# Why does the U.S. Senate have to confirm General Patraeus' appointment?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-u-s-senate-have-to-confirm-general-patraeus-appointment/545110>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 30, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-u-s-senate-have-to-confirm-general-patraeus-appointment/545110 "2010-06-30T20:23:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-u-s-senate-have-to-confirm-general-patraeus-appointment/545110/1 "2010-06-30T20:23:26Z")

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I thought the President, as Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces, could assign officers wherever he thought best. How does the Senate get in the picture?

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-u-s-senate-have-to-confirm-general-patraeus-appointment/545110/2 "2010-06-30T20:36:56Z")

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[Previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=569057) on this issue.