Petraeus Comes Home to Pick New Generals

David Petraeus is returning to Washington this week to help select the next generation of generals, an unusual move highlighting the Army’s desperation to inject Petraeus-style unconventional thinkers into its leadership, the Washington Post reports. “It's unprecedented for the commander of an active theater to be brought back to head something like a brigadier generals board,” said one retired general.

The Army is trying to change a system long accused of rewarding traditionalists ill-suited to modern asymmetrical warfare. Young officers are resigning, frustrated by unresponsive leadership. “The system is very risk-adverse,” said one Iraq vet. “There is every disincentive to challenging that senior officer's worldview.” Instead, new policies aim to encourage new Petraeuses, comfortable with politics, information operations, and counterinsurgency tactics. (More Iraq stories.)