The Last Fighting Season Part Two: Petraeus To Head CIA

Global Post:

KABUL, Afghanistan -- From Baghdad to Kabul and coming soon to Langley, Va., there's a single image that Gen. David Petraeus keeps framed in his mind - and on his wall.

Read the whole story: Global Post

Comments

[monitor111]

02:21 PM on 04/29/2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cq4DMYf0Vo&feature=player_embedded#at=54

Victory Day tomorrow

[ewldest]

12:08 PM on 04/29/2011

Petraeus' legacy is - how many dead civilians? So of course we promote him and grant him extra-legal powers - disgusting reminder that we are only a failed empire after all.

[osofar]

07:53 AM on 04/29/2011

Only 90 comments....but the Royal wedding is getting thousands of hits.

[duxguts]

10:51 AM on 04/29/2011

Wait till Pee Wee Herman marries Janet Jackson. We'll show them.

[StopThePlanet]

01:25 AM on 04/29/2011

Sad choice to begin with but after he so publicly dissed Obama as Commander in Chief it is unbelievable.

[CDRUSNret]

01:37 PM on 04/29/2011

Waaayyy off...wrong general! Here's a hint....the other guy's name was Stanley.

[StopThePlanet]

01:57 PM on 04/29/2011

Sorry, you are right. My bad.

[farmilyman]

01:10 AM on 04/29/2011

This can only mean wars, wars, and more wars.

[kocean1]

10:18 PM on 04/28/2011

What was his record in Afghanistan? Looks like a stunning failure. More black wars against countries in the Middle east. A political appointment for Obama. How will Petraeus fit into the CIA 's secretive culture ? This will enable his effort to continue his attempt to change the Middle East and supply accurate assessment of conditions that exist. Leave these places-no more lives need to be lost.

[MMRDO]

12:33 AM on 04/29/2011

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about do you?

He was an O-10, they know how to do administration, COIN worked excellently in Iraq, and he was given more resources and time to handle it. An O-10 knows how to keep secrets.

[kocean1]

09:54 AM on 04/29/2011

Wow

[kocean1]

02:03 PM on 04/29/2011

At what cost ? What is barometer for success ? Oh-I forget Libya and Pakistan.
In Libya, defense analysts estimate that the U.S. is spending $100 million per day. Just imposing a no-flight zone over the northern part of Libya could cost $400 million to $800 million for the initial strikes. It had also projected costs of $30 million to $100 million a week to patrol the area. This is success.

Iraq-$ 787 Billion
Afghanistan-$ 399

http://costofwar.com/en/

[loki]

08:45 PM on 04/28/2011

military control of the CIA. sounds so very , KGBish to me....

[MMRDO]

12:35 AM on 04/29/2011

You know that those two comparisons are completely wrong right? The KGB handled internal/external security in the USSR, GRU was their military arm, there were KGB troops however.

The first director of the CIA was a USN Rear Admiral, nearly half of all directors have been in the military.

[osofar]

07:54 AM on 04/29/2011

That is why they use military solutions for most situations.

[CDRUSNret]

01:39 PM on 04/29/2011

meh....this would only make 40% of the directors having been active military. Even the saintly Jimmy Carter did it with ADM Stansfield Turner.

[Donatella]

08:33 PM on 04/28/2011

Just what we need, a soldier in charge of the CIA. I can understand why he would want to leave a war we cannot win but why we would want more military control over our government agencies is beyond me. More of the "change" you can't believe in from Obama.

[MMRDO]

12:32 AM on 04/29/2011

Almost half of the CIA has been former military, including the first director, a Rear Admiral in the USN.

[CDRUSNret]

01:40 PM on 04/29/2011

Carter did it...why can't O? The first 4 directors were military. Not unusual in the slightest.

[osofar]

07:16 PM on 04/28/2011

Petraeous has to leave the military, because there is no more room for medals on his uniform.Unfortunately, far too many good people died in the illegal wars he supported. Many will not live a long life due to his decisions.

[CDRUSNret]

02:51 PM on 04/29/2011

Why does he have to leave the military? Just because you don't like him?

[rikster]

04:41 PM on 04/28/2011

I'm sure he'll make a great spook....

[MMRDO]

05:11 PM on 04/28/2011

DCI isn't that type of position.

[CDRUSNret]

05:18 PM on 04/28/2011

My friend...not to be nitpicky...but the DCI position unfortunately no longer exists. It's been usurped by the DNI. However, I agree with your position that he/she is more politicion/administrator/CEO than spook.

[sophiemaki]

04:09 PM on 04/28/2011

why is Obama afraid of change?
he is shuffling the same old people around..
we are stagnated..

[osofar]

07:17 PM on 04/28/2011

Because, the rich masters have a preferred list of employees.

[factsaboutchina]

08:32 PM on 04/28/2011

'the rich masters'

Do you need more tin foil for your hat?

[iridium53]

04:05 PM on 04/28/2011

The original mission in Afghanistan was to apprehend or kill the scion of the rich Saudi family, Osama bin Laden.

After a decade and a half trillion spent - complete failure to achieve the mission objectives.

But, the man who lead the failure gets a promotion.

There's something terribly wrong with utter failures being promoted.

[sophiemaki]

04:17 PM on 04/28/2011

the odd thing is:
when Petraeus fed us his line :
" Making progress, however fragile and can be reversible."
(how is that for meaning nothing?)
The CIA contradicted him......
oh well.,...nothing we can do about it.
we are so weary from the wars. .

[CDRUSNret]

05:07 PM on 04/28/2011

It's not a promotion...he retains his current rank....we haven't had a 5-star since WWII.
He's only been ISAF CDR for 10 months. When he was CENTCOM, he had a deputy who was ISAF.

[osofar]

07:18 PM on 04/28/2011

I dare say, we haven't had real Generals since WWII. We now have political generals.

[Durango]

03:57 PM on 04/28/2011

Now this is an odd story.

i would not think the military and the CIA would have much in common.

Nor any love for each other.

[CDRUSNret]

04:07 PM on 04/28/2011

If he's confirmed...the general will make it 40% of the Director who were active duty military officers...as have 25% og the deputy Directors.

Actually, they work well together.

https://www.cia.gov/library/reports/general-reports-1/gulfwar/061997/support.htm

http://www.fas.org/irp/program/core/tencap.htm

http://www.fas.org/irp/program/core/merit.htm

[MMRDO]

04:08 PM on 04/28/2011

Why? Nearly all of the directors are prior military. They share intelligence and work together all the time.

[Okieborn]

02:52 PM on 04/28/2011

Betraeus has done enough to ruin America , it is time to send him home for good !!!

[CDRUSNret]

03:00 PM on 04/28/2011

Can you be specific, rather than spewing the lefty bile?

[MMRDO]

04:08 PM on 04/28/2011

How exactly has he betrayed us?

[Donkan]

02:08 PM on 04/28/2011

It's a mistake to put a military man in charge of the CIA. That will only continue to focus on covert action that has become the agency's obsession. It is way past time to reform the agency by taking away its paramilitary mission and focusing on intelligence gathering and analysis.

[MMRDO]

02:41 PM on 04/28/2011

Why? Look at the previous directors....

[CDRUSNret]

03:05 PM on 04/28/2011

Too late!!...if confirmed, the general would make it 40% of the directors having been on active duty at the time of appointment. Even the saintly Jimmy Carter did it with ADM Stansfield turner.

[MMRDO]

04:09 PM on 04/28/2011

Why did the squids get most of the intel jobs?