There is concern for the CIA if Petraeus leaves his position. Photo courtesy of isafmedia/Flickr.com
Recently, Shirley Tilghman, the current and first female president of Princeton University, publicly announced that she would soon step down from her position. This was not shocking, inasmuch as the senior leadership of academia is very fluid and changes occur frequently. What I did find of great interest is the composition of the pool of superlative candidates from which her replacement will be selected. Various outlets have reported that the current director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), David H. Petraeus might be among the highly qualified luminaries within that pool.
Petraeus is known throughout the public and private sectors as both an intellectual and a man of action. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (aka West Point) in 1974 and later earned his master’s degree and doctorate in international relations during the mid-eighties from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs according to www.CIA.gov. In other words, he is that rare man who has the ability to generate a revolution in action and thought whilst understanding the responsibility of preserving and respecting current institutions. I have read about this man for more than a decade and have come to think of him as perhaps the single most capable man in government today. He is revered by the military community, the diplomatic community and the increasingly efficient intelligence community.
Why would such a titan move into a setting where so little seems possible? Perhaps, more importantly, is the rumor of his candidacy credible? The answer to the second question is a resounding YES. Director Petraeus has expressed a lot of interest in returning to his alma mater, even stating outright, “I am running for president of Princeton,” at a gathering of Princeton ROTC cadets. Moreover, he is an enormous supporter and contributor to Princeton University. As to the initial question, Petraeus’ departure from his current post as Director of the CIA would mean lasting impacts for both the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States of America at a time when our nation faces tremendous threats. However, as the president of a virtual engine for the production of America’s near, mid and long-term leaders, the enormity of his impact can hardly be measured. This is not because those who know him wonder whether he will be successful at Princeton–there is no doubt of that–but because he will be so incredibly successful it is simply impossible to measure the vast, positive impact of his success.
As an American citizen, I view Petraeus as a national treasure and I want that rare resource used where our nation benefits most… so where is that, and how do we perform the calculus for determining where best to employ his energy-fueled genius? Petreaus has only been at his current post as Director of the CIA for just over a year. If he were to leave the agency after such a short tenure, it would be forced to quickly find a replacement, and, in my opinion, it would be incredibly difficult to fill the shoes of a man like Petraeus. Few men on the planet have resumes that could go head to head with Petraeus’ when looking for a “full-view transformational” leader. He spent 37 years in the United States Army holding many of its most prestigious positions such as the Commander of the United States Central Command. He has been called the great military leader of the 21st century and compared to the likes of Eisenhower, Patton and MacArthur, three of the greatest military and organizational leaders in U.S. history. With this said, the departure of Petraeus from the CIA would represent a huge loss for not only the clandestine agency, but more importantly the United States of America as a whole. In short, with Petraeus at the helm of the CIA, I truly feel safer as a citizen. At this time, though, it seems that Petraeus will be staying here with the CIA. This is noted in a released statement of his, “As it currently stands…I am living the dream here at the CIA.”
This value, however, must be balanced against the impact at Princeton I described earlier. While many might object to the notion of any one man’s ability to bring about such positive change in the stilted world of Ivy League academia, they have not tracked the long list of miracles brought about by this indispensable man. I believe he should make the jump, perform his miracles, work toward the production of a generation of future indispensable men and women and then continue to search for those future mountains where he will undoubtedly continue to serve our nation.
Jack Whitaker can be reached at jack.whitaker@spartans.ut.edu
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