CNN Political Ticker:
Best-selling author Jon Krakauer sharply criticized Gen. Stanley McChrystal for his handling of former NFL player-turned Army Ranger Pat Tillman's death, in an interview with CNN scheduled to air Saturday.
Joseph A. Palermo: The "Goldilocks Principle" and Afghan War Options
General McChrystal's recommendation for more troops and material has a distinctly Westmorelandian flavor to it. If approved, it could create an additional $40 to$80 billion per annum in war costs.
Hidden behind the gates of military bases across the U.S., troops facing AWOL and desertion charges regularly find themselves in the hands of a military that metes out informal, open-ended punishments.
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... because it's all about the one dead guy who was famous?
I agree that McChrystal was a bad choice. He is a rogue. I hope Jon Krakauer is all over this Ft. Hood story too. It looks like Walter Reed and the Army generally dropped the ball. And we do not want any more cover ups. And, also, those stories Salon.com is reporting about Arlington Cemetery. The Army appears to need some serious chain of command and accountability reforms.
Ok, send the Troops,,,,FIRE the General!!!!!!!
We are citizens of the United States of America. Each of us has a right to form an opinion and our freedom to express our opinions is enshrined in our constitution. Mr. Krakauer has availed himself of that right to free speech to cast aspersions... unprovable aspersions... on a man who has placed his own life in jeopardy to serve this country. Now it is up to the rest of us to decide whether his opinion has any validity.
Does Mr. Krakauer have any professional credentials that should lead us to believe he has any special insights into the issues he raises? I can find none. He has no military background. He has never seen combat much less led men in combat. He has never had to express his gratitude or his sympathy to the family of a fallen soldier. I am a combat veteran and I am quite sure that Mr. Krakauer can't possibly imagine many things that LTG McChrystal can't possibly forget.
I would, therefore, posit that Mr. Krakauer really doesn't have any idea in the world what he is talking about. That, in and of itself, isn't so bad. Most of us have found ourselves there from time to time and many of us spend most of our lives there. But the one thing that Mr. Krakauer has no right to do is disparage any man if he can't prove his accusations. Doing so puts him in a class with people like Rush Limbaugh.
Mr. Krakauer also asserts that the Silver Star is not normally awarded to victims of friendly fire. Never having experienced combat, he has no idea how often a soldier is accidentally killed or wounded by friendly fire which was the case in the Tillman incident. The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in action. Death or cause of death are not relevant to the award of this decoration. If Ranger Tillman was killed by friendly fire in an action wherein he had performed gallantly the award was justified.
So the only people who should be able to speak about foreign policy or the military are people who have been IN the military? That's a dangerous path to tread. Perhaps we should not be so quick to criticize the bankers on Wall Street, since we have never been in their shoes. Perhaps we should not question politicians either, for the same reason. Perhaps, since we can never truly be in another's shoes, we should never hold or express any opinions at all.
I didn't say anything like that. In fact, I specifically stated that Mr. Krakauer has every right to express whatever opinion he chooses to express as does Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and everybody else. Then, at the very least, the rest of us must decide whether they have the slightest idea what they are talking about. In my opinion automatically giving credence to Mr. Krakauer's opinion on this matter says just about the same thing about a person as does automatically accepting the opinion of the other three I just mentioned.
Perhaps we should all be a little more objective regarding the biases that inform our own opinions and show a little more civility in the way we express them.
Who would follow this guy or even listen him his leadership days are over.
The Tillman case is the least of what McChrystal has done.
Head of the Special Ops programs in Iraq and Afghanistan he ran a 'ghost " detention center ,Camp Nama, in which some of the worst torture took place. His interrogators were told there was no chance for legal challenges because the Int'l Red Cross could not get access to the detainees, Denying access and hiding prisoners is a war crime ,as is torture .
He presided over the Special Ops who encouraged prisoner abuse in Abu Graib and put American soldiers in danger when the pics became public and are still used in Moslem countries to flame jihadists.
Much of the work he has done for 20 years remains "classified".
This is not the man who should be sent to a country in which we hope to engage the citizenry to our side.
He should have been court martialed , not promoted, to spread more Cheney-style terrorism
I always took him for a sneaky little u-no-what. Not surprised. Not surprised at all.
He shouldn't be in charge of a 7-11.
He should have been fired, when he went to the media before talking with the President who hired him.
One would have to question where his loyalties rest -- to this president or the past administration and neo-cons. He lied about Tilman to support the Bush admins neo-con political objectives and he leaked his troop requests to the press before presenting them to Obama a political move that empowered the neo-cons to put pressure on Obama to add more troops.
Obama better not turn his back on this rat. He better keep a close eye on Petraues too.
Now I'm pissed that none of this came up in the "60 Minutes" interview. I had no idea of his involvement and capitulation in the Pat Tillman's cover-up or LIE. I'd give anything to hear the general answer these charges as bluntly and openly as he discusses his winning war "strategy." I felt respect for the man after seeing that news piece. I guess this is what happens when reporters fail to give you the full story.
He was asked about this during the congressional hearing and his claims of overlooking the friendly fire notes was hardly believable but congress accepted his answer. McChrystal is a ruthless oppotunists and is unfit to be entrusted with our national interest or the lives of our troops.
Thank you; yes, I know he's been asked about it and has continually skirted the truth. I mean NOW I know. It was a story I tried not to follow too much because it made me so sad and angry towards our military. I was just pointing out how that particular program was being publicized as an interview with a "tell it like it is" general. And if that was case then he ought to have been pushed for a response. Bluntly. What a huge missed opportunity! One wonders if the country will ever get another chance to hear him address this. I for one doubt it.
Excellent point. Why wasnt he asked about this on 60 minutes? Too many people just "go along" with anything our military does,for fear of being called un-patriotic. I, for one do not trust ANY of them. Hurl away at the insults.
Thank you. It's certainly a question I'd like an answer to. I bet Steve Kroft is kicking himself for not doing his job properly. Not to sound violent, but I'd like to kick him. Clearly, the guy was aware of these facts and of McChrystal's participation in those hearings. Just because the show wasn't about Pat Tillman is no reason not to provide the audience with a full and complete picture.
Jon an environmentalist and moutain climber passing judgement on a career military officer? Only the left is so lacking of substance.
As he said this particular career military officer is unfit.
You don't have to be a movie producer to know when you're watching a stinker.
yes, no one can pass judgment on a career military officer, they are god like and above the law.
Give me a break.
mcchrystal used the "im not criminal, im incompetent' defense; disgusting. when patton slapped that soldier in wwii in the midst of a war, he took his lumps and worked his way back to command. contrast that with mcchrystal and how he was 'rewarded' for breaking the rules.
Lugubrious McChrystal has nothing left,
after his bizarre smearing of Tillmann's death,
but an appeal to the insane zealots in the Pentagon
and the wealthy companies that control them
who want to control our executive branch
with threats of anti-patriotism and jobs lost
if our 20-1 troop ratio over the Taliban is not absurdly escalated
with more troops and more money spent on their playing-fields in Afghanistan.
McChrysta's role in the Tillman coverup should be enough to disqualify him from any command. But, if that is not enough, his special forces savagery in Iraq borders on war crimes.
Jon Krakauer shouldn't be in charge of his mouth !
Why don't you read his book before you run your mouth.
This General McChrystal was part of a cover-up, and he should lose his pension over the issue.
Since when did you become the McChrystal fan club president? I had no idea...nice to meet you
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First Posted: 11- 6-09 10:35 PM | Updated: 11- 6-09 10:38 PM