What's in it for Petraeus? How about chair of the joint chiefs?

In announcing he had “accepted” his battlefield commander’s resignation; Mr. Obama acknowledged he and General McChrystal “are in full agreement about our strategy.” This week’s firing was simply political theater designed to enhance Mr. Obama’s stature as a "leader" in the eyes of his supporters and critics.

Mr. Obama suffers from decision deficit disorder. He is routinely described as detached, disengaged, ambivalent and uncertain in everything from the economy, to securing our borders, to the Gulf oil spill, to the war itself. He has been unable or unwilling to name our radical Islamist enemies or define victory. He is the only commander in chief to announce a deadline for withdrawing troops while committing more Americans to combat.
General McChrystal was relieved because a thin skinned president couldn’t take criticism in "the press" and needed to prove he's “the boss.” The intemperate, published remarks made by General McChrystal and his staff in Rolling Stone provided an opportunity for Mr. Obama to show his left-wing base that he is “in charge.”

The task of commanding 140,000 U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan now falls on the shoulders of General David Petraeus. In accepting the assignment, General Petraeus has not only stepped down from the more senior post as head of U.S. Central Command, but he has also been thrust into the role of “America’s only competent General.” One critic suggested, “He’s very good, but it does make us look like we're a banana republic.” Another, a senior officer, said, “Petraeus has accepted ‘mission impossible’; herding coalition cats, getting the cooperation of a completely corrupt regime in Kabul and meeting the often conflicting expectations of an inept regime in Washington.”

Leading the unruly coalition in Afghanistan may well prove to be far more challenging than what General Petraeus had to do in Iraq from 2007 to 2008. In Baghdad, he had a close working relationship with U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the respect of other coalition leaders, a supportive, united White House and backing from a bi-partisan coalition in Congress. The command in Kabul offers few of these advantages, for the O-Team is nearly incapacitated by internal rivalries and enormous egos.

“Why would General Petraeus take what amounts to a demotion?” I asked. The answer, from an admirer, was revealing: “He was selected because he is a proven commodity. Everyone knows Petraeus is a battle tested commander and a patriot. In Iraq, he showed how to work every military, diplomatic and political angle necessary to get the job done. By taking the evidently thankless job in Kabul, he just guaranteed he will be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

Perhaps. But first, General Petraeus has to convince this Commander in Chief how to say, “victory.” He has a year to do it.