Okay, there are those saying that, enough that I’ll withdraw the remark.
Anyhow, isn’t this Petraeus’ war now, at least per the glowing laudatory claims from the True Believers that this time it’ll finally be handled right, this time there’s finally a real chance of winning, etc.? When, two years after Cheney assured us the insurgency is in its “death throes”, it becomes apparent even to the hard core that it ain’t so, is some latecomer going to get the blame for “losing Iraq” instead? If there’s a designated fall guy, it’s Petraeus. This prospective job’s description boils down to “Redirect criticism of the war’s conduce away from the White House, as much as possible”, but that doesn’t mean fall guy.
Sure it is a mangement technique, but how often is it a management technique used to clean up the mess created by the CEO himself. Usually isn’t he fired and somebody new is brught in and THAT person hires a Czar?
Didn’t he do all the latter three and run the war? “Madam, I may be drunk, but in the morning I shall vomit on the beaches, I shall puke on the landing-grounds, I shall throw up in the fields and in the streets, I shall upchuck in the hills.” Or am I confused?
John Mace, that is close to the most unreasonable position I’ve ever seen you take. The duties proposed to be performed are part of the President’s job.
I always figured that Powell’s role was to keep Dub from doing even worse than he did. I suspect we might find out one day that he was able to have some small effect on the situation such that, horrid as it is, it wasn’t even worse. And I’ve seen the story of the speech to the UN several times and people involved said they were to blame for Powell making that speech. Powell had been extremely dubious all along, but was assured that the ‘intel’ was correct.
We can debate if this position is meant to be a fall guy position. In any case, I don’t think Petraeus qualifies as one. His job is in the normal chain of command, not manufactured to do something, Og knows what. He may be doomed, but he is reasonably well qualified, perhaps the best qualified for it. He may or many not get the resources and support he needs for the job, but he’ll be working through the normal chain of command.
What the hell is the War Czar supposed to do? Manufacture marines? Get money from Congress without this timetable stuff? Spend his time testifying? Play Rufus T. Firefly in the Iraq War version of Duck Soup? If the job description isn’t Fall Guy, I’d be interested in knowing what it is supposed to be.
According to GW himself, this war is absolutely the most important thing that the nation faces right now. I’m not sure but I do believe he has even suggested that survival is at stake. If he doesn’t have time to do this and manage the rest of the executive department maybe he should find someone to do the other parts and focus his attention on the war.
This is not a case of a business having some trouble introducing a new product, or getting it into production. If GW can’t shift gears from a business man, at which he wasn’t exactly a smashing success, to a national executive then maybe it’s time he stepped down.
This makes a lot of sense; delegate the less important tasks, and keep the really hard work for the Decider.
I for one, would welcome the appointment of a white house Email Czar.
My concern is that this admin is winding down a a term that seemed focused on claiming more power for itself and removing power, checks and balances from the other branches. There’s no reason to believe their plan is to quietly slink away after the next election. There’s more outrageous surprises in the works. This post could be presented as something to “fix” the war and then turn into a post that helps them continue to undermine the constitution.
Does the president have the authority without congressional approval to create such a powerful post?
I confess ignorance about how things are structured but in seems to me in past conflicts we had generals appointed as supreme commanders of those actions. Isn’t that the case? what can a war Czar accomplish that an acting general cannot if Iraq is made his primary responsibility?
The thing is that Iraq is Bush’s baby - he was and still is the Decider. And I’m guessing he has no plans to change that now. So what is the War Czar supposed to do?
“Mr President, I’ve looked over the situation in the field and I recommend we withdraw our troops.”
“Admit defeat? No way! Our troops are staying!”
“Well then, I recommend we open talks with the insurgents.”
“We don’t talk to terrorists.”
“Can we put out some feelers to the Iranians?”
“Nope, we’re not talking to them either.”
“How about putting pressure on the Saudis or Pakistanis?”
“No, they’re our allies. Can’t say anything to them.”
“How about proposing sanctions against the Iraqi government if it doesn’t crack down on corruption?”
“No, I don’t want to threaten them.”
“Maybe a time table for them to achieve certain pre-set goals?”
“You can’t put things like this on a schedule.”
“Mr President, what do you want us to do then?”
“Don’t ask me, you’re the guy in charge.”
Just so. The position is intentionally vacuous. There is no commitment to policy change, no abdication of power, nothing more than a gesture to imply change and adjustment without actually implementing any. So they can say “Hey! We need some time to let these changes take effect, the plan shows early signs of progress, the next six months will be crucial…”
Its probably being refused more for that than for any “fall guy” fears, sucessful military men are loathe to a position where everybody calls you “sir” but nobody has to do what you say.
Would it surprise anyone to hear that this was Newt’s idea?
Actually, Roosevelt did have what was in effect a War Czar. In May 1942, Roosevelt recalled into service the then-retired Admiral William D. Leahy, a former Chief of Naval Operations, to be the Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. Roosevelt used him to coordinate the activities of the then separate War and Navy Departments and to mediate between the services. Although Admiral Leahy was not in the formal chain of command, as the the Commander in Chief’s personal representative on military affairs he had a tremendous amount of clout even when he may not have been acting directly as a conduit for the President’s orders.
In 1947, the War and Navy Departments were reorganized into the Defense Department, putting all of the military services (including the newly-formed Air Force) under the unified command of the Secretary of Defense. Admiral Leahy’s position was transformed into the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he was succeeded by General Omar Bradley.