Petraeus promoted: New lieutenant general to lead troops in Iraq

Just over a year after becoming commanding general of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, General David Petraeus has been promoted to chief of the United States Central Command. President George W. Bush nominated Petraeus to replace Navy Admiral William J. Fallon who resigned last month.

Petraeus received his promotion “because he’s really good, he has good ideas and he’s able to implement them,” said political science professor Pamela Mason.  Following the political outspokenness of Petraeus’ predecessors as Iraq commander, he will also be able “to make the resident look good” and “assure his succession that way,” she added. Even though  Bush will soon be out of office, his plans for United States policy abroad will receive continued support from Petraeus.

As chief of central command, Petraeus will take on greater responsibility than he had as the commander of Iraq’s Multi-National Force. Petraeus will oversee military and foreign policy dilemmas including Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq. Petraeus’ promotion will not lead to a change in policy regarding Iraq, but a continuation of the current plan, and stabilization of troop levels, Mason said. His successor will “be on the same page about policy,” she said. The other spheres of Central Command influence, however, could be subject to a change in policy.

In Afghanistan, the U.S. has been encouraging fellow NATO allies to commit more troops to the conflict after having shifted many assets out of Afghanistan and into Iraq in 2002 to 2003, said Mason. It remains to be seen whether Petraeus will continue this policy with the United States to compensate for the overstretched military.

U.S. policy in the near future on Iran will be interesting and hugely important after Petraeus assumes the top job at central command, according to Mason.

Though Petraeus is known to pay considerable attention to Iran, “there is no desire in the military for an Iran attack,” said Mason.

With a military that is already stretched thin by the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, which currently employ 188,000 troops combined, the United States may not be able to contain the consequences of an attack on Iran, Mason said.

Petraeus will bring a broader view of the conflicts in which the U.S. is currently engaged, and also those that could arise as central command chief.

“It’s good to have a general who can look at conflicts regionally,” Mason said.

Petraeus will be succeeded in Iraq by Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, who has been second in command in Iraq for the past 15 months.

The Senate may act on both nominations by next month, and Petraeus looks to move to Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla., by late summer or early fall.