General Petraeus Collapses During Senate Hearing
He’s apparently okay now, but I’m sure this caused some panic in the hearing room:
U.S. General David Petraeus, who briefly collapsed during a Senate hearing on the war in Afghanistan Tuesday morning, is alert and doing well, according to reports.
Petraeus, 57, had finished telling Sen. John McCain that he believes the planned 2011 drawdown of U.S. troops remains on track, and McCain was responding when the room fell silent and aides began crowding around the four-star general.
Petraeus, who oversees the war in Iraq and Afghanistan as head of U.S. Central Command, briefly put his head on the table, then rose, appearing dazed. He stood under his own power and was escorted from the room.
Sen. Carl Levin, the chairman, suspended the hearing until Wednesday out of concern for Petraeus’ health.
Petraeus himself returned to the room briefly and told the senators he “was feeling a little bit light-headed there.”
“It wasn’t Sen. McCain’s question,” the general added.
Video:
While you don’t see Petraeus collapse, the look on McCain’s face pretty much tells the story.
H/T: Hot Air
UPDATE (James Joyner): Petraeus, who had surgery for prostate cancer last year, told the Senators that he was merely “dehydrated,” blaming it on having skipped breakfast. He said he was fine after drinking some water and eating bananas but the testimony was nonetheless postponed out of caution.
