ORAC
23rd Jan 2008, 07:38
There have been whispers that petraeus is interested in entering politics after he leaves the army - and SACEUR has always been a very political appointment with other occupants then moving into political appointments. e.g Alexander Haig (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Haig). September would be a good time to appoint him before Bush leaves office, regardless of who wins the election it will give him time to serve then get ready for the next opportunity in 4/8 years time.....
Report: Petraeus Up for NATO Post
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Defense Department is considering moving the main architect of a troop “surge” strategy, Army Gen. David Petraeus, out of Iraq and giving him a top NATO command job, The New York Times reported on its Web site Jan. 20. Citing an unnamed senior Pentagon official, the newspaper said the department was weighing “a next assignment for Petraeus,” now the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, and that the job of NATO supreme commander was a possibility.
“He deserves one and that has also always been a highly prestigious position,” the report quotes the official as saying. “So he is a candidate for that job, but there have been no final decisions and nothing on the timing.”
One of the proposed scenarios calls for nominating Petraeus for the NATO post before the end of September, when Congress goes into recess for elections, the paper said. If everything goes as planned, Petraeus might stay in Iraq for some time after that before moving to the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, The Times said.
Under the “surge” strategy advocated by Petraeus and fully espoused by President George W. Bush, about 30,000 extra troops were sent to Iraq early last year in a bid to quell violence. According to a Pentagon report released last month, the surge has been working, with U.S. forces achieving “significant security progress” in Iraq over the past three months with the number of attacks down 62 percent.
Petraeus has been repeatedly praised by leading Republicans as the man who can get the job done in Iraq.
Report: Petraeus Up for NATO Post
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Defense Department is considering moving the main architect of a troop “surge” strategy, Army Gen. David Petraeus, out of Iraq and giving him a top NATO command job, The New York Times reported on its Web site Jan. 20. Citing an unnamed senior Pentagon official, the newspaper said the department was weighing “a next assignment for Petraeus,” now the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, and that the job of NATO supreme commander was a possibility.
“He deserves one and that has also always been a highly prestigious position,” the report quotes the official as saying. “So he is a candidate for that job, but there have been no final decisions and nothing on the timing.”
One of the proposed scenarios calls for nominating Petraeus for the NATO post before the end of September, when Congress goes into recess for elections, the paper said. If everything goes as planned, Petraeus might stay in Iraq for some time after that before moving to the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, The Times said.
Under the “surge” strategy advocated by Petraeus and fully espoused by President George W. Bush, about 30,000 extra troops were sent to Iraq early last year in a bid to quell violence. According to a Pentagon report released last month, the surge has been working, with U.S. forces achieving “significant security progress” in Iraq over the past three months with the number of attacks down 62 percent.
Petraeus has been repeatedly praised by leading Republicans as the man who can get the job done in Iraq.