David Petraeus

Obama's Crisis Management: Of Pirates and Missiles

William Bradley | Posted 05.14.2009 | Politics


William Bradley

Obama used the resources of the US military and government to shut down the pirates' options and make them more vulnerable.

McKiernan Raises Effort to Win Afghan Hearts and Minds to a New Level

Brandon Friedman | Posted 05.12.2009 | World


Brandon Friedman

Those who've served on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan understand that U.S. troops will never end an insurgency through the use of firepower and rigidity.

Gen. Petraeus Implements Military Surge Against Four Somali Pirates in a Lifeboat

Jeremy Scahill | Posted 05.11.2009 | World


Jeremy Scahill

The most powerful Navy in the world remains in a standoff with four pirates in a small boat. So threatening to US national security are these pirates, Gen. Petraeus is now running the operation.

Fiasco Author: Obama's Iraq Optimism "Sounds a Lot Like Bush"

David Quigg | Posted 05.11.2009 | World


David Quigg

There's the saying about how people who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. But what about people who actively lie to themselves about the past, about something like the surge?

Lurking Defense Secretary Provides Adult Supervision and Stabilizes Obama National Security Team

Steve Clemons | Posted 05.03.2009 | Politics


Steve Clemons

Gates is setting an example in how to manage the complex challenges facing the Obama team that others would be wise to follow. He seems focused on strategy and the results America needs.

10,000 More Troops Requested By US Commanders For Afghanistan

Washington Post | Posted 05.02.2009 | World


Gen. David Petraeus disclosed today that American commanders have requested the deployment of an additional 10,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan next yea...

Petraeus: Israel Might Attack Iran

Huffington Post | Hanna Ingber Win | Posted 05.02.2009 | World


The top U.S. commander in the Middle East, General David Petraeus, warned today that Israel might attack Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear we...

Balancing the Equation: AfPak Security at the Expense of Governmental Stability

Vikrum Aiyer | Posted 04.25.2009 | World


Vikrum Aiyer

Two tactics that Administration officials are entertaining in the region strongly beg the question as to whether Obama is placing a premium on security, at the expense of government stability.

Success in Iraq? Think Again.

Rick Horowitz | Posted 04.24.2009 | World


Rick Horowitz

See, in a world where things aren't connected to other things -- where you get to handle one thing at a time, in a vacuum, at the pace you choose -- maybe you could consider the war in Iraq a success.

McKiernan Gets Control of Disputed U.S. Raids In Afghanistan

Inter Press Service | Gareth Porter | Posted 04.20.2009 | World


WASHINGTON, Mar 20 (IPS) - U.S. Special Operations forces in Afghanistan, whose commando raids and airstrikes against suspected Taliban targets have...

Gen. Petraeus: No Iraq-Style Surge In Afghanistan

AP | PAT EATON-ROBB | Posted 04.13.2009 | Politics


EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — The commander of the U.S. Central Command said Friday that an Iraq-style surge cannot be a solution to the problems in Af...

Military Dominance In Mideast Proven A Costly Myth

Inter Press Service | Gareth Porter | Posted 04.14.2009 | World


WASHINGTON, Mar 5 (IPS) - The arguments for maintaining a major U.S. combat force in Iraq at least through 2011, escalating U.S. military involvemen...

Commanders In Iraq Challenge Petraeus On Pullout Risk

Inter Press Service | Gareth Porter | Posted 04.14.2009 | World


WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (IPS) - CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus and Multinational Force Iraq (MNF-I) Commander General Ray Odierno have submitte...

Afghanistan: Russia to the Rescue

William Bradley | Posted 03.16.2009 | World


William Bradley

Russia can certainly help the US greatly in Afghanistan. And the price -- ending the NATO encroachment strategy -- may be an inevitable one anyway, and thus perhaps easily paid.

Petraeus Leaked Misleading Story On Pullout Plans: IPS Analysis

Inter Press Service | Gareth Porter | Posted 03.12.2009 | World


WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (IPS) - The political maneuvering between President Barack Obama and his top field commanders over withdrawal from Iraq has taken ...

"We Won't Take That History Lightly"

Harry Shearer | Posted 03.12.2009 | World


Harry Shearer

It's neat that Petraeus should pause to remember history at this juncture, after he's helped perpetuate an Iraqi adventure that completely ignored history in the same part of the world.

Richard Holbrooke: Afghanistan Will Be "Much Tougher Than Iraq"

Washingtonpost.com | Craig Whitlock | Posted 03.11.2009 | World


MUNICH, Feb. 8 -- President Obama's national security team gave a dire assessment Sunday of the war in Afghanistan, with one member calling it a chall...

Obama Backpedals On Afghan Troop Surge

Virginia M. Moncrieff | Posted 03.10.2009 | World


Virginia M. Moncrieff

We may soon witness a reverse triple back flip with pike by the Obama administration over his campaign promise of increasing troop numbers in Afghanistan.

Generals Seek To Reverse Obama's Iraq Withdrawal Decision

Inter Press Service | Gareth Porter | Posted 03.05.2009 | World


WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (IPS) - CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus, supported by Defence Secretary Robert Gates, tried to convince President Barack Oba...

Obama in the Tank

William Bradley | Posted 03.01.2009 | Politics


William Bradley

While most eyes were on the then impending vote on Obama's economic revival program, the new president ventured out to the Pentagon for his first meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff yesterday.

Fears Grow That US Could Become Isolated In Afghanistan

The Independent | Kim Sengupta and Raymond Whitaker | Posted 02.27.2009 | World


President Barack Obama is facing warnings that the US risks repeating some of its errors in Iraq as the new administration turns its focus to Afghanis...

Obama and His Commanders

William Bradley | Posted 02.23.2009 | Politics


William Bradley

Now we're into one of the most fascinating parts of the new Obama administration: President Obama's relationship with America's military commanders.

Pakistan's Focus On India Worries U.S.

Asia Times Online | Posted 02.22.2009 | World


KARACHI - Ongoing tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of the terror attack on the Indian city of Mumbai last November in which 179 people d...

Obama To Meet With War Council On First Full Day

AP | ROBERT BURNS | Posted 02.20.2009 | Politics


WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's promise to end the war in Iraq will be on the agenda Wednesday when the new commander in chief meets with ...

To Arm The Afghan Tribes Or Not? Let's Start With An Evidence-Based Approach

Globaldashboard.org | Posted 02.07.2009 | World


One of the presumed parts of Obama's Afghan strategy will be to look at ways of coopting the country's various tribes, much like General David Petraeu...