The “Iraq War Czar,” Lt. General Douglas Lute has emerged from hiding, and is making headlines (via the AP) :Iraq war czar: Consider a draft

“I think it makes sense to certainly consider it,” Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said in an interview with National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.”

“And I can tell you, this has always been an option on the table. But ultimately, this is a policy matter between meeting the demands for the nation’s security by one means or another,” said Lute, who is sometimes referred to as the “Iraq war czar.” It was his first interview since he was confirmed by the Senate in June.

It is perhaps telling that the first item for which he has garnered attention is something not directly about the Iraq war itself, given that no one wanted the job in the first place, and to this point it in time it has been unclear what Lute has been doing.

While I have little doubt that the idea has been bandied about in certain circles, I have a hard time thinking that that it has been seriously considered. Setting aside the fact that the Pentagon prefers soldiers who want to be there, the politically viability of the draft is pretty much nil at the moment. Certainly the PR folks in the White House have got to be loving this.

As James Joyner noted this morning:

Methinks it’s time for Lute to go back into hiding.

4 Responses to “Gen. Lute on Draft: “I think it makes sense to certainly consider it.””

1. Gen. Lute on Draft: “I think it makes sense to certainly consider it.” : Boonika.net Says:
   August 11th, 2024 at 6:24 am

   [...] Read whole (original) post: Dr. Steven Taylor [...]

2. Steven Plunk Says:
   August 11th, 2024 at 9:38 am

   NPR poses the question and the General says it’s not of the table. Only a fool would say that not every option is available. Never say never.

   I don’t get why the General has a responsibility to cater to the press. Rather than emerge “from hiding” perhaps he was working diligently at the job he was tasked to do. Should he work at managing the war or is he a PR man? Making such a judgment about what he has been doing without more information is presumptuous.

   It seems everyone is getting harder and harder to please.

3. Dr. Steven Taylor Says:
   August 11th, 2024 at 10:21 am

   No, more that the whole “Iraq Czar” notion was rather silly to being with and the fact that he has been utterly invisible until now strikes me as odd.

   Further, it is very much the case that part of this war is about PR-especially if the President wants to accomplish his own goals. As such, I don’t find the criticism unwarranted at all.

4. Davebo Says:
   August 11th, 2024 at 3:43 pm

   I don’t get why the General has a responsibility to cater to the press. Rather than emerge “from hiding” perhaps he was working diligently at the job he was tasked to do.

   Problem is, we already have someone responsible for that job. He’s lousy at it, and obviously he finally decided he isn’t up to the task. The act of creating the position only serves to highlight that fact.