Breaking: WH Officials Say President Obama Has Asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to Step Down

[JDPriestly]

105. Iraq and Afghanistan went badly, and Petraeus' military strategies are partly to blame.

War is not about making friends. It's about winning. Traditionally it is about winning the ability to govern and about winning territory, physical territory.

War by American is not what is appropriate in the Middle East. We cannot solve their tribal or social or economic or religious conflicts or problems through war. We don't want to "own" their land. We just want their land and to make sure their religious aggression does not harm us.

I think that being clear about your goals makes you a better strategist. The problem for our military is that the politicians do not set clear goals. It is not the job of the military to set any goal other than to win territory, to win power.

Trying to wage a war while winning hearts and minds has not worked well. That is because the goals of war and the goals of winning friends are at odds with each other.