Thoughts on Iraq, Afghanistan, and GEN Petraeus and Tom Ricks' thesis

Thoughts on Iraq, Afghanistan, GEN Petraeus and Tom Ricks' thesis:

There is a a very interesting point about this entire tragic situation and it might one of be "careful what you ask for" in particular in regard to Tom Ricks' thesis of focusing on competence vice personal indiscretions.  The moral arguments aside I think this incident with GEN Petraeus will be an issue of impact on National Security. I think that there are some who will question the record because of this incident. (and of course some already are). By record I mean the history of US strategy and policy in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terrorism writ large.

I am reminded of of Bob Killebrew's quote here from the recent article on the Arab Spring and Social Media:

Colonel Robert Killebrew (US Army, retired) now a senior fellow for the Center for New American Security, once wrote, “The story you’re trying to tell in future conflicts is the strategy by which (the conflict) will be fought.” 

I think there are those who are going to question the stories being told or that have been told in relation to how they affect strategy particularly because of the relationships of those telling the stories and those who want certain stories told in order to affect policy and strategy.  The legitimacy of certain stories and narratives may be questioned because of the relationships identified by this incident - and not just the one between the two in question but among the many relationships that exist within a larger network of relationships.

I think some scholarly analysis of Iraq and Afghanistan in the future will have to look at the relationship of those telling the story that they want to tell, those transmitting the story and the effect on policy and strategy.

V/R

Dave