Obama, Petraeus On Collision Course?

General Petraeus giving an update on the situation in Iraq
to Barack Obama Photo: AP/The Telegraph

Collision Course -- In From The Cold

Perhaps this was inevitable. Gareth Porter of the Inter Press Service is reporting that President Obama and his CENTCOM Commander, General David Petraeus, are on a collision course over Iraq. Mr. Porter's recent scoop was reprinted by the World Tribune:

CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus, supported by Defence Secretary Robert Gates,
tried to convince President Barack Obama that he had to back down from his campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months at an Oval Office meeting Jan. 21.

But Obama informed Gates, Petraeus and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen that he wasn't convinced and that he wanted Gates and the military leaders to come back quickly with a detailed 16-month plan, according to two sources who have talked with participants in the meeting.

Read more ....

My Comment: Yesterday, we at War News Updates talked about these differences in opinion between President Obama and the Pentagon on troop withdrawals from Iraq. The main stream media has so far been quiet in not reporting on these differences .... but it appears that the blogosphere is now picking up on the story.