Mark Udall Pokes Barb at General Petraeus, Passed Up Opportunity to Ask Questions

Boulder liberal Rep. Mark Udall's stint on the House Armed Services Committee appears to have been more about political resume-building than any sort of real conviction on military issues. Remember that photo-op junket to Afghanistan?

As successful military commander David Petraeus was promoted to head Central Command, Mark Udall seized the opportunity to pontificate in a press release:

"Taking over Central Command may give Gen. Petraeus context and perspective to answer the question he couldn't answer last year, namely, whether the war in Iraq has made America less secure."

Yet when Petraeus came to Washington recently to report on progress in Iraq, Mark Udall let the whole hearing go by without asking a single question - tough or otherwise - of the General. (Hearing transcript available at Congressional Quarterly - registration required.)

I guess it's a lot easier to unleash cheap political barbs against a military leader from the press office than to question him directly.