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Eikenberry could hardly have been more blunt in warning against a premature decision for a troop increase, arguing, "there is no option but to widen the scope of our analysis and to consider alternatives beyond a strictly military counterinsurgency effort within Afghanistan."
Petraeus: We've Got It Covered
According to Woodward, Gen. David Petraeus dismissed Eikenberry's proposal as "laughably late in the game." Though the ambassador had "reasonable concerns," Petraeus felt they had all been asked and answered.
Eikenberry had already incurred the wrath of Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen in a cable of November 6, in which he wrote, " I cannot support [the Defense Department's] recommendation for an immediate Presidential decision to deploy another 40,000 here." Eikenberry went on to adduce six game-changing facts. Taking into account any one of them, much less all combined, showed such escalation to be a fool's errand.
Mullen reportedly reacted very strongly, saying, "This is a betrayal of our system." In Mullen's world, if you dare cross what the top brass has already decided, you are a betrayer! No comment could point up better the pitfalls of ceding determining roles in strategic decision making to four-stars officers with died-in-the-wool notions of the requirements of military discipline--even in what should have been free brainstorming of possible alternative courses.
Retired Marine four-star national security adviser James Jones bears primary responsibility for letting Mullen, Petraeus, and non-cashiered Gen. Stanley McChrystal marginalize Eikenberry and other senior officials with similar concerns. No matter how many stars you wear, or have worn, generals/admirals almost always defer to active-duty four-stars in charge of the battlefield.
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