Retired Marine Corps General John J. Sheehan writes in the Washington Post Why I Declined To Serve as the Iraq War Czar. He apparently was considered, had discussions and ultimately declined. It's worth a full read.
"What I found in discussions with current and former members of this administration is that there is no agreed-upon strategic view of the Iraq problem or the region."
"We cannot 'shorthand' this issue with concepts such as the 'democratization of the region' or the constant refrain by a small but powerful group that we are going to 'win,' even as 'victory' is not defined or is frequently redefined."
"It would have been a great honor to serve this nation again. But after thoughtful discussions with people both in and outside of this administration, I concluded that the current Washington decision-making process lacks a linkage to a broader view of the region and how the parts fit together strategically. We got it right during the early days of Afghanistan -- and then lost focus. We have never gotten it right in Iraq. For these reasons, I asked not to be considered for this important White House position. These huge shortcomings are not going to be resolved by the assignment of an additional individual to the White House staff. They need to be addressed before an implementation manager is brought on board."
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