I understand. I am not personally eligible for the CAB (instead I have been awarded the CMB). However, when we were deployed several of the soldiers attached to our squadron were denied their CAB in cases that were never adequately explained (for instance two of the guys in a HWMMV that was hit by an IED got it while the other two did not). It makes me raise an eyebrow to see a General officer wearing it.
I think I understand your confusion. In a normal sort of Conventional War, General Officers rarely come under fire. Therefore it would be rare for a General officer to win a CAB Iraq, however, is not a Conventional sort of war.