Gen. David Petraeus: An 'awful' choice for CIA director?

President Obama reportedly plans to nominate Petraeus to replace CIA chief Leon Panetta, who will become the next secretary of defense

Gen. David Petraeus, the celebrated architect of the surge strategy in Iraq, will reportedly be named President Obama's next CIA chief.
(Image credit: Jeff Malet/Maletphoto.com)

President Obama is expected to reshuffle his national security team this week, naming CIA Director Leon Panetta his new defense secretary, and bringing Gen. David Petraeus back from Afghanistan to take over at the intelligence agency. The 72-year-old Panetta has a long résumé in government and "is expected to win easy confirmation," says Laura Rozen at Yahoo! News. Petraeus is also expected to be confirmed, but recent rumors of his possible move to Washington have left some observers "scratching their heads." Is the four-star general who successfully led the Iraq surge really the right choice to lead the CIA?

No, he's an 'awful' pick: The general doesn't have the humility, analytical skills, or team-based approach needed to succeed at the CIA, says a former top intelligence official, quoted anonymously by ABC News. There's been friction between the military and the CIA regarding the Afghan war effort, so it's odd that one of the general's top priorities will be to evaluate his own efforts in the region. "I don’t know of anybody in my former world who thinks this is a good idea."

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