Coming Soon to Craig's List? White House Looks to Fill War Czar Job

April 11, 2007 — -- Wanted: smart, experienced, high-profile military official or civilian to coordinate ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Significant access to president and national security adviser. Long hours. Please send resume and references.

Sounds ridiculous to imagine the White House taking out such an ad, but right now the Bush administration is having trouble filling what would be a new senior position.

The White House is considering a position of "war czar" -- a senior official on the National Security Council who would coordinate the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and report directly to President Bush and national security adviser Stephen Hadley.

The Washington Post reported this morning that at least three retired four-star generals turned down an offer from the White House to head up this coordinated effort.

The White House said today that nobody had been offered the job. ABC News confirmed that retired Marine Gen. John "Jack" Sheehan and retired Army Gen Jack Keane told the White House they were not interested in the position.

Prompting these discussions is the departure of Meghan O'Sullivan, the highest-ranking National Security Council official on Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This idea for a restructuring is one that comes at a time that after six years, when Meghan O'Sullivan has said that it's time for her to move on from public service, that it's natural we would consider how best to make sure that that office is most effective," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said today.

O'Sullivan reports directly to national security adviser Stephen Hadley. The new war czar would report to Bush, and Hadley and would coordinate with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.  The position would include O'Sullivan's responsibilities as well as additional authority over Cabinet officials. This new NSC official would have authority over various government agencies, such as the Departments of State, Defense, Justice and the Treasury, and the power to direct resources to Iraq.