John Aravosis points out that 30 GIs died this past week. As American families huddle together in grief at the loss of sons, daughters brothers, sisters, husbands, fathers and mothers, GEN Petraeus warns us “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Gen. Petraeus: 'We are just getting started'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said Thursday that conditions in Iraq may get harder before they get easier and will require "an enormous commitment" over time by the United States.

I think it’s already gotten harder. I can’t remember a week with 30 casualties since the invasion.

By the way, did you catch this?

Asked how many troops he thought would have to remain in Iraq — and for how long — to finish the job, Petraeus said, "I wouldn't try to truly anticipate what level might be some years down the road." However, he noted historical precedents to long U.S. peacekeeping missions.

We are now officially peacekeepers. Please take note. We will discuss this anther time. But we’re going to be there for “years.”

He avoided commenting directly on the legislation before the Senate, which passed the House Wednesday night. "I have tried to stay clear of the political minefields of various legislative proposals," he said. [emph added]

Other than, of course, giving private briefings to Republicans.

This morning on the Chris Matthews Show, NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell revealed that Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, met “very recently” with the Senate Republican caucus to discuss their strategy on Iraq legislation.

“Petraeus went to the Republican caucus and told them, I will have real progress to you by August,” Mitchell said. The Republicans claim they told him that after August, they will end their support for the war. “They have told him at a caucus meeting as very, very recently, that if there isn’t progress by August — and real progress means not a day of violence and a day of sanity — that they will pull the plug.” [Video available ]

Interestingly Mitchell opined that the Republican Congress doesn’t have the grit for adversity.

…Mitchell said that “moderate Republican” senators had told her that they didn’t believe the escalation would work but voted for it anyway. “They really are not in favor of the surge. They don’t believe it’s going to work. But they basically said the president has until August, until Labor Day. After that, if it doesn’t work, they’re running.”

We’ve heard lots of fantasy stories from Mrs Alan Greenspan, so I don’t put much faith in that one. After all, she’s part of the establishment, and who trusts that by now? The R’s have been all over the news the last couple of weeks, claiming that they’ll wait three or four more months to see the goods, and if GEN Petraus or Mr Bu$h can’t convince them things are better, well, then…. They’ll wait another three or four months, because very few them have the courage to sit down on the john without first asking Karl Rove what shape and size he wants from them.

The world is full of Friedman Units for Republicans.

And today 30 families wish their loved ones had been allowed one more Friedman Unit.