Former CIA Director General Petraeus: Iran-Backed Militias Not The Islamic State Are The Biggest threats In Iraq

Photo: CIA Director Petraeus

Washington Post: Petraeus: The Islamic State isn’t our biggest problem in Iraq

Gen. David H. Petraeus, who commanded U.S. troops in Iraq during the 2007-2008 surge, was back in that country last week for the first time in more than three years. He was attending the annual Sulaimani Forum, a get-together of Iraqi leaders, thinkers and academics, at the American University of Iraq - Sulaimani in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

In his most expansive comments yet on the latest crisis in Iraq and Syria, he answered written questions from The Post’s Liz Sly, offering insights into the mistakes, the prosecution and the prospects of the war against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, which he refers to by its Arabic acronym, Daesh.

WNU Editor: A rather obvious observation .... Animosity between David Petraeus and Iranian commander, Qassem Soleimani, still on display (Dan Lamothe, Washington Post).

More News On Former CIA Director General Petraeus Claims That Iran-Backed Militias And Not The Islamic State Are The Biggest Threats In Iraq

David Petraeus: Iran more of a threat than ISIL -- Politico
Gen. Petraeus: Biggest threat to Iraq's stability is Iran-backed militias, not ISIS -- FOX News
David Petraeus: Biggest threat to Iraq's future is Iran, not ISIS -- CBS News
Gen. David Petraeus: ISIS isn't the biggest threat to Iraq -- Business Insider
David Petraeus: Iran more of a threat than the Islamic State -- Ya Liban
Petraeus: Iran-Backed Militias Bigger Threat than ISIS to American Interests in Iraq -- The Tower
ISIS Actually Not the Biggest Threat to Iraq, Former CIA Head Says -- Epoch Times
Petraeus: Iran, not ISIS, is main threat to Iraq -- Al Arabiya
Iran is a bigger threat than Islamic State. So what? -- Daniel W. Drezner, Washington Post

Did Former CIA Director Petraeus Get Off Easy For Leaking Classified Information?

David A. Graham, The Atlantic: General Amnesty: Petraeus's Escape

The retired general will pay $40,000 and get two years' probation. Not all leakers are so lucky.

The Obama administration is against intelligence officials leaking classified information—but some conditions may apply.

If you're a CIA analyst who talks to reporters, you might end up serving 30 months in federal prison or facing more. Even a reporter could end up being named a co-conspirator by prosecutors. But if you're a decorated general, a former CIA director, and a former member of the Cabinet, you might get off with a $40,000 fine and two years of probation.

WNU Editor: NSA leaker Edward Snowden probably wishes he can have the same deal .... Snowden says U.S. not offering fair trial if he returns (Reuters). Then there are some who I predict will not be scrutinized at all .... Judge Napolitano: Hillary Clinton Unlikely To Face Same Scrutiny As Petraeus Plea Deal.

Former CIA Director Petraeus Will Plead Guilty To Federal Charges

Former CIA director and retired general David Petraeus gives the sign for ''fight on'', the motto of the University of Southern California, speaks as the keynote speaker at the university's annual dinner for veterans and ROTC students, in Los Angeles, California March 26, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Alex Gallardo/Files

New York Times: Petraeus Reaches Plea Deal Over Giving Classified Data to Lover

WASHINGTON — David H. Petraeus, the best-known military commander of his generation, has reached a plea deal with the Justice Department that will allow him to avoid an embarrassing trial over whether he provided classified information to a mistress when he was the director of the C.I.A.

Mr. Petraeus will plead guilty to one count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison. Mr. Petraeus has signed the agreement, said Marc Raimondi, a Justice Department spokesman.

WNU Editor: I will be shocked if he has to serve time .... but if it was anyone else .... yes .... prison time would probably be the result. Considering what he did .... he is getting off light.

More News On Former CIA Director Petraeus Pleading Guilty To Federal Charges

DOJ: Ex-CIA chief admits mishandling classified information -- Washington Post/AP
Former CIA director Petraeus pleads guilty to federal charge -- Reuters
David Petraeus to Plead Guilty to Classified-Information Charge -- Bloomberg
Petraeus reaches deal to plead guilty to misdemeanor but will likely not face prison time -- Washington Post
Ex-CIA chief in federal charge plea -- BBC
David Petraeus pleads guilty in deal over passing classified information to lover -- The Guardian
Ex-CIA Chief Petraeus to plead guilty to sharing classified info with mistress -- UPI
Ex-CIA Director Petraeus to Plead Guilty to Misdemeanor Over Mishandling Classified Information -- WSJ
David Petraeus to plead guilty to removing classified information -- Washington Times
Gen. Petraeus expected to plead guilty to federal charges -- CNN
Petraeus pleads guilty to misdemeanor charge in plea agreement over claims he leaked classified info to mistress -- FOX News
Ex-CIA boss Petraeus pleads guilty over giving secret information to lover -- Deutsche Welle
Petraeus to plead guilty for mishandling classified information -- The Hill
Petraeus reaches plea deal with Justice Dept. -- USA Today
Former CIA Director Petraeus Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges -- Sputnik
Disgraced CIA chief David Petraeus signs plea deal admitting to giving classified information to his mistress biographer -- Daily Mail

Facing Serious Criminal Charges, Supporters For Former CIA Director Petraeus Are Stepping Forward To Defend Him

MSNBC: Petraeus enjoys support from Capitol Hill admirers

WNU Editor: This is now all political. Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Dianne Feinstein .... that is a lot of high-power support from Capital Hill for a former General and CIA Director who may now be facing some serious charges.

More News On Former CIA Director Petraeus Receiving Support From Capital Hill

Lawmakers Raise Doubts on Prosecuting Petraeus -- WSJ
Feinstein on Petraeus: 'It's done. It's over.' -- CNN
Petraeus, Facing Possible Criminal Charges, Has Congress on His Side -- Fiscal Times
Dianne Feinstein to Justice Department: Don’t charge David Petraeus, he has ‘suffered enough’ -- Washington Times
Dianne Feinstein, Strong Advocate of Leak Prosecutions, Demands Immunity For David Petraeus -- The Intercept
McCain: Apparent DOJ leak violates Petraeus's rights -- The Hill
Politicians apply double standard in support of David Petraeus amid FBI leaks inquiry -- Spencer Ackerman, The Guardian

U.S. Justice Department And The FBI Have Recommended That Former General And CIA Director Petraeus Be Charged With Passing Secrets To His Mistress

New York Times: FBI and Justice Dept. Said to Seek Charges for Petraeus

WNU Editor: Apparently the recommendations were made last year, but Attorney General Eric Holder has not made his decision to proceed. It looks like some in the Justice Department/FBI are not pleased with this .... and are now leaking this information out. Still .... the prospect of former General and CIA Director Petraeus going to jail .... that just boggles the mind.

More News On The U.S. Justice Department Recommending That Former General And CIA Director Petraeus Be Charged With Passing Secrets To His Mistress

U.S. prosecutors recommend criminal charges against Petraeus - N.Y. Times -- Reuters
AP source: US weighs criminal charges for Petraeus -- AP
FBI, DOJ recommend felony charges against Petraeus -- UPI
Prosecutors, FBI Want Petraeus Charged With Giving Secrets to Lover as CIA Director -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Prosecutors Recommend Gen. Petraeus Face Charges Over Classified Information -- WSJ
Petraeus case: 'Charges recommended' for ex-CIA boss -- BBC
Report: FBI and Justice Department prosecutors recommend felony charges against Petraeus -- FOX News
Justice prosecutors recommend charges against Petraeus -- CNN
Report: US Prosecutors Press for Criminal Charges Against Ex-CIA Chief -- VOA
FBI and Justice Department recommend felony charges against Petraeus -- RT
Retired Gen. Petraeus Should Face Charges, Prosecutors Say -- NPR

Why Is The FBI Still Investigating Former Four-Star General And CIA Director Petraeus

Former CIA director and retired general David H. Petraeus (Reuters / Alex Gallardo)

Why Is The FBI Still Targeting Petraeus? -- Eli Lake and Josh Rogin, Bloomberg

By all outward appearances, David Petraeus appears to be mounting a comeback. The former general landed a job at powerhouse private-equity firm KKR, has academic perches at Harvard and the University of Southern California and, according to White House sources, was even asked by the President Barack Obama's administration for advice on the fight against Islamic State. Yet it turns out that the extramarital affair that forced him to resign as director of the Central Intelligence Agency is still hanging over him.

Most importantly: According to current and former U.S. intelligence officials who have spoken to us, the FBI still has an open investigation into whether Petraeus improperly provided highly classified documents to Paula Broadwell, his biographer and the woman with whom he had an affair.

A little history: In the spring of 2012, the Federal Bureau of Investigation stumbled upon the Petraeus-Broadwell relationship while investigating a separate cyber-stalking matter. While the FBI has cleared Broadwell of those charges, and Obama has said Petraeus never endangered national security, the FBI’s probe remains open.

Read more ....

More News On The FBI Investigation Of David Petraeus

FBI continues to investigate Petraeus -- TBO
FBI continues to investigate former CIA director General Petraeus -- RT
McCain Tells FBI to End Petraeus Probe -- Bloomberg
McCain urges FBI to end Petraeus probe -- The Hill
McCain: Investigation is silencing Petraeus -- CNN

My Comment: I know that the wheels of justice in the U.S. legal system moves slowly .... but this has been how many years?

Army's Next Crop of Generals Forged in Counterinsurgency

From The Washington Post:

An Army board headed by Gen. David H. Petraeus has selected several combat-tested counterinsurgency experts for promotion to the rank of brigadier general, sifting through more than 1,000 colonels to identify a handful of innovative leaders who will shape the future Army, according to current and former senior Army officers.

Read more ....

My Comment: When the Iraq war started he was a major general in command of the 101rst. Now he is the top dog, influencing the selection of future commanders, and clearly is being groomed for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The key paragraph that I liked in this Washington Post story is the following:

In an article published this year on the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan, McMaster challenged what he called the military's preoccupation in the 1990s with technology, to the neglect of the political and cultural dimensions of war. Military leaders must end the "self-delusion" that high-tech weapons and a "minimalist" commitment of forces can solve conflicts, he wrote.

It is always people on the ground that makes a difference in any conflict. Technology is a tool to win the battle, but it is understanding political and cultural factors that will win the peace.