Petraeus on the South Asian wars; McCreary on Gaza

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Friday, January 9, 2009 - 4:33 PM Share

The general is assessing the situation strategically, which is refreshing. "Afghanistan and Pakistan have, in many ways, merged into a single problem set, and the way forward in Afghanistan is incomplete without a strategy that includes and assists Pakistan," the new Central Command chief said Thursday at a Washington think tank. That this view is becoming official is today's good news, as John McCreary would say.

Speaking of that venerable analyst, McCreary, one of my "proven providers," thinks that Hamas is facing "strategic defeat" in Gaza, in part because Tehran is more interested in moving forward on developing nuclear weapons than it is in aiding its allies in Hamas.

EXPLORE:SOUTH ASIA, ISRAEL/PALESTINE, MILITARY

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BILL KELLER

5:43 PM ET

January 9, 2009

Strategy with Discretion

This indicates that General Petraeus is observing the appropriate discreetness on national security while awaiting the inauguration of a new President. He is a very prudent commander of forces.