So this is why they needed six months?

Pushing back against reports that the White House would prevent Gen. David Petraeus from testifying in public about his report on the success of the "surge," Bush administration spokesman Gordon Johndroe said last week that Petraeus will, in fact, testify before Congress, both in public and in private, "prior to . . . Sept. 15."

Anyone want to guess the actual date?

Right.

On a conference call with reporters today, Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he's been told that Petraeus will appear on Sept. 11.
McCain suggested that it's just about the calendar. "We're off Sept. 13 and 14 for Rosh Hoshannah," he said. "The Senate debate will begin September 18th."

-- Tim Grieve