McChrystal Criticism Mounts Within Obama Administration

Christian Science Monitor:

Lt. Col. Edward Stein, a US Army Ranger, had a specific task for the Afghan soldiers he was training: Do a security check in Kabul ahead of a speech by President Hamid Karzai to mark Afghan Independence Day.

Not long into their sweep, the soldiers found something ominous: three heavily armed enemy fighters holed up in a bank that was under construction. The soldiers on patrol, members of the Afghan National Army (ANA), didn't storm the building as they might have in the past and settle the problem with the snout of a rifle...

Read the whole story: Christian Science Monitor

Comments

[wordvarc]

We might trust this guy if he were sequestered on an island a few hundred miles of West Africa kept a few hundred yards away from his guards with no access to transport or communication.

[wordvarc]

He's playing politics. No military person should be allowed such insubordination.
He was brought in for his special ops promise.
That is failed that so he has now played a political hand of cards in the media and DC to challenge the Obama administration to risk looking soft on terrorism by firing him or ignoring his call for more troops.
He is a self serving insubordinate traitor.
It's time for his boss to walk him into retirement.

[JXJASON]

I read the whole story on the CSM. Here is what I think.

1. We are not the world's policemen.

2. If the generals want to rebuild a society; how about we put them to work in say DETROIT..or maybe PHILADELPHIA or WASHINGTON DC.

3. To learn about how we were conned into the second Iraq war, Go to:

http://www.kucinich.us/index.php

and read what US Congressman Dennis Kucinich has to say about George Bush Jr's Iraq war.

4. If 8 years in Afghanistan have won us nothing but dead Americans, handouts to corrupt Afghan politicians, an increase in the poppy trade, tax dollars thrown in the toilet and an expectation of 28 more years of the same: WTF are we doing there???

[dosaybe]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/new_afghanistan_commander_had_role_in_tillman_frie.php for the quote in prev post

[dosaybe]

An internal DOD report on the Tillman affair found that McChrystal should be held accountable for not notifying officials processing the Silver Star award that friendly fire was the likely cause of Tillman's death. But another army general found that McChrystal had acted reasonably in assuming that information he had received supporting the award recommendation was accurate.

Tillman, of course, was ultimately found to have been killed by friendly fire. His father has blamed high-ranking Army officers for presenting "outright lies" to the Tillman family and the public about the cause of his son's death, and has accused army brass of using the death of an all-American football star to engineer a public relations coup.

[Luvial]

The deaths of so many US troops for nothing is due to incompetent officers.

[slash77]

Curious! So what would McCrystal do or think if a member in his chain-of-command had a different opinion on how to proceed in the war, than his and voiced it to the press? I think I can imagine the list of charges!!

[WestCoastWoman]

This man needs to go!!!! Nuff said!

[RSKaz]

What part about "following orders" doesn't the good General understand?

[texastrixie]

Part II

McChrystal should get his troops, with two kickers:
1) If there is no substantial "peace" in Afghanistan in one year, we start pulling out troops in Oct 2010, and we get everyone out within 6 months, AND

2) (Never going to happen, but wishful) Make McChrystal put his money where his mouth is. If he fails, he departs the military with a dishonable dischage and loses his military pension. No of course they wouldn't do that. McChrystal is wrong - nothing can win this war. But after he helps kill of another few thousand soldiers, he gets to retire, take his pension and write books about how it was all Obama's fault.

[texastrixie]

One reason Bush was always happy to see enlisted military personnel on TV is that he knew none of these soldiers could openly criticize the war. That's why the military always appeared (in public) to be gung-ho even if they were on their 4th tour of duty! - the military supports the commander-in-chief or they keep their mouths shut. Evidently this applies only to the enlisted personnel, not the officers. McChrystal should have been reprimanded for promoting a policy change without the blessing of the DOD, Gates, and the WH. Even it he thinks he is right, the military cannot contradict the President.

What makes it worse, is that there is no "winning" answer in Afghanistan. We can pour in tens of thousands of troops, and bring the violence down in some parts of the country - for a while. But even more than Iraq, this is a country which will only be democraticized by its own people. If we stay one year and then leave - it collaspes back into a 20th century version of the Cossacks. Leave in ten years and it will still dissolve into chaos.

This is a country that no other nation has been able to drag into the modern world; it is supremely arrogant to think that we (just because we are the United States) will have a different outcome.

[Tovarish-Ivan]

Sorry, but this guy must be nuts! After having been hand-picked as commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan in the Summer by President Obama, Gen. Stanley McChrystal should have known he was to confer his views over the war DIRECTLY to the President and NOT to a foreign press conference as he did in the UK! This attitude is uncalled for and an affront to the President. Either Gen. McChrystal showed an act of disrespect to the President or he's simply overzealous and naive!

[dougmac50]

It concerns me that many of you who post here appear to be ignorant of the facts. McChrystal's confidential assessments were leaked. He did not call a press conference, nor as some suggest attempt to preempt the Commander in Chief. He privately (he thought) expressed his professional opinion. I would not want to live in a country where the military leaders were not allowed to express their opinions to their leaders. I don't want to draw analogies to the past, but before you criticize, think about history and the suppression of opinions, thoughts and ideas. I don't think any of us want that.

[majorsja]

You are ignorant to, because after it was leaked, he did not have to confirm or anwser questions overseas concerning this national matter. He is paid to do a job and not to overstep his boss. His opinion was needed in the oval office and not in front of reporters in London.

[THREEXMOM]

You really should take the time to read the General's comments before you start calling intelligent people names.

[2bad]

"McChrystal's confidential assessments were leaked."

Really?

Is it safe to assume that he's sloppy with sensitive documents and can't be trusted? Or, maybe he LET it leak so he had deniability and was able to circumvent military protocol at the same time to make his point?

One thing is certain, ignorance of the facts is what EVERYONE is right now and assuming you know more than anyone else posting here is either blind arrogance or you're on McChrystal's staff???

[lalilyman]

Confidential military assessments don't just get leaked to the press without being condoned by some top officials, perhaps McChrystal's office itself. These leaks are always intentional - and if you don't know that you don't know much about the relationship between the military and the press. But give McChrystal the benefit of the doubt - say he was innocent of the leak - he absolutely should not have gone on to publicly expound upon his ideas in a foreign setting that was open to the press, as he did last week in London. This is tantamount to launching a PR campaign on behalf of his own recommendations, and it puts tremendous political pressure on Obama. War is a moral and strategic question, one that should not be politicized.

[Rangergirl]

Fire the guy....He should be talking to the President on policy not the press...He needs to be reprimanded by his superiors.

[THREEXMOM]

It's a little difficult to speak with the President when he doesn't make time in his schedule for you. I hardly think a double date on air force one is the time to talk about strategy.

[PAsteelers]

The Gen can speak when the Pres. permits him to, not before.

McChrystal need to shut up and take orders. His only response

should be yes, sir, Mr. President.

[lalilyman]

It's ridiculous for any of you to presume Gen McChrystal doesn't have President Obama's ear. Of course he does. He just wasn't getting his way fast enough, so his recommendations were "leaked" to the press, and then he himself expounded upon in a foreign context. Completely unacceptable.

[Peter007]

Ok, than put a " Yes man " in charge.

Who is the general responsible to first? The President, his soldiers, or the country. ?

[thundermummy]

The President, he is Commander in Chief. Generals answer to the democratically elected head of state. A general doesn't have to be a yes man but he does have to follow orders and not undermine the authority of the president.

[Stringer32]

Having a "yes man" in the position is not the point. This has to do with chain of command and where and when it is appropriate to express you opinion. No one is suggesting that the general lie.

[dancingsarah]

Why doesnt Obama know what his goals are yet?If he doesnt believe we belong there then lets get out all our people. If he thinks we can win whatever that means because Obama wont say,lets send in the troops we need to help our people who are stuck there.But do something besides jet around and make speeches.

[catrst]

I am impressed with the deliberation commensurate with the complexity of the situation and the human costs of mistakes both to the Afghans and to our troops.

[Johnniedog]

My God!!! How dumb are you people? The President is gathering all of the information, from all of the people involved. This is what a president is supposed to do. You put things in such simple, naive, terms as if all the President is doing is Jetting around the World for the Hell of it. Not only does the President get daily updates on the wars but he is now focusing with a deep involvement into the situation in an attempt to come to some level-headed policy. You speak as if the President is uninformed about the situation and is hearing about what is going on for the first time. It is amazing to me that some people think in such simple terms. I think the lack of education in this country has reached catastrophic proportions. Most of you don't even know how and when to use the words "THEN and THAN". What are you being taught in school?

[lalilyman]

Because it's a seriously complicated situation that has been mishandled by Bush for years. It takes more than 6 months to come up with a strategy and fix it. You probably have no idea how complex the problems are that we are facing.