Army Generals Misbehavin'

[Rozlee]

After the first Gulf War, Army General Norman Schwarzkopf was God. If he had wanted to run for President or Master of the Universe, the field was wide open for him. There were rumors that he was approached about it, but that offers were quickly and quietly withdrawn.

General Colin Powell flirted with the idea of running on the Republican ticket. But, he was rather indifferent on social issues that were dear to hardline Republicans. Besides, it was said, his wife was emotionally fragile. He demurred on her behalf.

Now, some say, General David Petraeus has been tapped by some Republicans as well. He supposedly has shelved the idea for now.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower was a powerful Army General that made it to the highest office in the land. But, he had a secret in his past. One that might have made him lose the possibility of ever making it to that office.
A woman by the name of Kate Summersby. There were allegations. Allegations that Eisenhower approached General George Marshall and requested permission to divorce his wife to marry Summersby. Marshall supposedly reamed Eisenhower's butt and refused, telling him to drop the homewrecker and stay married. Who knows? Wotta wuss. Exemplary courage in combat, but didn't have enough sac to stand up to his boss to achieve his heart's desire.

This may or may not be a factual statement (probably is or isn't), but supposedly, a young 1st lieutenant that worked as an aide to General Schwarzkopf would often come boo-hooing into Camp Jack in Riyadh where we were first stationed before going to King Khalid Military City. "I'm pregnant and I'm not getting rid of it! They can't make me!" She had a couple of girlfriends there that might have delighted in gossiping to everyone and were saddened when the lieutenant was sent back home stateside soon after. Everyone wondered if she had her baby.

Wow. Army Generals Misbehavin'. Maybe. Could be.

You know how it goes. Months away from the missus. Young female enlisted or junior officers who think you're god. Am I being sterotypical? No doubt there were some holdouts. But, trust me; I was there. I fell hard for a high ranking British officer in the Coalition myself. He'd send a humvee to pick me up from KKMC and shower me with gifts and nights at his quarters at the home of a Saudi royal. To my credit, he was single. Or at least that was what he told me, and not to my credit, I didn't dig. They're called "war time romances" for a reason.

No, all of you out there that are worrying about Petraeus or McChystal being a dark horse and entering the Republican race in another four years, take heart. Maybe they can claim that they did indeed "sin" and are now fit to run for office. But, it's been my experience that high ranking military men are too compartmentalized. They like to keep certain aspects of their lives in one box and not take it out. In today's Iraq War, things are a bit more brutal than those idyllic days in the first gulf war. I was a decade and a half older, but I saw the shell-shocked looks on the faces of the pretty girls that are used as their modern day concubines while I was briefly in theater 7 years ago. The officers and gentlemen are gone. It's all "send in my girl" these days. No war time romances here.

The big guys are still misbehavin'.

[aquart]

1. Petraeus ain't running because he thinks someone will talk?

Wonder who was assigned to him.