U.S. Afghan Commander Gen. Petraeus Must Also Fight The War In Washington

General Petraeus

This Week At War: The Battle Of The Beltway -- Foreign Policy

Petraeus opens up a second front -- taking on his critics in Washington.

The Taliban are not the only insurgents Gen. David Petraeus must battle. The U.S. commander in Afghanistan is fighting on a second front inside the Washington Beltway, battling anonymous policymakers who seem to be waging an insurgency against his preferred war strategy. The "key terrain" of this battle is the mind of President Barack Obama. The president's looming decisions on who will fill numerous key vacancies inside the Pentagon will play a major part in who wins the war over Afghanistan policy.

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My Comment: General Petraeus has now been in the 'war spotlight' for almost 4 years. He knows .... like everyone else .... that Afghanistan is a long time (low-intensity) war commitment that will takes years (if not decades) before there is any break in the violence. Will we stay there for the duration .... I have my doubts .... and I suspect that General Petraeus also shares these same sentiments.

But for the moment .... as any good General will say .... you go to war with what you have, and with what political backing that you have back in Washington.