Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Zinni got dissed

It isn’t good news that the Obama administration apparently offered retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni the job of ambassador to Iraq and then rescinded it without telling him. Zinni has stepped on a lot of toes through the years, but he is highly respected both inside the U.S. military and in the Arab world. I ...

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WASHINGTON - APRIL 02: Former Commander of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Tony Zinni (Ret.), gestures as he speaks during a taping of "Meet the Press" at the NBC studios April 2, 2006 in Washington, DC. Zinni spoke about his new book, "The Battle for Peace." (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press)

It isn’t good news that the Obama administration apparently offered retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni the job of ambassador to Iraq and then rescinded it without telling him.

Zinni has stepped on a lot of toes through the years, but he is highly respected both inside the U.S. military and in the Arab world. I think he would have made a good proconsul, especially if both the U.S. civilian and military sides of the effort reported to him. 

Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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