Wheeee....pt 2 and beyond!
General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, was tapped Wednesday to lead US forces in the Middle East in a major shift in the military command at a time of growing tensions with Iran.US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Petraeus would be replaced in Iraq by his former number two, General Raymond Odierno, who commanded day-to-day operations during a "surge" of US troops that sharply reduced violence there.
"With the concurrence of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I have recommended and the president has accepted and will nominate General David Petraeus as the new commander of the Central Command," he said.
The position opened last month when Admiral William Fallon abruptly stepped down saying reports of differences with the White House on how to deal with Iran had become "a distraction."
The nomination, which must be approved by the Senate, puts Petraeus in charge of the US military's biggest challenges -- Iraq, an expanding military effort in Afghanistan, an Al-Qaeda revival in Pakistan, and challenges from Iran on various fronts.
Gates said he had recommended Petraeus, whose three-year term would extend into the next US administration, "because I'm absolutely confident that he is the best man for the job."
So, a Yes Man as head of Centcom, and his lacky in charge of Iraq. Those were the final pieces of the puzzle, and it is now go time.
The Laptop of Death has been used to discredit the NIE just like the fake Niger Yellowcake memo (written on real Niger diplomatic paper) was used to lie us into war with Iraq. All we need now is a really good Gleiwitz Incident and Cheney, George II, Lie-berman, McTool and the rest of the Neo-Cons can have their final Wargasm.
Bonus will be that if things go to hell in a hand basket (oil crisis, etc) it will give George the excuse to implement the National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51, you know, for the economic emergency.