Iraq Timeline: March is the New September

Petraeus Repeats the "Six More Months" Refrain

Throughout this past spring and summer, President Bush and his military leaders have promised Americans weary of the endless bloodshed in Iraq that September would be a moment of reckoning for U.S. war strategy. Just another few months, they said. Let's talk in September.

Those hoping for our leaders to be realistic about the bad and worsening situation on the ground were sorely disappointed yesterday as Gen. David Petraeus called for yet another six months to let the catastrophe play out. March, it seems, is the new September:

I do not believe it is reasonable to have an adequate appreciation for the pace of further reductions and mission adjustments beyond the summer of 2008 until about mid-March of next year.

Drag anywhere on the timeline below to see how the call for "six more months" in Iraq has been an endless refrain since the war began. Click on the quotes for more information on each one.

For more on this topic, please see:

• How to View the Report on the Surge
• Video: Claim v. Fact on Iraq
• Strategic Reset: Reclaiming Control of U.S. Security in the Middle East