The U.S. just dodged a bullet in Iraq.
Recently it was reported that Pentagon leaders were considering Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the Multi-National Force Iraq since February 2007, for a prestigious redeployment to Europe. It is good news for Americans and Iraqis alike that Gen. Petraeus decided to stay in Baghdad through the fall.
What’s depressing is that top political and military leaders in Washington asked him to consider the move in the first place.
Yes. Several possibilities: (1) Somebody’s jealous of his prominence; (2) This is just rotation as usual and they’re clueless about the importance of continuity here; or — most disturbing — (3) there’s a bad enough prognosis for Europe that some people thought we needed him there more. I’d say that last is fairly unlikely, notwithstanding the unhappiness of NATO leaders at the moment.