Petraeus to McCain: I'm Not Your Guy

Yesterday ABC reported that the White House decided to nix David Petraeus' request for a Syrian chit-chat.  Spencer Ackerman thinks this is dumb of the White House, and I'm inclined to agree:

According to ABC, Petraeus believes the Syrians can be cleaved away from the Iranian sphere of influence, which would give the U.S. much more leverage in dealing with Iran. Instead, the Bush administration chose to keep relations frosty and to assassinate an al-Qaeda in Iraq leader across the border into Syria, an act that the Syrians understandably find to be an affront, coupled with a "warning" to the Syrians about "clean[ing] up the global threat that is in your back yard," in the words of one senior official. Now, it may be that killing Abu Ghadiya was the right thing to do. If so, the much more productive course would have been for Petraeus or another U.S. emissary to establish some path of outreach to smooth over rough U.S.-Syrian patches like this one.

I wanted to comment on another point that Spencer alludes to, which is that it's clear from this story that John McCain should never have tried to make David Petraeus an unwilling surrogate in his campaign.  For someone who McCain claims would be among his most trusted counselors, the General doesn't seem to agree with McCain on much of anything.  From the relentless sloganeering about Iraq, to the absurldy simplistic strategy for Afghanistan, and now the silly policy of refusing to engage with a country that has given every indication of its willingess to jump on the western wagon, McCain has taken positions that don't at all jive with Petraeus'.

Faced with this series of disconnects, you could conclude one of two things - either that Petraeus views McCain's chosen positions as strategically thin and would rather not be associated with them or that McCain embraced Petraeus purely for political purposes without any mind to what the General actually thought about anything. One or the other - you pick. 

Comments

[Whinger]

George W. sees war like just another business, don't matter how many troops die, just as long as his rich friends get richer, peace that would come from sensible foreign policy is their enemy!

[08politicaljunkie]

My vote: "McCain embraced Petraeus purely for political purposes without any mind to what the General actually thought about anything."

Remember what he said about Rep. John Lewis during the debate?

[llisa]

There is still too much harm the Bush administration can do! Can't we just induct Obama Nov. 5th?

[08politicaljunkie]

I wish! Because it seems that GWB is meddling in a lot of stuff his last months. It's as if he's trying to mess up as much as he can while he and his cronies steal as much money as they can before they leave office.

[Plank]

It's time for a president who runs foreign affairs with vision and pragmatism and not ideology. The Republicans have put their pitty agenda ahead of the interest of the country.
Time to throw the traitors out.

[MyThought]

I've noticed that McCain hasn't used Patraeus in his speeches recently.

McCain is obviously very limited in his understanding of world affairs. He only sees one way - combative and that is dangerous.

[1differentdrummer]

Face it, folks, John is a lightweight on the world stage, like his hero, George.

[davefoc]

I don't believe that McCain is so stupid that he's wouldn't talk to the Syrians in this situation. I think that right now the Republicans have this absurd talking point going about not talking to people and McCain and Bush don't propose to abandon that right now, despite the harm this BS does the country.

So my guess is this is just cynical politics and the country be damned. But I could be wrong maybe McCain isn't being cynical, maybe he's just stupid. He hasn't exactly acted like the brightest bulb over the last several months.

[Decipherer]

Four more years of this stupidity, cynicism, bad judgment, willful ignorance or whatever would be a disaster for this country. We wouldn't just be in a ditch, we'd be going off a cliff into the abyss.

[pir anha]

"[...] you could conclude one of two things - either that Petraeus views McCain's chosen positions as strategically thin and would rather not be associated with them or that McCain embraced Petraeus purely for political purposes without any mind to what the General actually thought about anything. One or the other - you pick. "

i choose to embrace the power of "and". :)

[knowBuddhaU]

Same here, well said pir_anha. Why either/or? Walk the Middle path.

[dlinguist]

Interesting how General Petraeus requested a Personal visit to Syria. Shows his trust in Condoleezza Rice and a State Department nearly atrophied by lack of constructive use.

[RobinSeattle]

It isn't even a question of use. You just don't have anyone competent at state right now. Condoleeza Rice's tenure there has been a tragic fiasco.

[dlinguist]

A lot of stems from the Bush administration's distrust of "career specialists." As with FEMA and the NSA, the State Department has been a dumping ground for like-minded party cronies, at the cost of experienced, tenured professionals.

[RobinSeattle]

Petraeus' mistake is that Bush, McCain and the neocons believe that you can solve complex international crises with little more than fifth grade level bravado.

Seeking more reasonable and sophisticated resolutions makes their heads hurt.

[robbie44]

You say............"McCain embraced Petraeus purely for political purposes"..........Is it ethical and/or legal to do that?

[wemikelori]

How great would it be if Patraeus would endorse Barack!

Obama 08' & 12'

[kylennblack]

C'mon David...ya know ya want to!

[mikeh41]

It would be great, but won't happen. Senior officers & most others for that matter won't endorse any politician until after they retire, maybe a few hints, but thats all.

[Liberoservative]

As an AD military member, he is forbidden to publicly endorse any candidate...

However.. by his positions, I think that he is tacitly endorsing Obama....

[Dynamohum]

I agree. It is a major no no! Even though one could surmise who he supports by his own strategic philosophies and decisions.

[vegas9999]

Well, if ABC made that statement it must be true.

[ThinkCreeps]

Yet more evidence of Petraeus' great abilities.

[filabac]

How about both

[Glenn1441]

Ditto.