General Petraeus's Spiritual Literary Endorsement--More Controversy We Don't Need

Check out Military.com's pieceon a book endorsement by Gen. David Petraeus. The endorsement hasgenerated the commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq more troublethan MoveOn.org generated for itself by calling him "General Betray-Us"in a full-page ad in the New York Times.

Petraeus isleaving Iraq next month to become overall commander of American forcesin the Middle East and Afghanistan. By all accounts, he has receivedpositive reviews, including this statement from a Times reporter:

Violence has plummeted from its apocalyptic peaks, Iraqi leaders areasserting themselves, and streets that once seemed dead are flourishingwith life. The worst, for now, has been averted.

But the reviews of his book endorsement are not so favorable:

The book is "Under Orders: A Spiritual Handbook for MilitaryPersonnel," by Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) William McCoy, and according toPetraeus' published endorsement of the work, "it should be in everyrucksack for those times when soldiers need spiritual energy."

Is the Army a chapel? Or is the Army the Army? Have yourself arollicking good time and read the comments pro and con posted bymilitary personnel and interested onlookers. As if we didn't alreadyhave enough things to fight over.

By Bonnie Erbe