From top soldier to top spy
Gen. David Petraeus, new director of the CIA Credit: AP
David Petraeus, arguably the most storied general of his generation, will start his new civilian job Tuesday when he takes over as director of the CIA.
The four-star general commanded U.S. forces in Afghanistan, led the successful 2007 troop surge widely credited with turning things around for the United States in Iraq, and literally wrote the book -- the Army's field manual on counterinsurgency.
His 37-year Army career officially ended Aug. 31 in a retirement ceremony at Ft. Myer in Virginia, complete with a 17-gun salute.
Petraeus didn't have to leave the military to take the CIA job, but he was right to do it.
As he said, there should be a line between the military and intelligence worlds.
The nation will be better for it if he's as successful navigating the realm of smoke and mirrors as he was the fog of war.
