Pentagon insider named Iraq war ‘tsar’

Pentagon insider named Iraq war ‘tsar’
By Edward Luce and Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Published: May 16 2007 00:59 | Last updated: May 16 2007 00:59


Douglas Lute, a relatively unknown three-star lieutenant-general, was on Tuesday appointed war “tsar” to manage Iraq and Afghanistan, in a move by President George W. Bush that critics said was unlikely to reverse the US’s sliding fortunes in either war zone.

Lt Gen Lute, who is director of operations for the joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon, will co-ordinate the administration’s management of both wars with the authority to issue orders across government.

The new position is likely to raise questions about the effectiveness of Stephen Hadley, the national security adviser, part of whose job is to oversee the prosecution of wars. The appointment comes after a lengthy search, with up to six four-star generals reportedly turning down the post.

“It is extraordinary that five years after invading Afghanistan and four years after invading Iraq the Bush administration is still trying to figure out how to manage these wars,” said Bruce Riedel, a former national security official during the Bill Clinton presidency.

Lt Gen Lute’s appointment comes in the midst of a protracted battle between the Democratic-controlled Congress and the White House over the approval of almost $100bn in funding for the wars. Last month, Mr Bush vetoed a $124bn funding bill that set a timeline for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by 2008. The Senate will vote on Wednesday on a new bill that is likely to include softer conditions.

One former senior Pentagon official said Lt Gen Lute would have a practical “nuts and bolts” role, and would be effective in encouraging other branches of the administration to work with the Pentagon.

Robert Gates, US defence secretary, described the role of the “war tsar” as “a 9-1-1 [emergency] number” for David Petraeus, who heads the US military in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, US ambassador in Baghdad. He said the tsar would be empowered by Mr Bush to call up cabinet members and say: “The president would like to know why you haven’t delivered what’s been asked for yet.”

Peter Rodman, a former senior Pentagon official under Donald Rumsfeld and Mr Gates and now at the Brookings Institution, said he doubted Lt Gen Lute would be able to do that. “He is a three-star general familiar with the interagency process and is somebody that people know and respect,” he said. “But he will not be able to order cabinet secretaries around.”