Post Held Off Afghan Story at DoD Request

McChrystal report could help the Pentagon, or the White House, or...

(NEWSER) - The question du jour in Washington is who leaked Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s report advocating an increased troop presence in Afghanistan to Bob Woodward, Ben Smith writes on Politico. But the outcome of this tried and true “capital parlor game” is far from certain. Some Beltway insiders think the leak is a coup for the Pentagon, while others believe it can’t but help the White House. And without a clear motive, all bets are off. More»

And with it, the Obama administration's defense priorities

(NEWSER) - The White House is poised to unveil its proposal to slim down the military to bring it in line with cuts agreed to in the recent debt ceiling deal, and in so doing give America a sense of Leon Panetta’s vision for the military’s future, the New York Times reports. It's already made some cuts at the top . Here are some other major areas that are likely under the knife: More»

A look back at the retiring defense secretary's career

(NEWSER) - With Robert Gates, who has served eight presidents over four decades, about to retire, the Washington Post looks back at how Gates operated in the Pentagon. He’s been “careful, conservative, and consensus-oriented,” writes Greg Jaffe, and he’s “earned a reputation as the most ruthlessly efficient defense secretary in decades.” So what can we learn from his tenure?

• Buy time. Defense Department reviews following troop surges in Iraq and Afghanistan gave Presidents Bush and Obama a sense of the military’s trajectory—and they bought time against critics calling for quick drawdowns.

Bob Woodward book reveals deep fault lines over war policy

(NEWSER) - The Obama White House is a simmering pot of anger and disagreement, with too many bickering chefs handling of the war in Afghanistan, according to a new book by Bob Woodward that exposes deep rifts in the administration. Here, via the New York Times , are some of the juicy bits from Obama's Wars:

• Vice-President Joe Biden thinks Richard Holbrooke, the administration's special rep for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is “the most egotistical bastard I’ve ever met."

The 'skunk at the family picnic' has Obama's ear

(NEWSER) - It may have looked as though Joe Biden lost last fall’s argument over strategy in Afghanistan, but he actually emerged with a powerful, well-defined role in the administration. His position, in his own words: “the skunk at the family picnic.” Biden has been the in-house skeptic on Afghanistan, but his subtlety and discretion have deeply impressed President Obama, Politico reports. “He’s not off the leash,” says one official. More»