Save US, Dave Petraeus

Thank you very much, Jon Stewart, for getting that song stuck in my head.

Yeah, I know, his was “Iraq Me Dave Petraeus”. But listening to the radio this week makes my version sound more …. I dunno …  Appropriate.

Listening to the radio and the White House sponsored General Petraeus’ media concert, you’d think he’s either Captain America ™ or an imp sent from Satan to destroy the Chosen. You’d be wrong, either way … but that’s politics in America.

General Petraeus is one unlucky bastard. Rising star in the Army. Successfull tours in command right up to a division in an invasion. Turns out to be a thinker, not just a fighter, and succeeds in Occupation duties. In a pretty tricky environment (Mosul). Unfortunately for him, he’s the exception.   The Army keeps throwing him assignments that reek of  ” you’re so smart, do THIS”.   Remember that Newseek cover in 2005? That’s where his reputation as a miracle worker was cemented.

So the war is going south and in an effort to lipstick the pig, General Petraeus gets offered the “opportunity” to make the surge work. It’s not his plan. And let’s face it - the guy can’t be so stupid to believe that democracy can flourish in a land that has never had any experience with the system, where the last three generations of people have lived under the most brutal of dictators, and oh by they way, they’re being occupied by a foreign invader.   And it’s absolutely farcical to think that 700 years of internecine conflict and generations of scores to settle can be “reconciled” – or the process even started – after just 6 months.

So. Quick recap here:

-no history of democracy. It’s all authoritarian of one flavor or another. Since the beginning of time.-bloody sectarian divide 700 years old-three generations (at least) under a dictator with scores to settle.Gonna need a lot of lipstick for *that* pig.  And General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker get to hold the lipstick. Through the whole circus, two people are conspicuously absent; both are his bosses.  General Petraeus doesn’t report to President Bush; he reports to CENTCOM, who is ADM Fallon (and noted skeptic of the utility of the Surge(tm)).  President Bush is ADM Fallon’s boss.  They give General Petraeus his marching orders, and yet General Petraeus is the guy who gets either praise or condemnation - depending on whether you are insane  or everyone else.  The Surge ™  is ALL the President’s doing - you can’t attribute this to anyone but  “The Decider”  did it.  Yet he and his marketeers have successfully pinned the whole thing on someone else: Petraeus.  And so the so-called liberal media - not just the crazies — go barking after Petraeus. Briliant is the diversion: once again, the president and his party get someone else to be accountable for their failings …. and it sticks.