Mein Fuhrer, Steiner kommt ni..what the FUCK?

“You have to recognize also that I don’t think you win this war. I think you keep fighting. This is the kind of fight we’re in for the rest of our lives and probably our kids’ lives.”

GEN Petraeus, in Robert Woodward's "Obama's Wars"


What the...the fu'...WHAT?

THIS is the best the theatre commander can do? This from the Warrior-Sage of Mosul, the savior of the Long War? That's IT? A multigenerational unwinnable clusterfucking landwar in Asia? That's the advice you're giving the Leader?

Christ, I used to get military advice that good from SP4 Denny after a half rack of Natty Lite and a basket of salty chicken wings on any Friday night down at the Yadkin Road Hooters. And it came a lot cheaper, too. And Georgie would even do the "Barbie Girl Dance" after he'd had some Jim Beam.

Geez. Does anybody here know how to play this game?

WASF.

Afghanistan for Dummies

The Bobblespeak Translation gives you the real transcript of the Petraeus "Meet the Press" interview (8/15/10):

Gregory: what do you say to people who say we can’t win

Petraeus: we’re not going to turn Afghanistan into Switzerland

Gregory: with mountains, secrecy, war criminals and money laundering?

Petraeus: ok maybe we will

Gregory: what’s winning?

Petraeus: a government that allows outside investment

Gregory: now we’re talking

(h/t to Jason at Armchair Generalist; like I said - you couldn't make this shit up.)

Snooping and Pooping

Not sure how I missed this back in May:

"The secret directive, signed in September by Gen. David H. Petraeus, authorizes the sending of American Special Operations troops to both friendly and hostile nations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa to gather intelligence and build ties with local forces. Officials said the order also permits reconnaissance that could pave the way for possible military strikes in Iran if tensions over its nuclear ambitions escalate."

Now I don't know about you, but if I were to catch foreign soldiers sneaking about my country gathering intel I'd

1. treat them as spies and hang them, or

2. treat them as invaders and their actions as an act of war.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a sergeant so I loves me some war. But if we're sending troops into other nations without their consent shouldn't this be something that comes from the National Command Authority and not from some shoulder-strap MACOM commander? Am I way off base here? Help me out, you ConLaw freaks and Small Wars types; wassup?