# War Czar? What The Hell Is That?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [April 12, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737 "2007-04-12T01:23:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/1 "2007-04-12T01:23:54Z")
Reports are that GW is looking for someone to [run the Iraq operation.](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4704268.html) Does this make sense? We have a whole military command structure established to run military operations, what’s the point of an excrescence added on to it?
And, some military people must really be pissed at Bush. The report was that the job has been offered to 3 or 4 different retired 4 stars who turned it down. It is unheard of, and bad form in the extreme, to be offered a job by the President, turn it down and then blab about it thus embarassing the President.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/2 "2007-04-12T01:37:37Z")
Commander in Chief Lite
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### Author:  [@Gentle\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gentle_Robot)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/3 "2007-04-12T01:40:51Z")
fall guy
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### Author:  [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/4 "2007-04-12T01:43:47Z")
According to the WaPo, [the job is](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/10/AR2007041001776.html):
> [@](#):
>
> to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies
There is, in fact, a high government official already with the responsibility of issuing directions to the Pentagon, the State Department, and other agencies.
As has so often been the case during this Administration, [the Onion’s way out ahead of everyone on this story](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/41444).
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/5 "2007-04-12T01:50:50Z")
[QUOTE=Gentle Robot]
fall guy
[/QUOTE]
Absolutely.
When something goes wrong, political leaders need someone else to blame.
Someone they can fire and say to the public “It’s not my fault. Trust me. Vote for my party. Please.”
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/6 "2007-04-12T01:51:34Z")
Well, how about Al Gore?
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/7 "2007-04-12T02:05:02Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons]
War Czar? What The Hell Is That?
[/QUOTE]
The first step to bring back Dictators.
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### Author:  [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/8 "2007-04-12T02:14:55Z")
OK, let me get this straight…
…early in the GWB administration, the military eliminated all the local/regional/theatre “CinC” designations such as CinCPac, because in the words of Rummy there is only one real C-in-C, who happens to be also the CEO.
So now the C-in-C/CEO wants to appoint a quasi-CinC/CEO to be responsible for specific trainwrecks?
I see…
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/9 "2007-04-12T02:15:12Z")
[QUOTE=Squink]
The first step to bring back Dictators.
[/QUOTE]
No, no, that’s _Lords_ ! Czars = good, Lords = bad. War Czars, Drug Czars are good; War Lords and Drug Lords are bad.
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/10 "2007-04-12T02:34:26Z")
[QUOTE=Gentle Robot]
fall guy
[/QUOTE]
Didn’t Rummy take that slot with him on the way out?
I know the analytical ability of voters isn’t all that great, but surely even the most ardent GW apologist can see through this if that’s the ploy.
I can hardly wait until one of them posts.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/11 "2007-04-12T02:39:08Z")
GeeDubya wants more time, he still believes the Iraqture is coming, if he just holds on a bit longer, one more Friedman, perhaps two, maybe three, depends on conditions in the ground…
To that end, he offers cosmetic changes and pretends that some entirely new! improved! approach has been discovered, and this wonderful new plan just needs time to work…
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/12 "2007-04-12T02:41:14Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator]
GeeDubya wants more time, he still believes the Iraqture is coming, if he just holds on a bit longer, one more Friedman, perhaps two, maybe three, depends on conditions in the ground…
To that end, he offers cosmetic changes and pretends that some entirely new! improved! approach has been discovered, and this wonderful new plan just needs time to work…
[/QUOTE]
So I guess Petraeus has already had his chance.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/13 "2007-04-12T02:47:35Z")
I nominate Powell.
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### Author:  [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/14 "2007-04-12T02:50:39Z")
War czar? War czar?
war czar?
What the hell is the Secretary of Defense?
What the hell are the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
These guys really don’t have any clue what they’re doing, do they?
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### Author:  [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/15 "2007-04-12T02:51:33Z")
[QUOTE=Frank]
I nominate Powell.
[/QUOTE]
Hasn’t he been punished enough?
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/16 "2007-04-12T03:11:50Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons]
Hasn’t he been punished enough?
[/QUOTE]
Good point.
In fact, I am fairly bewildered, and damn near scared, about the administration desiring to appoint a military officer who would have the ability to issue directives to civilian-controlled cabinet positions. Who the hell thought up this one? When is the coup?
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/17 "2007-04-12T03:51:22Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons]
So I guess Petraeus has already had his chance.
[/QUOTE]
The WH cannot resist the demand to change tactics. The will not _accede_ to the demand to change tactics. So they look for innovative seeming initiatives, to look as much as possible like they are changing tactics, without actually doing any damage to the _Kaiserprinzip._
Petraeus’ plan may still be in effect, and with Petraeus as effective commander, but instead of reporting to whoever, he reports to the War Czar, who then reports to the Leader. And then the Leader reports to the people. Depending on circumstances on the ground, and its potential affect on troop morale.
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### Author:  [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/18 "2007-04-12T04:15:26Z")
[QUOTE=Frank]
In fact, I am fairly bewildered, and damn near scared, about the administration desiring to appoint a military officer who would have the ability to issue directives to civilian-controlled cabinet positions. Who the hell thought up this one? When is the coup?
[/QUOTE]
The officers in the article were all retired. I’m fairly certain that this is ment to be a civilian postition, albeit one that they are trying to appoint a former military officer to.
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### Author:  [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/19 "2007-04-12T04:24:09Z")
[QUOTE=Frank]
Who the hell thought up this one? When is the coup?
[/QUOTE]
Friday around threeish. You’re down for paper plates.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2007, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-czar-what-the-hell-is-that/399737/20 "2007-04-12T04:42:26Z")
What with the military overstretched, should be a simple matter for the SDMB Liberation Front (Trotskyist) to seize the radio stations, newspapers, and train depots. Then we simply demand that GeeDubya abdicate in favor of Kucinich.
Nothing in the Constitution about “abdicate”? Who cares, we’re not literalists.
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