Stepping On Zinni's Toes

The Iraq ambassadorship deliberations could have been handled better:

When retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni told the Washington Times that he was offered the job of U.S. ambassador to Iraq before being passed over in favor of diplomat Christopher Hill, he did not say that one of the outrages of the experience was that his friend of 30 years, fellow former Marine Corps commandant and now national security advisor James L. Jones, had offered him the job, and then failed to tell him when the decision was changed.

Charlie at Abu Maqawama asks:

Anyone know of any bad blood between Zinni and Jones?  You know, before this week?

And should there have been concern about retired generals serving as ambassadors in both Baghdad and Kabul?

Goldfarb passes along GOP speculation:

I just had a conversation with one Republican who speculated that Richard Holbrooke may have been at the center of the current mess over who will serve as U.S. ambassador in Iraq. According to the scenario he laid out, despite Jones having offered the job to Zinni -- an offer from one retired four-star to another -- and Clinton having confirmed the offer, Holbrooke interceded on behalf of his protege, Chris Hill, urging Clinton to reserve the Iraq post for someone who had spent a career in the foreign service.