westmoreland-and-vietnam/
"

" DD, if you think I'm the smartest person, that really doesn't say much for the likes of you. Honestly I'm not, but I am much more aware of what is really going on than most people, especially you, CVC, CM, ms, etc,etc,etc.... "

" Not sure which one you are referring to FG. I only got on his mailing list as of 12/08. Have you tried to google "wexler +transcript" to see what comes up? Let me know what you find. Also, crooksandliars.com tends to have a pretty good archive of that kind of stuff. It's a great site if you're not familiar with it. "

" FG,
We do not have a "mobile home" (like those in Cooper's Mobile Home Park). Ours is a motorhome (RV) that we own. We pay no taxes, no utilities (only have to pay for campgrounds which are cheaper than rent). I have a husband that I dearly love; our children are grown and have left NY. We prefer not to have pets. Our lifestyle is such that when we wake in the morning, we decide what we want to do; where we want to go. Just today, we rode on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina; our garden! Oh, and by the way, we're retired. "

" AJ has ALL the transcripts. He is the smartest person. Leon, leave AJ alone!! (now, when I say that, I am saying it like that lunatic that was on Utube yelling "leave Brittney alone.") "

" That one I can find, AJ -- it's the earlier one I can't find. It ends with Wexler asking how many more names are we going to add to a memorial on the Mall in Washington DC. You wouldn't have that transcript, would you? "

" FG, did you see my email from Wexler? (a few posts back) It contains the transcript from his question. "

" Well Leon, at least I don't believe in the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny, or an illegal war like you. Forgive me that I had forgotten Pablo Escobar is dead. "

" Oops -- my mistake. I think we are talking about two hearings at once -- one from last September, then also one that happened more recently, just the other day while I was in the DC area (No, I was not at the hearing!) I've been digging for the transcript for the older hearing -- the newer one might well not be up anywhere yet. "

" Well, AJ thinks Pablo Escobar is still alive in Columbia and providing the CIA with cocaine, so I'm not surprised he'd spin a story like that. "

" I've been digging for the transcript of that 10 September 2007 hearing to which AJ referred. I can find video clips all over the net, and I can find the full session on video on one of the government websites -- just about every other hearing listed has a transcript as well, and some have just a transcript, but that hearing has only the video, no transcript. Makes it hard to quote it completely accurately.

If anyone has an official transcript, could you post a URL?

BTW, the proper title is: The Status of the War and Political Developments in Iraq, at least, that's how it's listed on the Foreign Relations Committee's website. "

" Here is the complete text of the email from Wexler. Read it, watch the hearing, and make up your own mind.

Dear A,

I want to thank you for the overwhelming response we received to my request for questions for General Petraeus. Thousands of emails poured in from all over the nation. My staff and I examined every suggested question and we were truly impressed with the passion, sophistication, and knowledge of the submissions. Choosing a few questions out of so many excellent entries was an extraordinarily difficult task.

One of the most commonly suggested questions centered on how General Petraeus defines victory in Iraq. This question struck a chord with me - as it no doubt did with so many of you - because it demands that the Administration actually define its goals (which, as you'll see below, are totally unrealistic).

Underscoring the tragedy of the Administration's failed policy, one of my constituents died in an attack on the Green Zone on Monday. I spoke with his parents yesterday, and they asked me to ask General Petraeus a simple question: For what? For what had they lost their son?

I asked him this question, and then asked him to define "victory."

I did not expect General Petraeus to answer either directly, but he did.

He stated that we were fighting for national interest, including region's "importance to the global economy." (In my mind, a stunning admission of the true motives behind this war.)

He stated that they were trying to achieve a country that is "at peace with itself and its neighbors," "could defend itself" that was "reasonably representative of and broadly responsive to its citizens."

These are not reasonable objectives. Half the countries around the world are not able to defend themselves. Many have internal and external conflict - and few - including our own, are broadly responsive to its citizens.

(I find that last objective sadly ironic, as the Bush Administration, by continuing this misguided war, is broadly unresponsive to American citizens.)

I was out of time before I could ask a follow up… but if you read between the lines, his answer is vast in its scope. Clearly, their goals for Iraq and interpretation of "national interest" are wholly at odds with a swift redeployment of forces.

It has been a year and a half since the 2006 elections - more than enough time for us to have required, through provisions attached to funding, a phased withdrawal. At the least, we could have forced a genuine showdown with President Bush that would have forced him to defend his policies.

There is no excuse for even one more American casualty in Iraq. Our troops must be redeployed. The Bush/Petraeus policy that denies reality must not carry the day.

I urge you to remain active and steadfast in your opposition to this open-ended, vaguely guided war.

Please read my exchange with General Petraeus below.


Congressman Robert Wexler

www.wexlerforcongress.com


TRANSCRIPT

Congressman Wexler:

Thank you. General Petraeus, last week in anticipation of this hearing I sent an urgent e-mail asking my constituents and other Americans: if they were serving on this committee, what is the one question they would pose to you.
There was an extraordinary response, with more than five thousand questions submitted, these e-mails and phone calls expressed deeply held frustrations about the war in Iraq, and reflect the concerns of millions across the nation who feel their opinions and concerns were cast aside by the Bush Administration.

I want to thank everyone who responded and submitted a question for today's hearings. While many of the respondents rightfully-highlighted the bravery of our troops, a majority of the e-mails expressed a strong desire to see withdrawal of American soldiers from Iraq, and an end to this five year war, that has cost our nation so dearly.

Most of the question! s boiled down to this: General we often hear President Bush and Senator McCain say we must win in Iraq. What is the definition of winning? What would a military victory look like, that was sufficient enough, to allow us to begin leaving?

Then, in a horrific turn of events, two of my constituents: Hester and Linn Wolfer of Boca Raton Florida, learned that this past Sunday their son had been killed for this war. Major Stuart Wolfer was a thirty six year reservist on his second tour. He was married with three young children ages five, three, and twenty months. His family was relieved that he was in the green zone, for they hoped he would be safe there. He was not.

I spoke to Mr. Wolfer yesterday last night, who asked me to ask you, simply: For What, for what had he lost his son? So allow me to combine if you will, the questions from the people that responded to me and Mr. Wolfer: What has all this been for? And please, respectfully, don't tell us as you told Senator Warner yesterday: to remove a brutal dictator. That's not good enough.

There are many dictators in the world. For what did Stuart Wolfer and the other four thousand and twenty four sons and daughters die for? And how will we define victory, so we can bring this never ending war to a close?

And if I will, when Mr. Burton asks for a definition of what is failure, we get a litany of items. But when Mr. Ackerman asks what is the definition of victory, we get little. Please tell us General, What is winning?

General Petraeus: First of all, Congress, let me tell you that what we are fighting for is national interest.

It is interest that as I stated have to do with Al Qaeda, a sworn enemy of the United States and the free world, has to do with the possible spread of sectarian conflict in Iraq, conflict that had engulfed that country and had it on the brink of Civil War.

It has to do with regional stability, a region that is of critical importance to the global economy, and it has to do with certainly the influence of Iran, another obviously very important element, in that region.

In terms of what it is that we are trying to achieve, I think simply it is a country that is at peace with itself and its neighbors, it is a country that can defend itself, that has a government that is reasonably representative and broadly responsive to its citizens, and a country that is involved in and engaged in, again the global economy.

Ambassador Crocker and I, for what it's worth, have typically seen ourselves as minimalists, we're not after the Holy Grail in Iraq and we're not after Jeffersonian Democracy.

We're after conditions that would allow our soldiers to disengage, and that is in fact what we are doing. As we achieve progress, as we have with the Surge, and that is what is indeed allowing us to withdraw the Surge forces, again well over one quarter of our ground combat power five of 20 brigade combat teams plus two marine battalions and the marine expeditionary unit by the end of July.

Congressman Wexler: Thank you.
"

" AJ, I guess we heard different versions of the Gen. Petraeus questioning. Yes he said we are fighting for national interests, in response to the question of what are we fighting for. The second question was as to what would be considered victory and part of his response was Iraq being effective in the global economy. I really did not hear the "importance to the global market." I guess we take things differently. Please, no spin AJ. "

" Factually AJ - Your referenct to Robert Wexler's question to Gen Petreaus was in an article Palm Beach Post (his parents live in Boca Raton) and his answer to the question was "What we are fighting for is national interest". Another example of how stories get started. "

" The city should honor the contract that they agreed to with the fire department without whining. All the firemen are doing is holding the city to what they agreed to do. However, when its time for a new contract there needs to be some major changes. "

" Wow, AJ -- if you have solid documentation of that one, it should be posted far and wide. Send it to Lou Dobbs and see if he will read it on the air.... "

" So, it's about the terrorists huh CVC?

The following is from an email I received from Robert Wexler who questioned Petraeus:

"Underscoring the tragedy of the Administration's failed policy, one of my constituents died in an attack on the Green Zone on Monday. I spoke with his parents yesterday, and they asked me to ask General Petraeus a simple question: For what? For what had they lost their son?

I asked him this question, and then asked him to define "victory."

I did not expect General Petraeus to answer either directly, but he did.

He stated that we were fighting for national interest, including region's "importance to the global economy." (In my mind, a stunning admission of the true motives behind this war.)"

YES CHRIS, IT IS ABOUT OIL. They use the terrorism ruse to sell the war to gullible people like you, but at least Petraeus was honest about this one.

THERE WERE NO TERRORISTS IN IRAQ THREATENING THE US PRIOR TO OUR WAR/OCCUPATION "

" Lol what numbskull says turf favors democrats? How does that happen. Sounds more to me like it favors republicans. There pie back in your face. So would u care to rebut my remark poster of thee tardetto commento? "

" excnyer -- I'm not being snotty, just curious: What makes a mobile home a "class A gas mobile home?"

(For some, yours may be the American Dream, but mine is not -- I would not be comfortable being rootless. For me it would be to own my own home, outright, somewhere safe and healthy, with a good partner, a happy, healthy family and pets, debt-free and a job I love which also pays enough to live on. And a flower garden. (And a hard-boiled egg ) "

" FG
Just wanted to let you know that the highways (interstates) I've been traveling on, the minimum speed is 45 mph, so by keeping my speed at 55 mph, I am well above the minimum. Also, for your information, I (we) drive a class A gas motorhome and use a motorcycle when the motorhome is parked. This is the American dream!
"

" "Turf favors Democrats"!
LOL! I just fell off the couch! "

" "People with mental illness don't want to be on the dole. They want to work and be on the tax roles." I agree there are plenty of low skill manual labor things those folks can do. Work gives people pride, and they contribute to society instead of detracting from it.
"

" I think we as a city, the fire union and the mayor are all going about the fire house complaints wrong. First, lets talk about a 14.3% drop in city population since the 1980's and a 23% drop in industry and retail since the 1980's. Can we as taxpayers afford the fire department as it as now? We are losing tax base every day due to high taxes. Second, why can't the Union be men enough to sit back down with the city? Pride they have! But not good business sense, don't bit the hand that feeds you. And finally Third!! Our Mayor, the ex fire chief!! Why can't he be the middle man to get both groups back talking!! Isn't he the Mayor of Auburn who is charge of the city's businesses. Look I am sick of all I here is the fire department problems. Mr. Mayor it does not matter if this problem started before you took the Mayors job. You got to handle the problem in hand today which is the contract talks!! "

" Gas prices are high for these reasons in no particular order....no new refineries in over twenty years, increased environmental regulations, hedge fund speculation, and most importantly sky rocketing world demand for oil. "

" Everyone of us owns oil company stock. Or atleast you do if you have a pension, a retirement plan, social security benefits and most mutual funds. "

" Bush doesn't mind them cuz he gots stocks in oil companies. That's why nothing is being done. You are telling me that the Government can't regulate the prices? "