After arriving in Afghanistan in 2011, I was unexpectedly thrown into the counter-insurgency battle.
I had no idea what that meant, so I ordered Gen. David Petraeus' Counter Insurgency Handbook from Barnes & Nobles (ironically, my package from Barnes & Nobles came faster than any of my care packages).
I attacked his book with a highlighter while working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week. I learned a lot fast. I also leaned what an incredible visionary Petraeus is.
For people who don't understand irregular warfare, the easiest maxim is to simply say, "kill them all."
The problem with that approach is that it hasn't worked in Afghanistan since the 13th century, when Genghis Khan -- the last successful conquerer of Afghanistan -- simply killed everyone. The Soviets tried genocide in the 1980s and failed miserably.
Enter the Americans and Gen. David Petraeus, who won the war in Iraq with his counter insurgency, or COIN, strategy. His efforts were impressive and achieved numerous successes in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, we don't apparently have the political will to see his COIN strategy through to the end in Afghanistan, the home base of the 9/11 terrorist attack.
Petraeus is a true American visionary, so I was disappointed to see how his incredible and inspiring career is ending because of Bengazigate and a mistress. In American military culture, changing thought patterns is a process that moves slower than LA traffic.
But Petraeus managed to do that through his massive intellect and leadership. He deserves his own statue at West Point.
Benghazi is a scandal worse than Watergate because the Obama's White House and Hillary Clinton's state department, whose job includes protecting diplomats, willingly left Americans to die on the battlefield so they could win some Election Day talking points. I want the scalp of every one, Republican or Democrat, connected to this scandal to be displayed on the National Mall before this is over.
But Petraeus should be spared despite his poor personal judgment. He is a true visionary who deserves our eternal gratitude.
