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Bush Pulled Rank on Military Over Surge

Joint Chiefs were pushed aside, new Woodward book says

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted Sep 8, 2008 3:14 PM CDT

(Newser) – In the months leading up to the Iraq surge, President Bush faced a revolt by frustrated Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Washington Post’s Bob Woodward writes in a new book, The War Within. Bush dumped the military leaders’ advice as Iraq spun out of control in fall of 2006, pushing a five-brigade surge on the hesitant generals while pulling rank.

“Fine, Mr. President. You’re the president,” the army chief told Bush after explaining that a surge would require calling up the National Guard, exhausting emergency reserves or lengthening tours for tired soldiers. But Bush ignored the criticism, bumping George Casey from commander in Iraq to make way for David Petraeus and the surge—which he told the military was the commanders’ idea.

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Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks to journalists in this June 4, 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Marcus Yam)

"They weren't listening to what Pete [Pace] was saying," a colleague says of White House reaction to the Joint Chiefs head. "Or Pete wasn't carrying the mail, or he was carrying it incompletely." (AP Photo)

The cover of Bob Woodward's latest book, "The War Within."

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They're orchestrating this to dump in our laps. - Michael Mullen, chief of naval operations, on the White House

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Bush Pulled Rank on Military Over Surge