Sir Petraeus

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16 March 2012

This has been secret until a few minutes ago.  The Dutch Minister of Defense just knighted General (ret.) Petraeus in the Hague.  I was invited to go but could not make it, unfortunately.

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Comments  

 
+5 # Sir David - Hooooah — Dang 2012-03-16 10:16
What a great American Warrior - intelligent, caring, and trustworthy - and, OBTW snubbed by the Obama administration. He is the single "most valuable" player in how we actually "won" Iraq. Good news. And if you don't believe we won Iraq - may I suggest Michael's book on the same - great insights.
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+1 # Please clarify... — Maverick 2012-03-16 11:36
Sir, could u please explain "snubbed by the Obama administration" ? I am not arguing with you, I would just like to know more about this aspect of your comment please. I thought Mr. Petraeus was now Director of the CIA? Further, my recollection is that this position is somewhat of a "hot stop" for many future Presidents. Am I misinformed? Also, if accurate how to these facts coincide with your characterizatio n? I really enjoy this site and the quality of the discussions. I would appreciate your feedback. Respectfully, Mav
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+4 # RE: Please clarify... — Mark12A 2012-03-16 12:49
One way I can remember was when Nancy Pelousy, as speaker of the house, referred to him as "General Betray-us" and mocked his presentation... before he had made it.
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+1 # RE: Please clarify... — Tom R 2012-03-16 16:26
Whether or not you think he was snubbed by the Administration depends on who you think should have appropriately attended his 2011 retirement ceremony from the Administration. If you think that he did extraordinary things when placed in an extraordinary position, maybe you think extraordinary recognition was appropriate. Recall that he was the four-star combatant commander for all of USCENTCOM and he was asked to step-down and fill-in as commander of the International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan to succeed General McChrystal and let his three-star deputy (Lieutenant General Allen) run USCENTCOM in 2010, because the Administration could find no other officer they could put into the billet that would give them anywhere near as much confidence. Presidents don't attend retirement ceremonies for all three- or four-star generals or admirals, but you could make the case that his visibility rivaled Eisenhower's or MacArthur's when he was seen as the one figure that could keep the U.S. from "losing" in Iraq and then again in Afghanistan.
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-1 # Clarification — jpk 2012-03-18 12:07
Let me get this right. Maverick asked an honest question, and what he gets in response is news that the Speaker of the House has been reclassified as a position in the executive branch, and an assertion that Petreaus's grandeur is rivaled by only Eisenhower and MacArthur.

I can only infer then that the true answer is that the administration has done nothing of substance to slight the General and that it is just commentators trying to bring their politics into a thread where we should be recognizing Petreaus's contributions to this country and the debt of gratitude we owe him.
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+1 # RE: Sir Petraeus — karen 2012-03-16 10:37
sorry you could not go. GOD bless u and your work..smile
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-4 # Yes, but... — Craig 2012-03-16 10:41
Honestly this is my first disappointment in Petraeus. While I understand that this is an honorary title, it's still a holdover from a pre-American tradition. I think that accepting knighthoods is like bowing to a king - it's considered diplomatic, but it really isn't very American.

Not a big disappointment, of course. I still hold him in very high regard. Just my $0.02.
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+5 # Yesbutnobut — James 2012-03-16 10:54
@Craig... most things in this world are 'pre-American'. This is less of a holdover, as you put it, and more of a foreign sovereign state awarding someone it holds in high esteem. Nothing wrong with that, any more than the US awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom or the Congressional Gold Medal to a foreigner.
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+4 # RE: Sir Petraeus — Hiram 2012-03-16 11:17
It's another high honor for GEN Petraeus (met him twice in Iraq and very impressed). There have been a lot of great soldiers who have received foreign awards for their service, including GEN Patton and Audie Murphy.
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+2 # RE: Sir Petraeus — GamerFromJump 2012-03-16 11:33
Technically he can't be called "sir". He's not a British subject.
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0 # That's Nice, But — dennisl59 2012-03-16 11:33
when are we going to see and hear him in front of a Congressional Committee, under oath as CIA Director?
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0 # RE: Sir Petraeus — catchesthewind 2012-03-16 12:47
Isnt there a constitutional provision against being knighted by a foreign power?
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+1 # Titles of nobility clause — jpk 2012-03-18 13:00
The provision is against our government granting titles and from accepting gifts from foreign governments. Accepting titles is okay.
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+2 # RE: Sir Petraeus — Hiram 2012-03-16 13:12
I've never heard of any restrictions. It's just an honorary title and otherwise conveys no power, influence or implies special treatment.
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+1 # RE: Sir Petraeus — xoxoxoBruce 2012-03-16 13:47
@Hiram
It will allow him to bypass the TSA at the airport. :lol:
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+1 # RE: Sir Petraeus — Steveh 2012-03-16 15:20
Might make a great VP canidate
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-1 # Mr — Peter Bongaarts 2012-03-16 15:57
"The Dutch Minister of Defense just knighted General (ret.) Petraeus in the Hague"

This cannot be true.The Dutch government does not awards knighthoods. "Sir" is a British title and is only given to British subjects. Maybe Petraeus got some of medal from the Dutch government. I as a Dutch newspaper reader haven't heard about it.
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+1 # RE: Mr — Andy Ross 2012-03-17 21:21
Quoting Peter Bongaarts:
"The Dutch Minister of Defense just knighted General (ret.) Petraeus in the Hague"

This cannot be true.The Dutch government does not awards knighthoods. "Sir" is a British title and is only given to British subjects. Maybe Petraeus got some of medal from the Dutch government. I as a Dutch newspaper reader haven't heard about it.

It is true:
http://soldiersystems.net/2012/03/16/sir-david-petraeus-gen-usa-ret/
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0 # RE: Mr — Muddlark 2012-03-18 17:54
I think you can get the Order of Orange-Nassau (and be a knight of that order). It's like an OBE.
For Americans, it's honorary (like all knighthoods).
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+2 # RE: Sir Petraeus — Over Here 2012-03-16 16:21
http://soldiersystems.net/

"The Dutch Minister of Defense has knighted GEN David Petraeus, USA (Ret) at the Hague. There are several Orders of Knighthood in the Netherland, some the responsibility of the Ministry, others solely the purview of the Crown. Though there are no details yet, it is likely GEN Petraeus was Knighted into the Military William Order, the Order of the Netherlands Lion or the Order of Orange Nassau."

That is all.
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0 # RE: Sir Petraeus — Pat 2012-03-16 16:41
Wiki says (as far as you trust the info)that GEN Petraeus was awarded the Order of Orange Nassau, Grand Cross with swords. No confirmation of story on the i-net.
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-2 # rev — todd gates 2012-03-16 21:03
Perhaps i just don't get the significance of being knighted by Europe s equivalent of Leon Paneta . Where s the regality. Knighted bY Queen Liz...I'm down with that. Love me general P though.
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0 # Knight General Petraeus ! ! — Violette 2012-03-17 08:18
OMG SIR ... Wheren't you called Betraeus some times ago by some "don't say the names" ?? and now "Nato" Knight !?! this a reverse situation . So glad.
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0 # RE: Sir Petraeus — gismofly 2012-03-17 12:30
Hey....a knighthood or a presidential citation? What's it gonna be, huh? C'mon..it ain't that hard!
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+1 # Mr — Peter Bongaarts 2012-03-18 18:04
"I think you can get the Order of Orange-Nassau (and be a knight of that order). It's like an OBE.
For Americans, it's honorary (like all knighthoods)."

Yes, that's right.
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-1 # DCIA - No Honor — scotch7 2012-03-19 12:47
When some fool crashed a Cessna into the Whitehouse during the Clinton years, the beltway joke was that it was then Director of the CIA James Woolsey trying to get in to see the President. Clinton never took his calls or a meeting.

If you want to know more about Woolsey and the views that got him snubbed, here are transcripts from a couple of his speeches.

World War 4:
http://www.dealerpoint.com/woolsey-ww-iv.htm

From 12 - to 120 democracies in 85 years:
http://www.dealerpoint.com/woolsey-120.htm
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0 # RE: Sir Petraeus — TMI 2012-11-09 16:41
He just resigned from the CIA yesterday, I believe. He gave his resignation to Obama.
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