Eisenhower’s Shoes

Published in Diario Economico
(Portugal) on 11 September 2010
by Fernando Gabriel (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Diana Coada. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
What was the accusing finger of general Petraeus pointing at among the crowd that censured the ridiculous mis-en-scène of pastor Terry Jones and his 50 crazy little people? When a high-ranked military official decides to express his opinion on constitutionally protected civil liberty issues, then it's time to question his motives. Is he starting to think of potentially running for office in 2012?

Probably general Petraeus himself wouldn't be able to answer this question, but the rumors caused by his disastrous moralizing intervention are undoubtedly damaging to him and to his stabilization efforts in Afghanistan. In order to fill Eisenhower's shoes, Petraeus needs to at least reach an agreement negotiated from a strengthened position that will stop the Taliban from regaining total control over the Afghan territory (to call it a state is inadmissible, I think). This objective will be irreparably compromised starting from the moment when the holder of executive power believes that the commander of the ISAF and the USFOR-A military forces in Afghanistan is a potential candidate in the next American presidential elections.

Nothing of major importance will happen until the congressional elections in November, but in December the presidency will carry out a strategic evaluation of the war in Afghanistan that could be decisive for the course of the war in 2012. At that point, Petraeus' potential political ambitions may constitute yet another factor in complicating what is already complicated enough.


As botas de Eisenhower
O que fazia o dedo acusador do general Petræus por entre a multidão que censurou a ridícula mise-en-scène do pastor Terry Jones e dos seus 50 maluquinhos? Quando uma alta patente militar decide opinar sobre matérias respeitantes às liberdades civis protegidas constitucionalmente, é caso para questionar as suas motivações. Será que Petræus começa a pensar numa eventual candidatura presidencial, já em 2012?

Provavelmente nem o próprio saberá responder, mas os rumores criados pela sua desastrada intervenção moralizadora são inequivocamente prejudiciais —para ele e para os esforços de estabilização do Afeganistão: para calçar as botas de Eisenhower, Petræus necessita, pelo menos, de conseguir uma solução negociada a partir de uma posição de força, que impeça os talibãs de readquirem um controlo total sobre o território afegão (chamar-lhe Estado parece-me um exagero inadmissível). Esse objectivo estará irremediavelmente comprometido a partir do momento em que o detentor do poder executivo acreditar que o comandante das forças militares ISAF e USFOR-A no Afeganistão é um potencial candidato à próxima eleição presidencial. Até às eleições para o Congresso americano em Novembro, nada de importante acontecerá, mas em Dezembro a presidência efectuará uma avaliação estratégica da guerra do Afeganistão, que poderá ser decisiva para o curso da guerra até 2012. Nessa altura, as eventuais ambições políticas de Petræus constituirão mais um factor a complicar o que já é complicado e a dificultar o que já é extremamente difícil.
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