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2010-06-24 Home Front: Politix

Ten Things to Know about the McChrystal-Petraeus Switch

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Posted by Bobby 2010-06-24 07:49|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top

#1 Hmmmm.... Could this all be orchestrated by The One, as a distraction?

Bobby you give him too much credit for having things together.

11. Petraeus won't be blindsided by Rolling Stone or the rest of the press.

12. Petraeus will not likely allow a "cult of personality" to develop in his staff.

13. Petraeus will not likely allow wagging tongues in his staff to become public.

All that said, both McChrystal and Petraeus seem to be excellent and very competent generals--Far better than their civilian counterparts and boss.

Posted by JohnQC 2010-06-24 09:36|| 2010-06-24 09:36|| Front Page Top

#2 14. Petraeus gets his personal revenge on MoveOn.

Posted by Steve White 2010-06-24 09:41|| 2010-06-24 09:41|| Front Page Top

#3 Obama's 2012 campaign could only be about war, which gives him reason to do a "Pete Rose" and push players and timelines around to position a war exactly where it would do him the most good for reelection. And reelection only. It may be that going to war with Iran will happen at a fortuitous time for his reelection chances, but I don't want the connection to be necessary, because Iran could manipulate it from their end.

And Petraeus will be out of the running for 2012, too. If he is even interested.

Seems to me that Obama is entrusting Petraeus with his political life more than he need to. There must be some other forces at work here. AFAICT, he has run out of reliable options as generals go. I'm sure there are good generals out there who could do the job, but none have Petraeus' credentials. Yet.

Posted by gorb 2010-06-24 09:43|| 2010-06-24 09:43|| Front Page Top

#4 Obama's 2012 campaign could only be about war

Not likely. The war's simply too distant from most (non-Rantburger) Americans' consciousness to matter to the electoral outcomes.

There's really one and only one issue. It's about the unemployment etc.

If Obama had been able to get unemployment down to 8% as he promised, AND if the rate were still falling, then he and his party would be riding high. When the real unemployment rate is close to 20%, there's no other issue or policy plank that can save him.

Posted by lex 2010-06-24 09:52|| 2010-06-24 09:52|| Front Page Top

#5 The war I was referring to is war with Iran or maybe Pakistan. Something "new" and exciting to the unaware.

And I think we are going to be stagnant for many years to come seeing as how Hussein's spending will claim every bit of money this country will make for the next 20 years. If we start dealing with it right away, of course. So I am guessing that inflation and unemployment will be a problem for him, with war as the only cover he could come up with.

Posted by gorb 2010-06-24 10:10|| 2010-06-24 10:10|| Front Page Top

#6 Besides, war and the threat of war is always part of the runup to full-blown socialism. It gives the economy something to do until it is too late for the population to turn the ship around when they finally do figure it out.

Posted by gorb 2010-06-24 10:20|| 2010-06-24 10:20|| Front Page Top

#7 I'm surprised Petraeus agreed to accept the command after the atrocious way Obama's proxies treated him. He could have gone out on a historical high note instead of being being blackened by Obama's "Necessary War" tar baby.

Posted by ed 2010-06-24 11:51|| 2010-06-24 11:51|| Front Page Top

#8 I heard (maybe Limbaugh or Boortz) McChrystal was a left wing liberal; extreme environmentalist, voted for Hussein, took Fox TV away from soldiers.

Posted by JohnQC 2010-06-24 15:50|| 2010-06-24 15:50|| Front Page Top

#9 #8 I heard (maybe Limbaugh or Boortz) McChrystal was a left wing liberal; extreme Environmentalist, voted for Hussein, took Fox TV away from soldiers. Posted by JohnQC

General McChrystal has obviously been cured of his leftest leanings.... if he had any, as have thankfully, many of his fellow Americans. General Petraeus is a Obama 'place holder' and stabilization agent. He'll be handing off the baton to a vetted Obama pick withing 90 days or less. I still think it will be General West who currently commands AFRICOM. We'll see what happens.

Posted by Besoeker 2010-06-24 17:34|| 2010-06-24 17:34|| Front Page Top

#10 ..."General McChrystal has obviously been cured of his leftest leanings"..

Oh? "Cured"? Is that so? Explain please:

General David Petraeus: An Obama 'place holder'? Explain again please, you Asshole:

Posted by Asymmetrical 2010-06-24 23:04|| 2010-06-24 23:04|| Front Page Top

#11 Petraeus is a good replacement. But not a permament one.

I'll wager that he will likely be in there until the administration can

a) stabilize things in Afghanistan - fix morale, the military civilian divide there, etc.,

b) figure out what they want to do in Afghanistan and

c)come up with a suitable replacement for the general based on what's decided.

Hence "Obama place holder".

Posted by Pappy 2010-06-24 23:57|| 2010-06-24 23:57|| Front Page Top

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