Going Over Past Territory

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Thanks to Jonathan’s earlier post of Kristol’s conversations; whether Kass on education or Kagan on human nature or Gerlenter on art, these are consistently interesting.   Here is Valentine’s Day with Petraeus (there’s another with Keene).


6 thoughts on “Going Over Past Territory”

  3. Couple of thoughts:

    People like Petraeus seem almost superhuman in terms of memory capacity, energy level, ability to cope with stress, and self discipline. We’re fortunate to have a military hierarchy we’re these sorts of people get to the top.

    I thought it was fascinating that twice a week he would go out on patrol or out to a forward base somewhere so he understood the situation of the ground.

    On Iraq, he seems to blame the de-Ba’athification policy for the early problems and PM Maliki for stirring up sectarian divisions.

    On Shia militia leaders (guys who were killing our troops): “They had CNN speed dialed in and they’d say the Americans just committed these atrocities.” I have no doubt the CNN folks licked their chops and went right on air to condemn the American troops.

    You’re either spiraling upward or spiraling downward.

    A question: What were Obama’s strategic goals in destroying Petraeus? Why do it?

  4. To Michael Hiteshew – “he seems to bame … Maliki for stirring uo sectarian divisions.” Sure Maliki is a corrupt brutal bastard, sort of like Hussein. But bitter sectarian divisons have existed in the Middle East long before Maliki. And who the hell did he think would be the ruling thug in Iraq – Mother Theresa?

    Actually Hussein was much less sectarian than Maliki. Hussein really didn’t give a flying fuck whether you were Shite, Sunni, Christian or exotic cult nor whether you were Arab or Kurdish, as long as you kowtowed to Hussein.

  5. What were Obama’s strategic goals in destroying Petraeus?

    Petraeus would have been a strong contender for the Republican presidential nomination had he decided to run.

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