Tsar You Serious?

As the Commander in Chief you are the "decider" and it is "hard work"-- if having a Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, a Secretary of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to blame for war policies that are failing won't do, then you need a "War Tsar". President Bush is expected to make an official announcement today that Lt General Douglas Lute, currently serving as director of operations at the Pentagon will be tagged to co-ordinate the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The President, equating Lt. General Lute to something akin to FedEx in a White House press release, said “Nothing is more important than getting Admiral Fallon, General Petraeus, American commanders in Afghanistan, and Ambassadors Crocker and Wood what they need, and Douglas Lute can make sure that happens quickly and reliably.”

Also in the release:

Lt. General Lute Will Have The Authority He Needs To Accomplish The Mission

General Lute Will Report Directly To The President. As an Assistant to the President, General Lute’s office is focused on day-to-day implementation and policy development. He will work closely with National Security Advisor Steve Hadley, who provides overall staff leadership.

• General Lute Will Have The Authority To Identify And Remedy Problems. General Lute will have the authority to identify and remedy problems by working with Cabinet secretaries and agency heads.

• He Will Ensure That Commanders And Diplomats On The Ground Have What They Need. He is empowered by the President to request and receive information, personnel, and other additional resources and assistance from the Federal Departments and Agencies needed to carry out the President’s strategies.
  

Forgive me for saying this, but doesn't the president already have people doing this--if not, it seems to me we shouldn't have committed the lives of our armed forces to this war.

“Same-Day Service” Goal. General Lute has the authority to receive and facilitate requests from General Petraeus, Admiral William Fallon, and the U.S. Ambassadors in Iraq and Afghanistan. His goal in this regard will be “same-day service”.

Madison Ave. Sound bite: "When it absolutely, positively has to be there today, you can count on Lute"