Petraeus Says Ground Forces Necessary to Defeat Islamic State

[Purveyor]

By Isabel Reynolds Sep 26, 2014 6:01 AM ET

The U.S.-led fight against Islamic State will take years and will need ground forces to succeed, retired General David Petraeus said.

“We’re talking about years, many years in the case of Syria,” Petraeus said today in a presentation to business executives at a Tokyo hotel. “What we’re doing right now is disrupting. We are gradually chipping away at the strength” of Islamic State, he said, adding that gains could not be sustained without ground forces.

“I do believe the Iraqis can be the ground forces that can deal with this over time, but again it will be months and years, not days or weeks,” he added.

Petraeus’s comments came a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi urged U.S. President Barack Obama to make the airstrikes “quick and decisive” to deny Islamic State the time to lure more fighters to the region.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-26/petraeus-says-ground-forces-necessary-to-defeat-islamic-state.html

[Autumn]

1. but again it will be months and years, not days or weeks,” he added.

And here we go again. How long has it been already? WTF is up with all these top people in the war giving presentations to business executives ?

[CJCRANE]

2. Why is he talking about this in a business presentation? nt

[leftstreet]

3. He's CEO of an investment firm

Have to let the bidness people know their global market shares will be safe!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

10. He performs at weddings, sweet 16s and bat/bar mitzvahs also. nt

[yallerdawg]

4. On the other hand...

with the psychotic screams of Republicans calling for American ground forces, this is again confirmation there are already boots on the ground, the people who live there and asked us to help, not invade.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Will he be in charge of the next Glorious Surge?

[Wellstone ruled]

6. Well well,

more mission creep. Last 2 or so weeks there has been a ton of pro-war articles and staged optics going on. Are the 1%ers going to supply their kids for ground troops in a Mid East sand pile? Not!! The Energy companies are concerned about losing their pipeline in Syria,and their profits from product going to the European Continent,appears the pipeline in Afghanistan is secured now lets do the same again only in a different country. Holder being a lame duck,now can write all the opinions he wants to further military actions. Looks like we are in the house cleaning mode in our Military and Justice departments. Just a little house cleaning before the anointment of the Clinton clan.

[karynnj]

14. Petraeus is not in the US government, not key on defining this mission and is not speaking for Obama

It would be nice if you at least waited for Obama to change the mission he laid out clearly for the world at the UN on Wednesday.

It is possible that this could end up being a turning point - for the world and for US foreign policy. It would be ironic if some of the last people to see any possibility of change are some people who - in theory - would have welcomed much of what Obama (and Kerry) have said of the important non-military pieces here. Change will be difficult and there are powerful forces , that you could quickly list, against a change. It would be nice if people wanting it, even tentatively or conditionally welcomed it - rather than falling victim to cynicism and joining the people they like least in arguing Obama is wrong. (Note that both the NYT and WP have had editorials arguing against Obama's plan and (indirectly) for the neocon recommended actions.)

[deathrind]

7. Duh...

Air power alone cannot take and hold any territory it will take people on the ground to do this. However those people do not necessarily need be US soldiers.

[jaysunb]

15. Thank you

I clearly heard that it would be incumbent on the people of the region to supply the ground troops as Iran and others have already done.

[Zorra]

8. Bwahaa! We should take up a collection for economy flights, and send Betrayus and his corporate pals

on a crusade to wherever they want so they can put their $50,000 shagreen leather boots on the ground, and engage "the infidel" on a mission to kill for Jesus!

Hey General Petraeus, How's That 'Spiritual Fitness' Stuff Working For You?

I hate hypocrites. And the first word that came to mind when I heard about David Petraeus's extramarital affair was "hypocrite."

One of the big issues we've been dealing with for several years at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is the military's push to make our troops "spiritually fit." There's the mandatory Army-wide "Spiritual Fitness" test, spiritual fitness concerts, spiritual fitness centers, and lots of other spiritual fitness events and programs to keep our military "spiritual." But while the military insists that "spiritual fitness" does not mean religion, it does. All of this spiritual fitness stuff, which the military spares no expense on, is just a cover to push religion, and particularly evangelical Christianity. The spiritual fitness concerts always have evangelical Christian performers and most of the Army's Strong Bonds events are really just evangelical Christian retreats.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/hey-general-petraeus-hows_b_2122699.html

[karynnj]

9. Note that even when he was in his administration, Obama rejected his and Clinton's advise on Syria

Why are people here, against the President's stated policy, citing Petraeus, who was not involved in crafting it? Also note, that it is not even clear that they have the same goal.

[whatchamacallit]

11. "... and we'll need bases, and a giant city-like embassy, and purple fingers..."

[louis-t]

12. Then send Patraeus. And his kids.

And his grandkids. They should be first in line.

[bullwinkle428]

13. Crawl back under your fucking rock, Petraeus.