White House Wary of Petraeus?

Whither Gen. David Petraeus? The New York Times reports that Petraeus has “largely muzzled himself” from the war debate, and that his aides have taken to calling him “Dave the Dull.” Though Petraeus has not hinted he is interested in political life, “It is other people who are looking at his popularity and saying that he would be a good presidential candidate, and I think rightly that makes the administration a little suspicious of him,” says his former executive officer. Another reason for his quiet is that he is allowing Gen. Stanley McChrystal to be the administration’s face of the war, though The Times notes that Petraeus and McChrystal, along with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, are “united” in the view that the U.S. should boost its effort in Afghanistan.