Petraeus the realist
Given the number of times that John McCain and Sarah Palin have mentioned him and his accomplishments, you’d think that General David Petraeus would be an implicit supporter of the McCain-Palin approach to American foreign policy. Not so much, as it turns out: Apparently Gen. David Petraeus does not agree with the Bush administration that ...
Given the number of times that John McCain and Sarah Palin have mentioned him and his accomplishments, you'd think that General David Petraeus would be an implicit supporter of the McCain-Palin approach to American foreign policy. Not so much, as it turns out: Apparently Gen. David Petraeus does not agree with the Bush administration that the road to Damascus is a dead end. ABC News has learned, Petraeus proposed visiting Syria shortly after taking over as the top U.S. commander for the Middle East. The idea was swiftly rejected by Bush administration officials at the White House, State Department and the Pentagon. Petraeus, who becomes the commander of U.S. Central Command (Centcom) Friday, had hoped to meet in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Petraeus proposed the trip, and senior officials objected, before the covert U.S. strike earlier this week on a target inside Syria's border with Iraq. Officials familiar with Petraeus' thinking on the subject say he wants to engage Syria in part because he believes that U.S. diplomacy can be used to drive a wedge between Syria and Iran. He plans to continue pushing the idea. "When the timing is right, we ought to go in there and have a good discussion with the Syrians," said a Defense Department official close to Petraeus. "It's a meaningful dialogue to have." Petraeus would likely find a more receptive audience for his approach in an Obama administration, given Barack Obama's views on the need to engage America's enemies. Steve Benen makes an interesting observation about the timing of this story: Not only is Petraeus at odds with Bush, but people close to him are leaking this information just a few days before the presidential election. What's more, it reinforces the dynamic that's been apparent for a while -- when it comes to a national security strategy predicated on diplomacy, Obama and Petraeus are on one side, while McCain and Bush are on the other. That might be ascibing intent to Petraeus when none existed -- leaks happen for all kinds of reasons -- but it is an interesting development. Developing.... P.S. In other news about foreign policy realists, it sure seems like those supporting McCain are doing so in a very passive-aggressive fashion.
Given the number of times that John McCain and Sarah Palin have mentioned him and his accomplishments, you’d think that General David Petraeus would be an implicit supporter of the McCain-Palin approach to American foreign policy. Not so much, as it turns out:
Apparently Gen. David Petraeus does not agree with the Bush administration that the road to Damascus is a dead end. ABC News has learned, Petraeus proposed visiting Syria shortly after taking over as the top U.S. commander for the Middle East. The idea was swiftly rejected by Bush administration officials at the White House, State Department and the Pentagon. Petraeus, who becomes the commander of U.S. Central Command (Centcom) Friday, had hoped to meet in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Petraeus proposed the trip, and senior officials objected, before the covert U.S. strike earlier this week on a target inside Syria’s border with Iraq. Officials familiar with Petraeus’ thinking on the subject say he wants to engage Syria in part because he believes that U.S. diplomacy can be used to drive a wedge between Syria and Iran. He plans to continue pushing the idea. “When the timing is right, we ought to go in there and have a good discussion with the Syrians,” said a Defense Department official close to Petraeus. “It’s a meaningful dialogue to have.” Petraeus would likely find a more receptive audience for his approach in an Obama administration, given Barack Obama’s views on the need to engage America’s enemies.
Steve Benen makes an interesting observation about the timing of this story:
Not only is Petraeus at odds with Bush, but people close to him are leaking this information just a few days before the presidential election. What’s more, it reinforces the dynamic that’s been apparent for a while — when it comes to a national security strategy predicated on diplomacy, Obama and Petraeus are on one side, while McCain and Bush are on the other.
That might be ascibing intent to Petraeus when none existed — leaks happen for all kinds of reasons — but it is an interesting development. Developing…. P.S. In other news about foreign policy realists, it sure seems like those supporting McCain are doing so in a very passive-aggressive fashion.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
More from Foreign Policy
Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?
The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.
Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World
It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.
It’s a New Great Game. Again.
Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.
Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing
The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
