After inviting retired four-star General David Petraeus to keynote their forum in Washington, D.C., the Koch and Soros-funded Quincy Institute trashed the retired military official on social media during and after his appearance for his "lack of vision for a new direction in U.S. foreign policy."
The group's executive vice president Trita Parsi accused Petraeus and his fellow commanders of deceiving the country as Petraeus sat on the stage. "True that a majority of Afghan vets want to end the war," Parsi wrote. "But is that true for the leaders of the military? And if so, why 18 years of deception about how the war was going?"
David Petraeus says at #fpqiforum that those fighting wars want to end endless wars more than anyone else.
True that a majority of Afghan vets want to end the war. But is that true for the leaders of the military? And if so, why 18 years of deception about how the war was going? pic.twitter.com/8RrCgHSvdH
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) February 26, 2020
Sarah Leah Whitson, the institute's managing director for research and policy, derided Petraeus for delivering "stale outdated talking points" on the war in Iraq, where the general commanded U.S. armed forces, and killing 500,000 people.
Stale outdated talking points from #Petraeus re why US occupation failed in #Iraq eg debaathification.
It failed because invading and occupying a country, killing 500k people, based on lies, always bad and always a failure. #FPQIFORUM @QuincyInst pic.twitter.com/11lHFabDYX
— Sarah Leah Whitson (@sarahleah1) February 26, 2020
Odd statements from #Petraeus apparently advocating a sustainable permanent military presence, 'generational battle" supported by Americans so long as costs in 'blood and treasure are kept down" #FPQIFORUM pic.twitter.com/xqusUeqk7W
— Sarah Leah Whitson (@sarahleah1) February 26, 2020
Whitson on Tuesday night argued that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein deserved credit for advances in education and literacy during his rein.
Another Quincy Institute employee, Eli Clifton, used Petraeus's appearance at the forum as occasion to call out the funding of the Harvard University institution that formerly employed him.
"Perhaps a good time to remember that David Petraeus’s work at Harvard’s Belfer Center is underwritten by Thomas Kaplan, who promotes his mining investments as retaining or appreciating in value if there is unrest in the Middle East," Clifton wrote.
Perhaps a good time to remember that David Petraeus’s work at Harvard’s Belfer Center is underwritten by Thomas Kaplan, who promotes his mining investments as retaining or appreciating in value if there is unrest in the Middle East. #FPQIForum https://t.co/AJGz9L0Kko
— Eli Clifton (@EliClifton) February 26, 2020
The group's official Twitter account retweeted numerous attacks on Petraeus, and then directly attacked Petraeus for his "lack of vision for a new direction in U.S. foreign policy."
@RepRoKhanna responds to Gen David Petraeus' lack of vision for a new direction in US foreign policy: "Al Qaeda was in 3 countries in 2001. Now it's in over 20."
In discussion with @willruger of @CKinstitute #FPQIForum pic.twitter.com/ikfNf0uAH2
— Quincy Institute (@QuincyInst) February 26, 2020
Also laying into Petraeus were members of Winning Without War, a radical antiwar group that has partnered with the Quincy Institute on events since it was founded last December. The group's executive director complained that Petraeus was able to deliver his remarks at the forum.
"Excited to be here at the #FPQIForum," wrote Stephen Miles. "Less excited to hear this absurd defense of the status quo and 'bold' vision of doing the same failed things forever by David Petraeus."
Excited to be here at the #FPQIForum. Less excited to hear this absurd defense of the status quo and "bold" vision of doing the same failed things forever by David Petraeus. Very much looking forward to @RoKhanna presenting a better way forward!
— Stephen Miles (@SPMiles42) February 26, 2020
Petraeus says he was invited to speak at the forum by Foreign Policy, which cohosted the forum with the Quincy Institute. Petraeus's remarks at the forum were moderated by the magazine's editor in chief, Jonathan Tepperman.
The retired general said prior to the event that he expected his remarks to contrast with those of the Quincy Institute’s own scholars, who have advocated for a U.S. foreign policy based on military retrenchment and restraint and for breaking the stranglehold of the so-called Jewish lobby on U.S. foreign policy.