The Full Percy

During a Senate hearing on Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command leader General David Petraeus fainted while Senator John McCain (R-AZ) expressed his concerns about a possible premature withdrawal. Petraeus was able to walk out of the committee room his own, feeling dehydrated, and apologized upon his return. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) adjourned the hearing until tomorrow.

Petraeus may have done himself a favor at a time when the war in Afghanistan is not going well at all. When he returned, he actually received applause from the gallery. He was obviously getting sympathy for going through such tough questioning. I call this situation "the full Percy" after Charles Percy, a U.S. Senator from Illinois who was participating in a debate during his bid for a third Senate term in 1978 when he momentarily fainted. Percy's handlers explained that he had had a long day in his campaign, causing him to feel extraordinary pressure, but his opponent accused him of faking it. Why would Percy, a Republican, have faked it? Because he ended up getting a lot sympathy four days before the election, and he managed to hold onto his seat.

Whether or not Percy faked it then, Petraeus today proved once again that you can get a lot of goodwill from looking and acting overburdened. And I don't doubt that he is; I don't think he faked this at all. After all, a review of Afghanistan is due this December, with another one in July 2011, with the hope of finding a way to withdraw responsibly. But a major offensive against the Taliban has been delayed, and President Hamid Karzai has shown no strength and no real authority in dealing with the anarchy in the country. We have no real idea of how to establish a permanent government there and how to prevent the Taliban or al-Qaeda from regaining control of Afghanistan after we leave.

When Petraeus returns to face the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow, he's going to have to show more grace under pressure. After all, the goodwill he gained will only get him so far.