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Originally Posted by S-2
No. It's pretty clear now that Thomas P.M. Barnett's article on Adm. Fallon was a set-up by Fallon to sell his message as he was heading to the door.
Fallon lost. Petraeus' message about the Iranians is the clearer and stronger impulse. Any sort of broad and globally-balanced perspective (read "NAVY") is gone to be replaced by a focused COIN effort in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Barnett's article is accurate to suggest that the schism is so profound as to demand a clear demarcation in choices. That choice has been made.
The fascinating survivor in all this is Gen. Odierno. Quite the self-transformation.
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Odierno's longevity has long interested me as well. He is believed by many to have followed a counterproductive search and destroy COIN strategy with his division during the 2003-05 period. Thomas Ricks in "Fiasco" goes into some detail about his operations during that period.
I find the irony in that Petraeus was reasigned to Leavenworth for criticizing the DoD leadership and Gen. Sanchez' strategy during the 2003-05 period while Gen. Odierno, who was committed to the previous COIN strategy advanced when Petraeus returned like the Phoenix in '07.