POTEMKIN WITHOUT THE FACADE. Josh Marshall reports that the "Petraeus" report that has been used by Iraq dead-enders to preempt all criticism for months might be delivered by Condi Rice and Robert Gates. While the Democrats are probably right to "actually want to hear from Gen. Petraeus," from a political perspective I'm baffled as to why the administration would do this. Isn't the whole point of using the "Petraeus" report as a shield to imply that the tendentious reports of progress that will be delivered under his name are a nominally independent analysis? If the administration-written report is actually delivered by the administration, what's the point? --Scott Lemieux
