McChrystal Learns His Fate Today
by Big Dog on Jun 23, 2010 at 04:52 Military, Political
Though the outcome is in little doubt…
General Stanley McChrystal, the man Barack Obama hand picked to lead the war effort in Afghanistan, is on his way to the White House. He was summoned there by a very angry Barack Obama who was blindsided by a Rolling Stone article given to him late Monday evening by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
In the article, McChrystal and unnamed aides are quoted saying disparaging things about Obama, Biden and host of regime characters who are involved in the Afghanistan conflict.
McChrystal evidently allowed a Rolling Stone reporter to shadow him and his staff for about a month. The result was a story with quotes that are less than flattering.
What was the General thinking?
The reporter’s ideologies are left wing so it was unlikely that he would overlook anything that might be disparaging to Obama and his regime. Regardless, no reporter should have been allowed in because that is asking for trouble. Some of the things quoted could have context that is less disparaging and been made in a joking manner but that would not be accurately portrayed in any article. The things said are best left behind closed doors and kept among those who serve, joking or not.
McChrystal is a professional soldier and he should have known better. He and his people were wrong for publicly saying what they did and unfortunately this will end up costing the General his job. The rumor mill already indicates that he has tendered his resignation and though Obama does not have to accept it, the writing is on the wall.
Perhaps Obama called him back to DC to discuss this face to face but I think the fact that he was called back is a pretty good indication that he is not returning. If McChrystal is prudent, he brought all his gear back with him.
I can’t excuse what took place and what was said because it was said publicly and the entire incident undermines the command structure and the confidence in our military and civilian leaders. It was unprofessional and it commands a severe response. It pains me to say that because McChrystal is a smart guy who is needed in the war effort but he stepped on it big time.
There is an outside chance that Barack Obama will censure McChrystal, not accept his resignation and send him back to Afghanistan but I see this as very unlikely. That same rumor mill indicates that possible replacements are already being discussed.
Military people have all kinds of things to say about various leaders among themselves and that is where their comments should stay. In public the professionals in our military need to support the chain of command and ensure that the orders of their leaders, military and civilian alike, are carried out and that they project the appearance that they support those in charge of them. If they cannot support their leaders then they should resign (if they are officers) or not reenlist when their time is up (for enlisted).
McChrystal and his staff failed the test when they decided to make disparaging comments to a reporter.
General McChrystal has not denied anything reported in the article and I can’t find anything that was said that is untrue. The problem is he and his staff made the information public.
Not a smart move and one that will likely cost him his career.
I would like to give McChrystal and his staff the benefit of the doubt and see what he has to say about the article when he meets with Obama. I am sure he has been silent about the issue because he was ordered to keep his mouth shut but I doubt anything he can say now will change the course of events that will take place later today.
Related articles:
Telegraph UK
Politico
WSJ
Never surrender, never submit.
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Tags: afghanistan, disrespect, mcchrystal, Obama, rolling stone
Apparently there was booze involved during many of the things said. You have to seriously question the judgment of folks who would get drunk on a long trip with a reporter.
My understanding is that they were all stranded as a result of the volcanic eruption. They probably met up at the pub and were not thinking. Booze loosens lips. It is strange though because I thought McChrystal banned all booze…
http://www.lucianne.com/thread/?artnum=547957
Flashback: Media Promoted Military
Criticism of President Bush
NewsBusters, by Lachlan Markay
You know it may of been true of Bush but this is also true of Obumbles. So as far is I am concerned big whoop. McChrystal is a hero, anyone is who still has the smarts to speak the truth in this adminstration with all that they are doing and especially to our military.
Contessa Brewer got a lot more than she was likely looking for when she interviewed Col. Jack Jacobs [ret.] this afternoon about the McChrystal situation. The MSNBC host wanted to focus on the impropriety of McChrystal publicly airing his criticisms of Pres. Obama and others in the chain of command.
But while the Medal of Honor recipient readily agreed that McChrystal was out of line, and would probably pay with his job, Jacobs also went out of his way—twice—to add an inconvenient truth: that when it comes to the substance of the criticism, most in the military think McChrystal “was right.”
Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2010/06/22/col-jack-jacobs-most-military-will-say-mcchrystal-was-right#ixzz0rhUTEjEI
“There is an outside chance that Barack Obama will censure McChrystal, not accept his resignation and send him back to Afghanistan but I see this as very unlikely.”
Some commentators have suggested that McChrystal wanted to be fired…because he smelled inevitable loss, given the Administration’s split-the-difference approach to Afghanistan, and these days a general would prefer to be fired than go down as a “loser.”
It strikes me as plausible, but as matters stand, we’ll never know.
So true, so true.
If he wanted to be fired he picked a good way to do it.
He voted for the Big Zero, so he got what he deserved. Now can we all rejoice in Field Marshall Obamy’s military brillance?
What a joke. He makes me miss Carter.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to make enough fun of Biden- here is a man whose hairplugs just grow in the front of his head, because the light from the cameras keeps them growing, whereas the back of his head, nothing grows, because Biden’s brain is fallow ground where nothing can ever sprout.