Jules Witcover
May 4, 2011
With the death of
That is the political and military debate obviously triggered by the killing of the 9/11 terrorist mastermind by Navy Seals in his compound -- surprisingly located not in some remote cave but in the heart of a Pakistani city not far from the capital of
With two-thirds of Americans surveyed in a recent
At the same time, Republicans -- including the 2012 presidential hopefuls -- are likely to intensify support for Pentagon civilian and military leaders, arguing that this is not the time to start withdrawals but to press the advantage provided by bin Laden's demise.
Soon-to-retire Secretary of Defense
But Vice President
The shift of Petraeus from the battlefield in
Its strongest advocates like Gates and Petraeus have defined that mission as predominantly counterinsurgency -- that is, putting down the rejuvenated Taliban seeking the overthrow of the regime of President
As the new director of the CIA, Petraeus likely will have to adopt an enhanced focus on antiterrorism intelligence, while Panetta will be more engaged in the broader counter-insurgency effort in
In any event, his finding and killing has already been a tonic for Americans after a long period of bad news on the economy at home and political stalemate in
The field of prospective Republican presidential candidates, already struggling to get some traction and lacking a credible frontrunner so far, has also been rendered a muted chorus of congratulatory voices. Even those of former President
Come July, Obama more than ever now can be counted on to make good his promise to begin withdrawal of U.S. troops from
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Available at Amazon.com:
Aftermath: Following the Bloodshed of America's Wars in the Muslim World
Displacement and Dispossession in the Modern Middle East (The Contemporary Middle East)
The End of History and the Last Man
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
The End of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations?
Running Out of Water: The Looming Crisis and Solutions to Conserve Our Most Precious Resource
Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water
Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization
At War with the Weather: Managing Large-Scale Risks in a New Era of Catastrophes
Friendly Fire: Losing Friends and Making Enemies in the Anti-American Century
Dining With al-Qaeda: Three Decades Exploring the Many Worlds of the Middle East
Uprising: Will Emerging Markets Shape or Shake the World Economy
Copyright 2011, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.