And lose a war:
Under no circumstances can Petraeus be fired.... Leaving Petraeus in Baghdad -- presuming that President Bush doesn't reassign him before leaving the White House -- isn't without risks, either... That leaves an unconventional option. The president can give Petraeus a promotion he can't refuse...
This from Spencer Ackerman's latest on how the Democrats can destroy General Petraeus once they gain the White House in 2008, thus preventing the GOP from drafting the general for the 2012 election. The problem with Ackerman's conclusion, leaving aside the inherently creepy nature of the exercise, is that it is all wrong. Here's where Ackerman finally settles on a method for humiliating the man:
It would be shrewder to give Petraeus one of the two most prestigious command assignments in the military as the final assignment of his career. (The military would probably see that as more respectful move, as well.) Putting Petraeus at Central Command would have an added benefit for a Democratic president: he would be tasked with overseeing a plan to draw troops down from Iraq, thereby making him complicit in the undoing of his chief political advantage.
Put the man at CENTCOM. That will not destroy his reputation, and it may well allow the military to secure victory despite a Clinton administration. Which is why this is precisely the assignment supporters of the war favor for Petraeus. From there he could oversee the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, the mentality it takes to write a piece like this is a marvel.