Small Wars Journal

Petraeus for President

Sun, 04/04/2010 - 5:38pm
David Petraeus for President: Run General, Run - Toby Harnden, Daily Telegraph.

... In this toxic climate, perhaps the only public institution that has increased in prestige in recent years is the American military. Its officers are looked upon, as General George Patton once noted, as "the modern representatives of the demi-gods and heroes of antiquity".

Where better to look for Obama's successor, therefore, than in the uniformed ranks? Not since 1952, when a certain Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during the Second World War, was elected President, have the chances of a military man winning the White House been more propitious.

Within those ranks, no one stands out like General David Petraeus, head of United States Central Command, leader of 230,000 troops and commander of United States forces in two wars. Having masterminded the Iraq surge, the stunning military gambit that seized victory from the jaws of defeat, he is now directing an equally daunting undertaking in Afghanistan....

More at The Daily Telegraph.

Comments

Anonymous (not verified)

Wed, 04/07/2010 - 2:51pm

A fine candidate for the presidency he would be. However, even as a guy known for his ability to win "hearts and minds", I think he'd find it harder to win GOP hearts and minds than he did Iraqi hearts and minds, primarily because he's a classic moderate in the mold of Bush, Baker, and Powell. I don't think the Republicans are looking for that. A shame, because he's intellectually superior to absolutely anybody else the GOP (or the Democrats) is going to trot out there. And his actual credentials on security matters are stronger than pretty much the entire GOP leadership combined.

Plus, his recent commentary about Israel and how the inability to resolve the Palestine crisis threatens our soldiers in CENTCOM's AO doesn't lend itself to political popularity in this country.

Instead, we'll end up with a career politician or businessman with no security credentials, half of the intellect, and hardly any of the character of David Petraeus.

je1965 (not verified)

Tue, 04/06/2010 - 4:48pm

Impressive military resume and a fine thinker. Appears to be rationale and moderate, and comes from the Bush Sr., Scowcroft, Jim Baker wing of the Republican Party. So I doubt the Republican "base" would care for him once they saw his views on non-military issues. If the right wing nuts who are on a holy jihad for ideological purity are trying to drive the 2008 Republican Nominee for President out of office, wait till they get a taste of Petreaus. They deserve Palin and the trouncing they will get in 2012.

My guess is that the Republican team in 2012 will be Petreaus for President and Palin for Vice President. They will win easily.

After that, bad things are going to happen.

Anonymous (not verified)

Tue, 04/06/2010 - 2:47pm

Really, you need to layoff the kool-aide and twirly straws...a fine Soldier he is, but getting far more credit than the Soldiers under him who deserves the real credit.

Anonymous (not verified)

Mon, 04/05/2010 - 9:50am

Though General Petraeus is a fine Soldier and a forward thinking uniformed leader, I am not sure our military's prestige has increased at the general officer's level.

Quite frankly, too many events have occurred that have lead many in the civilian community to question who is in charge, accountable, and why we aren't winning.

ssif21 (not verified)

Mon, 04/05/2010 - 7:28am

When I hit the sentence, "Having masterminded the Iraq surge, the stunning military gambit that seized victory from the jaws of defeat" I realized that the author does not know what he's talking about, and stopped reading.

Schmedlap

Sun, 04/04/2010 - 9:32pm

<em>In this toxic climate, perhaps the only public institution that has increased in prestige in recent years is the American military.</em>

All the more reason for him not to run. Don't ruin a good thing.