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2008-01-22 Home Front: WoT

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Posted by Sherry 2008-01-22 12:24|| || Front Page|| [10 views ] Top
File under: Iraqi Insurgency

#1 With all due respect to General Petraeus, one would think his considerable talents were better focused on something other than keeping Warsaw Pact tanks from streaming through the Fulda Gap which, after all, is the mission of NATO.

Posted by SteveS 2008-01-22 12:36|| 2008-01-22 12:36|| Front Page Top

#2 So, they want to move the man in charge out of an active war zone where he is making a difference and into a 'prestigous position' in charge of do-nothing nato?

I thought that was something done with ineffective bosses/generals? Or this a roundabout way to remove him from theatre for a less capable general in charge of Iraq? This is about career and politics and pisses me off on many levels.

Posted by swksvolFF 2008-01-22 12:48|| 2008-01-22 12:48|| Front Page Top

#3 Enough of this musical chairs crap with senior officers. Let him consolidate Iraq first and then promote him to a Unified Combatant Command or CoS.

Posted by Spot">Spot 2008-01-22 12:52|| 2008-01-22 12:52|| Front Page Top

#4 Someone needs to take a two by four and slap the Army senior command. This is war not peacetime. Rotation is done to get experience in preparation for the 'Big One'. New bulletin for the 'managers' at Army, this is the 'Big One'. You suspend the peacetime 'business' as usual personnel management approach. You keep the successful commander in the position till you win.

And no. NATO is not a reward for what he did achieve. Army Chief of Staff is the reward [though in the case of a real fighter, it might not be].

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-01-22 12:52|| 2008-01-22 12:52|| Front Page Top

#5 Unless you think the next Big One will be with Iran, soon, and might involve NATO .....

Posted by lotp 2008-01-22 13:06|| 2008-01-22 13:06|| Front Page Top

#6 Or you want to make a last effort to make NATO more effective in Afghanistan in preparation for Iran ....

Posted by lotp 2008-01-22 13:08|| 2008-01-22 13:08|| Front Page Top

#7 A golden cage aparently. Unless the Afeghanistan and other issues rise.

Posted by Pholugum Stalin1270 2008-01-22 13:09|| 2008-01-22 13:09|| Front Page Top

#8 Could be. Or it could be related to Gates' comments recently to the effect that NATO troops are not getting the training and doctrine they need for counterinsurgency.

If Petraeus were given that job and a 4th star, it would not only validate his approach to the surge in Iraq but would also carry weight with NATO allied forces. I know, I know ... I too despair about NATO on most days. But on the other days I remember that insofar as we have productive working relations with western European countries, it's often through the militaries.

And with the Ukraine and other central / eastern countries wanting in, his leadership there might be really influential.

Which would carry over to a role as Chair of the Joint Chiefs as well.

Posted by lotp 2008-01-22 13:18|| 2008-01-22 13:18|| Front Page Top

#9 If Petraeus were given that job ~~and a 4th star~~

duh. He already has the 4th star. pimf

Posted by lotp 2008-01-22 13:19|| 2008-01-22 13:19|| Front Page Top

#10 I rather have John Bolton for NATO ambassador?

Posted by ed 2008-01-22 13:23|| 2008-01-22 13:23|| Front Page Top

#11 It's a rotten thing to do to a nice guy. NATO was a prize two decades ago. Now, it's a parking place.

How about Army DCoS?

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2008-01-22 13:55|| http://northshorejournal.org]">[http://northshorejournal.org] 2008-01-22 13:55|| Front Page Top

#12 General Petraeus should be appointed God for one year and fix Washington DC.

ps hint: think demo first and then start all over...

/Gen. David H. Petraeus = national treasure

Posted by RD">RD 2008-01-22 14:15|| 2008-01-22 14:15|| Front Page Top

#13 Maybe his success embarrasses too many other Generals so they give him a job counting paper clips and attending Dress Parades.

Nato has turned into another League of Nations. The US is propping up a bunch of European hollow armies.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-01-22 14:18|| 2008-01-22 14:18|| Front Page Top

#14 Could be, re: embarassment.

But, I'm *hoping* those hollow armies can be reconstituted. Based on my limited experience, there are some good people in uniform over there. If the fecal by products hit the rotating air mover soon, they may make the difference in holding off the hordes vs. the Islamists gaining control of NATO and French nukes.

If anyone could help them manage that, it would be Petraeus.

Posted by lotp 2008-01-22 14:22|| 2008-01-22 14:22|| Front Page Top

#15 Some good troops yes, but no political will. The armies have a few fancy toys to show off but when they are deployed the have to rent Helios, etc.

Most Nato countries require non-combat areas for deployment. Exceptions, Brits, Dutch, Canadians and some spec ops.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-01-22 14:46|| 2008-01-22 14:46|| Front Page Top

#16 I know. That's one of the things that needs turning around.

Posted by lotp 2008-01-22 15:02|| 2008-01-22 15:02|| Front Page Top

#17 An expert in counter-insurgency to counter our allies.

Any connection to the article about top NATO generals endorsing pre-emptive nuclear strikes?

Posted by danking70 2008-01-22 15:14|| 2008-01-22 15:14|| Front Page Top

#18 You mean, getting ready to fight a counter insurgency in Western Europe?

Posted by eLarson 2008-01-22 15:27|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2008-01-22 15:27|| Front Page Top

#19 Both.

How will he convince our allies to add more troops and send more troops? Counter-insurgency.

Patreus: "Hey France, the Taliban said your wine tastes like cool-aid and your cheese tastes like shit."

Sarko: "Sacre Bleu, move over Carla I've got to nuke the Talibunnies to the stone age. Bombs away."

Posted by danking70 2008-01-22 15:33|| 2008-01-22 15:33|| Front Page Top

#20 At this point, NATO is more tail than tooth. Why waste the man's talents just to punch his card on the way to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

Posted by Deadeye Sniper9982 2008-01-22 15:57|| 2008-01-22 15:57|| Front Page Top

#21 General Petraeus is already our, and NATO's, senior military commander. POTUS knows this, even if the Joint Chiefs and the democratic party, let alone Western Europe, don't quite realize it.

Nothing new about this. For most of the Civil War Grant and Sherman were #1 and 2, and for most of WWII IKE, MacArthur and Nimitz were in similar, ostensibly subordinate, positions.

Barring a weird military reversal, or wildly radical domestic changes (Pelosi or Reid, but probably not HIlary or Obama) Gen. Petraeus's accomplishments are pretty well set in stone, and his only non-military choice is whether he goes into elective politics.

Posted by Halliburton - Hyperbolic Idiot Detection Service 2008-01-22 16:13|| 2008-01-22 16:13|| Front Page Top

#22 Whatever he wants, he should get. He deserves it.

Posted by plainslow 2008-01-22 16:17|| 2008-01-22 16:17|| Front Page Top

#23 Petraeus' appointment can be read as a real threat to Nato. If he comes back to the US after his tour, it will be to a farewell debriefing to Congress or the JCS, probably as Chairman. If he damns the Euros with faint praise, especially after the inevitable post election attack, it could have serious repercussions for the alliance, such as it is. The Euros problem is that they have no political will to be a constructive player in the WOT or in any other war, regardless of how courageous their utterly under-equipped military personnel are. If Petraeus reveals what the Euro emperors are wearing, it would make my day.

As to DCOS, the appointment of Casey showed that there is still too much room for deadwood in the Army. DCOS would only constrain his freedom and continue to make him subject to the deadwood. Petraeus needs freedom from that establishment if he is to affect change in it.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-01-22 16:47|| 2008-01-22 16:47|| Front Page Top

#24 Damn it, give him his fifth star, that'll settle a lot of DoA in house politics quickly. It also sets a precedent that results do count, just doing your time CYA'ing and moving on doesn't.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-01-22 16:48|| 2008-01-22 16:48|| Front Page Top

#25 Some sort of punishment?

Posted by twobyfour 2008-01-22 22:25|| 2008-01-22 22:25|| Front Page Top

23:10 RD
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