Tuesday
Feb102009
Obama v. Petraeus, Round 3: The Battle over Iraq
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 12:16
Here we go. This morning we noted the President's jab at General David Petraeus, the US head of Central Command, discreetly telling the general that Obama would not rubber-stamp "surge" plans in Afghanistan and letting it be known that envoy Richard Holbrooke was the man with White House authority.
Hours later, we learn more about another ongoing Obama-Petraeus battle, this one over Iraq.
Three days ago we reported that, in response to President Obama's plans for a withdrawal of US combat troops within 16 months, the alternative timetables of 19 and 23 months were being reviewed. At the time, we also noted that one version had the military putting forth the timetables without Obama's knowledge; another that Obama had ordered a review of all three possibilities.
Now we have an explanation for what happens and, if true, it confirms the political manoeuvring and even duplicity --- which we have been noting for several days --- of Petraeus, General Raymond Odierno, the commander of US forces in Iraq, and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.
Gareth Porter reports that he was told by a military source, "We were specifically asked to provide projections, assumptions and risks for the accomplishment of objectives associated with 16-, 19- and 23-month drawdown options." Petraeus, Odierno, and Crocker had reached a "unified assessment" and had forwarded them to the chains of command.
However, a White House source told Porter, "The assessments of the three drawdown dates were not requested by the president. He never said, 'Give me three drawdown plans'." Obama asked for a review of the "pros and cons" of one and only one plan, the original proposal for withdrawal of all combat troops within 16 months.
Porter adds further background on an Obama-Petraeus confrontation, including Thomas Ricks' just[published storyabout Obama's July 2008 interrruption of a lecture by Petraeus to say he would need to take "a broader strategic view" than the commander.
Hours later, we learn more about another ongoing Obama-Petraeus battle, this one over Iraq.
Three days ago we reported that, in response to President Obama's plans for a withdrawal of US combat troops within 16 months, the alternative timetables of 19 and 23 months were being reviewed. At the time, we also noted that one version had the military putting forth the timetables without Obama's knowledge; another that Obama had ordered a review of all three possibilities.
Now we have an explanation for what happens and, if true, it confirms the political manoeuvring and even duplicity --- which we have been noting for several days --- of Petraeus, General Raymond Odierno, the commander of US forces in Iraq, and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.
Gareth Porter reports that he was told by a military source, "We were specifically asked to provide projections, assumptions and risks for the accomplishment of objectives associated with 16-, 19- and 23-month drawdown options." Petraeus, Odierno, and Crocker had reached a "unified assessment" and had forwarded them to the chains of command.
However, a White House source told Porter, "The assessments of the three drawdown dates were not requested by the president. He never said, 'Give me three drawdown plans'." Obama asked for a review of the "pros and cons" of one and only one plan, the original proposal for withdrawal of all combat troops within 16 months.
Porter adds further background on an Obama-Petraeus confrontation, including Thomas Ricks' just[published storyabout Obama's July 2008 interrruption of a lecture by Petraeus to say he would need to take "a broader strategic view" than the commander.
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