Commanders ‘divided’ over way forward in Iraq.

McClatchy reports:

In a sign that top commanders are divided over what course to pursue in Iraq, the Pentagon said Wednesday that it won’t make a single, unified recommendation to President Bush during next month’s strategy assessment, but instead will allow top commanders to make individual presentations. [...]

Military analysts called the move unusual for an institution that ordinarily does not air its differences in public, especially while its troops are deployed in combat. [...]

[Military analyst Jeffrey] White said it suggests that the military commanders want to be able to distance themselves from Iraq strategy by making it clear that whatever course is followed is the president’s decision, not what commanders agreed on.

UPDATE: Daily Kos diarist The Angry Rakkasan writes, “Pentagon Gives Up; Hands War Over to Bush.”