Petraeus not qualified to speak on leadership

Once again, Elgin-based Judson University has turned to a perpetual war promoter to headline its "World Leaders Forum." This October, retired Gen. David Petraeus will be keynote speaker at the Judson Forum designed to offer Judson students and Chicagoland the opportunity to be inspired by significant thought leaders.

That purpose most certainly disqualifies Petraeus who spent eight years between 2003 and 2011 helping wage, promote and prolong our illegal and immoral wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He became the darling of the U.S. war party with his utterly false charisma that maintained these wars should and could be won against all evidence to the contrary.

After retiring in 2011, Petraeus became CIA Director and appeared headed for higher office, possibly even president. His career was upended and he was nearly jailed for having an affair with his fawning paramour biographer to whom he illegally gave classified documents to burnish the upcoming Petraeus bio.

After a proverbial slap on the wrist involving probation and a fine, Petraeus embarked on a lesser career as corporate spokesman, educator, public speaker, among other endeavors, which brought about the Judson invitation.

Promoting and waging senseless perpetual wars squandering trillions getting millions killed, injured or displaced should automatically disqualify Petraeus from addressing Judson's Christians. For some inexplicable reason Judson University has a penchant for inviting perpetual war promoters to discuss leadership.

Petraeus will follow fellow such warriors as George W. Bush, Tony Blair and Condoleezza Rice to keynote Judson's World Leaders Forum. Judson alum Mark Vargas will lead the Q&A after Petraeus speaks. His first question should be: "How can you sleep at night after helping get all those people killed for nothing?"

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn