GENERALLY SPEAKING: ON PETRAEUS….PLEASE READ
Dear E-pals:
Many defenders of General Petraeus are now in high gear defending him against allegations that he is far more sympathetic to the Arab cause. Among them a dear friend who knows three generals very well assures me that they deny every single accusation…and Max Boot goes so far as to say “they lie”….
Well as we saw in Jerusalem “timing” is everything according to the nabobs…so here is some interesting news about “timing”.
The General has disclosed his ambition to become a civilian in a blue “surge” suit and get into politics and his fawning fan club is very excited about the possibilities of his running for the White House on the Republican ticket. He’s well educated, articulate, determined and has that “I’m in charge now” charisma. So, here in his own words is what he thinks about the mid-east “conflict”. This is a direct quote from his testimony on March 16th 2010 in his “tour d’horizon” on defense policy:
“The enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to advance our interest in the AOR (Area of Responsibility). Issraeli-Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile Al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support. The conflict also gives Iran influence in the Arab wolrd through its clients, Lebanes Hizbollah and Hamas.”
Got that? No getting around this. The general thinks that it is the “conflict” that limits American ability to extend its interests with the Arab/Moslem governments and weakens the legitimacy of the “moderate” regimes in the Arab world. And, according to him even Iran is in a nuclear snit because of the “conflict.”
You see, all those suicide bombers blowing up civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq would stop and join the Boy Scouts if only the “conflict” were settled.
Furthermore, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan (members of the Arab League to which all the Arab “moderates” belong) are also, according to the general’s thinking, conducting their Jihad because Israel just won’t cut a deal with the Arabs by signing a suicide note.
Well, it is all nonsense driven by a desire to placate the oil gusher kingdoms. But then, there is no surprise here. Generals make lousy politicians.
The last four star star in politics was the handsome General Wesley Clark. No further comment is needed here. Then, we had Obama supporter and political cross-dresser four star General Colin Powell whose brilliant strategy in the first Gulf war left Saddam Hussein in power, and, who subsequently saw weapons of mass destruction in Iraq before he didn’t see them. No further comment.
Let’s talk about “Ike”, Five star General Dwight D. Eisenhower who actually won a war when he served as Supreme commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, and supervised the epic landings at Normandy that signaled the end of World War II. He went on to become the 34th President of the United States from 1953-1961. as a politician not only was he strategy limited but also the first term-limited president in accordance with the 22nd Amendment.
As President Eisenhower surrendered…er…I mean ended the Korean War leaving that nation divided with the notorious Kims, pere et fils in charge of the North. Furthermore, Ike warned of the spurious “military-industrial” complex and led the nation in a major disarmament. His secretary of State John Foster Dulles
never concealed his outright loathing of Israel…which, at that time, was squeezed into the 1949 borders.
Then last and least as generals go was Israel’s Izhak Rabin who oversaw the brilliant Entebbe rescue in 1976 but entered into the disastrous Oslo agreement which has brought Israel to its present morass.
By the way, George Washington was a great general and a great leader and a great president. Here is the list of all Presidents who were generals. I don’t see any recent four star Presidents among them.
1. George Washington, Revolutionary War
2. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812
3. William Henry Harrison, War of 1812
4. Zachary Taylor, Mexican War
5. Franklin Pierce, Mexican War
6. Andrew Johnson, Civil War
7. Ulysses Simpson Grant, Civil War
8. Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Civil War
9. James Abram Garfield, Civil War
10. Chester Allan Arthur, Civil War
11. Benjamin Harrison, Civil War
12. Dwight David Eisenhower, World War II
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