step 1: resign
step 2: become John McCains VP
step 3: profit

Just in time for the elections?
/I bet gas prices go down in September too

MorningBreath:
step 1: resign
step 2: become John McCains VP
step 3: profit

Good call.

You know, I hadn't even thought about a "Petraeus as VP" possibility. It does make a certain sense.

Just two things need to be said here:



and

I voted for Al-Sadr

Pocket Ninja: You know, I hadn't even thought about a "Petraeus as VP" possibility. It does make a certain sense.

I thought he just got Admiral Fallon's old CENT-COM gig?

I'm confused.

Pocket Ninja: You know, I hadn't even thought about a "Petraeus as VP" possibility. It does make a certain sense.

Meh. The Republicans already have an old white military guy. McCain needs a youthful economist-type. But not Jindal -- he's still a noob and if McCain's smart he'll hit the "Three years in the Senate? Are you kidding me?" talking point pretty hard.

Which is why it's Obama who needs an old white military guy. Wes Clark or somebody.

Manfred J. Hattan: Which is why it's Obama who needs an old white military guy. Wes Clark or somebody.

Webb.

Just in time for elections. how unpredictable.

Manfred J. Hattan: Pocket Ninja: You know, I hadn't even thought about a "Petraeus as VP" possibility. It does make a certain sense.

Meh. The Republicans already have an old white military guy. McCain needs a youthful economist-type. But not Jindal -- he's still a noob and if McCain's smart he'll hit the "Three years in the Senate? Are you kidding me?" talking point pretty hard.

Which is why it's Obama who needs an old white military guy. Wes Clark or somebody.

I think he needs an old Economy guy more.

On level of importance, "Iraq" is getting spanked by "The Economy" in "What's the most important issue to you" polls.

I'm pulling for an Obama/McDuck ticket.

He (We) don't have a choice. There simply aren't enough soldiers.

Regardless of whether Obama or McCain win, we'll be out of Iraq by 2013. We can't have a hundred thousand soldiers over there indefinately without bankrupting ourselves and destroying the military.

Hobodeluxe: Just in time for elections. how unpredictable.

This ^

The Homer Tax: Manfred J. Hattan: Which is why it's Obama who needs an old white military guy. Wes Clark or somebody.

Webb.

Webb would be my first pick. Clark, my second.

fenrael23: Webb would be my first pick. Clark, my second.

Nose and @ss

/in that order

First Petraeus believes that Iran requires a diplomatic, not military solution, and now this?

Is someone stealing his daily white house newsletters from the front porch?

OneBrightMonkey: I'm pulling for an Obama/McDuck ticket.

Wouldn't that be like a Marx/Murdoch ticket? Granted, would be fun to watch.

OneBrightMonkey:
I'm pulling for an Obama/McDuck ticket.
[pic]

Does anyone else frequently find themselves remembering that show and thinking how much that would hurt to dive headfirst into a pile of gold coins?

VernonFL: "Regardless of whether Obama or McCain win, we'll be out of Iraq by 2013."

I'm thinking closer to the end of 2010 if McCain wins. If Obama wins, somewhat sooner.

My prediction is that, should Obama win, Bush will declare victory and start a massive troop withdrawl right before he leaves office. Sort of the opposite of what Bush-41 did with dropping troops into Mogadishu.

Iraq will go to pot the millisecond we leave. Obama won't be able to change course and slow down the troop withdrawl -- he'll have spent the last few months beating up McCain over his support of the war, support of the surge and wanting to stay in Iraq for 100 years.

By fall of '09, there will be full-scale civil war in Iraq. Obama will end up taking significant political damage in the fallout.

/cue devious laughter from Rove and Cheney

67 Beetle: VernonFL: "Regardless of whether Obama or McCain win, we'll be out of Iraq by 2013."

I'm thinking closer to the end of 2010 if McCain wins. If Obama wins, somewhat sooner.

My prediction is that, should Obama win, Bush will declare victory and start a massive troop withdrawl right before he leaves office. Sort of the opposite of what Bush-41 did with dropping troops into Mogadishu.

Iraq will go to pot the millisecond we leave. Obama won't be able to change course and slow down the troop withdrawl -- he'll have spent the last few months beating up McCain over his support of the war, support of the surge and wanting to stay in Iraq for 100 years.

By fall of '09, there will be full-scale civil war in Iraq. Obama will end up taking significant political damage in the fallout.

/cue devious laughter from Rove and Cheney

That is a scarily realistic possibility.

Hobodeluxe: Just in time for elections. how unpredictable.

What is predictable is that its an election year and some people will claim that all actions they don't like are only being done because of the election.

We have elections every two years. So half the time, a policy or action is going to take place just before or just after an election. One can always say "How predictable. They are only doing this for the election." or "How predictable. They waited until after the election to do that."

If last year was an election year, it would have been said that the Surge was only for the election. How many predictions were made here on Fark and elsewhere that bin Laden would be miraculously captured just before the elections of 2002, 2004, and 2006?

Policies and actions taken to pander for elections are no doubt taken by politicians. The clearest examples of these are earmarks or wealth redistibution. Its in no way clear that other policies, particularly foreign or military have an effect on elections. In fact, such things can backfire, and most elected officeholders prefer to to nothing at all. Giving away money is safer.

Hobodeluxe: I voted

Exactly.

troop cuts right in time for the election? Wow, what an amazing coincidence!

Yep, Petraeus can't do anything in the right direction without it being some sort of conspiracy.

This just in: The insurgents have put down their arms and al Qaeda has left Iraq.

Thread: "garble garble just in time for the elections, rabble rabble"

I voted for Dubya.

Just more Enron math from the administration bought and paid for by Enron Corporation itself:

Say you are cutting troop strenght, but then issue an order extending existing tours of duty and calling up additional reserves, and more stop losses.

Their press release screams out "We're cutting troop levels!". But their actual policies maintain or increase troop levels and increase deployment times. What a joke.

Pocket Ninja: You know, I hadn't even thought about a "Petraeus as VP" possibility. It does make a certain sense.

Not really. Petraeus is locked in a death match with the Pentagon's old guard. They allowed Iraq to spiral out of control for years. He has embarrassed them enormously by not being a colossal failure like Casey and Abizaid. If he retires and joins a losing presidential ticket ... he dashes his own 2012 hopes, and any prospect for his work to survive into his retirement.

OTOH, if McCain/Petraeus make it to the Whitehouse, there would be no problem. But the stakes are just too high to gamble on something like that. Besides, Petraeus would probably prefer to run as a Democrat. He's clearly with the GOP on the war, but speculation is that his social views are more in line with the Democrats.

Bottom line, if he sticks it out, he has a shot at being the next Eisenhower.