Generals Seek to reverse President Obama's Iraq Withdrawal Decision

[EraOfResponsibility]

WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (IPS) - CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus, supported by Defence Secretary Robert Gates, tried to convince President Barack Obama that he had to back down from his campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months at an Oval Office meeting Jan. 21.

But Obama informed Gates, Petraeus and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen that he wasn't convinced and that he wanted Gates and the military leaders to come back quickly with a detailed 16-month plan, according to two sources who have talked with participants in the meeting.

Obama's decision to override Petraeus's recommendation has not ended the conflict between the president and senior military officers over troop withdrawal, however. There are indications that Petraeus and his allies in the military and the Pentagon, including Gen. Ray Odierno, now the top commander in Iraq, have already begun to try to pressure Obama to change his withdrawal policy.

A network of senior military officers is also reported to be preparing to support Petraeus and Odierno by mobilising public opinion against Obama's decision.

Petraeus was visibly unhappy when he left the Oval Office, according to one of the sources. A White House staffer present at the meeting was quoted by the source as saying, "Petraeus made the mistake of thinking he was still dealing with George Bush instead of with Barack Obama."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/02/generals-seek-to-reverse_n_163070.html

[Why Syzygy]

1. wtf?

Why do these men not understand CHAIN OF COMMAND? Bush would just fire their asses.

I hope they do launch a campaign to "mobilize" public opinion. Better have the truth police tailgating every move they make.

[EraOfResponsibility]

2. Exactly

[Career Prole]

3. MacArthur him.

Obama should "MacArthur" Petraeus. This could get out of hand fast.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_MacArthur#Dismissal

[Hippo_Tron]

9. It won't get to that far

Patreus and Mullen aren't going to be launching any public opinion wars against Obama that they know they will lose anyway. Rahm will give them a stern pep talk and they will shut up.

[crimsonblue]

4. getting involved in politics is a good way for military men to get fired

It happened to McArthur.

[Thrill]

5. Its going to take a little while to weed out the neocons in the military

[MadBadger]

6. "You have your Orders General"

[SeattleGirl]

7. So, they were willing to blindly march into an illegal war, but

now they're planting their feet when Obama wants to get us outta there?

Fuckwads. :grr:

[Hippo_Tron]

8. We just had a fucking public opinion war, it's called an election

And it's not like Patereus' views weren't on the ballot. The American people resoundingly chose Obama over John "100 more years in Iraq" McCain. Their stances on Iraq withdrawal could not have been any clearer. Obama was for it, McCain was against it. The voters picked Obama. Patreus must have been asleep during the election or something.

[Urban Prairie]

10. Appears that Petraeus, Odierno..et al...

Apparently want to occupy Iraq for 100 years, they must have been extremely unhappy when McCain lost the election.

These career war freaks are connected and dangerous, and I fear for Obama's safety if he continues to be at odds with them, perhaps to the point of relieving some or most of them of their commands.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

11. The solution is simple - replace the generals.

[Barack_America]

12. I read this as "Generals seek to lose their jobs".

I always believed that the deal with the military was that if you couldn't follow the chain of command you were out.

:shrug: