Retired General and former Clinton drug czar Barry McCaffrey — a staple on NBC’s networks — subbed this week on Meet the Press when General George Casey, the current commander of US forces in Iraq, decided to just do FOX News Sunday.
My favorite point in the show was his response when Tim Russert asked him to explain a comment he’d made about unsustainable troop levels and public support for the war. The transcript reads:
GEN. McCAFFREY: Well, if we had 10 years to work the issue, theres a 99 percent probability well achieve our objective.
That leaves out a word he said, though, which you can hear clearly in the video clip linked from the image (Quicktime, 900K).
The actual quote was:
GEN. McCAFFREY: Well, if we had 10 years to work the issue, theres a point 99 percent probability well achieve our objective.
Just an unintentional gaffe, I know, but there is a difference between 99.00% and 0.99%. A big difference. Out of the mouths of retired generals…
Overall, McCaffrey said what he’s been saying for a while. Sunday (June 11) he said:
Weve got a couple of years here to make it look like its going to work.
Nineteen months ago on the same program (December 12, 2004) he said:
Give us another 24 months and we’re going to start damaging the strength of the U.S. armed forces. The turning point is the coming 24 months.
That should be coming right up, then.