‘The Reality Is Very Hard’

Were you surprised by Sadr's declaration of a ceasefire? Skeptical?
Sure. I think we've said repeatedly, "We're from Missouri, the Show Me State." But … if we could sit down across the table with insurgents who were shooting at us—like we did in the late spring and summer, [with] Sunni Arab insurgents—we figured we could at least give Jaish al-Mahdi a chance. Now, having said that, once an element or an individual violates that ceasefire, obviously they're criminals and they have to be dealt with by Iraqi or Coalition forces, or together, more likely.

Where do you see troop levels by the time U.S. elections roll around in November?
What we're doing right now is the analysis that will provide the basis for recommendations that the ambassador [Ryan Crocker] and I will take back in late March or early April. We've literally just begun that analysis. We're looking at three different scenarios. One is things get better; one is things stay about the same as we come down [in troop strength]; another is things get worse.

Have you considered becoming a vice presidential candidate?
I will say on the record … I really do not have any political aspirations. I have chosen to serve our country in uniform and I respect those who serve it in politics … They won't nominate me for anything anyway.

So you wouldn't consider a presidential run?
No.

You have a copy of the Aeneid in your bookshelf here. What are you reading now?
I just finished David Halberstam's book on Korea; I think it's titled "The Coldest Winter." I read Rick Atkinson's second book in his trilogy on World War II, which is terrific. He's a good buddy. He did the [trip] to Baghdad in the back of my Humvee. He learned about his second or third Pulitzer while we were out in a dust storm. I read "April 1865," and it's very good. And I read "Grant Takes Command," which was really quite instructive.

Some could compare you to Grant.
I'm not trying to get compared to anybody. Every situation is unique.

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