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Hernando Today

Petraeus: A Rising Star?

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By JOHN NASH, Of Cabbages and Kings

Hernando Today

Published: October 31, 2008

The currently famous, four-star Gen. David Petraeus is coming to stay awhile in Tampa. "Awhile," because heading MacDill's CENTCOM is surely only a stepping stone to even greater things for the politically savvy and extraordinarily ambitious general.
In general, stones don't benefit from being stepped on, and CENTCOM likely won't be better because of Petraeus' brief use of that platform. I look for Petraeus to quickly seek high civilian position, much in the way did the likes of Dwight Eisenhower, Alexander Haig and Wesley Clark, all of whom had careers that parallel that of Petraeus, clearly signaling ambitions and interests well outside of military leadership and responsibilities.
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong, nor dangerous, in the election of a general (or admiral) to our nation's highest office. Gen. George Washington is generally considered to have been a "great" president; Gens. Andrew Jackson and Ulysses Grant are usually thought of as "near great" chief executives; the other nine generals that sat in the Oval Office had forgettable administrations (can you name any?).
Eisenhower was the best known of those. His time in office was unimpressive, if not damaging; so was his performance as a military officer, which was typified by his inept handling of the invasion of Africa, during World War II. Except that Eisenhower was fortunate enough to have officers such as George C. Marshall on his staff, he likely would have never seemed to have succeeded as commander of the forces that invaded Europe and defeated the Nazi forces. Yes, electing an ambitious general as our president has not been the best choice (incidentally, neither has been the election of lawyers to that office — of which there have been even more than generals).
We wisely rejected Wesley Clark's relatively recent run for high civilian office, and thankfully opened our eyes to Gen. Alexander Haig's patent lack of ability in 1981, as he publicly took inappropriate "control" of the office of president when Ronald Regan was shot. We should similarly guard against making a political star out of Petraeus, because overly ambitious military officers are, first and foremost, concerned with themselves, offering little to their assigned responsibilities (such as the welfare of their troops or national defense) or to the hapless citizens they might rule as imperial presidents.
Not all star-rank officers are primarily political animals. From the days of our Revolutionary War to present times, a few dedicated officers rise to the top of their profession, serving our nation well and with honor. But the politicians in uniform stick out like blinking neon lights; Petraeus is one of those!
Let's get a grip on ourselves and stop the adoration of this politician in uniform, much as we should have halted the media's and, thus, the nation's current, irrational and blind love affair with a senator of few accomplishments and potentially dangerous beliefs.

John Nash has been a widely published journalist and photographer since 1976. He welcomes rational comment sent to him at john@have-eye.com.

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