The Trouble With Firing McChrystal

Pres. Obama deftly solved a public relations problem in replacing Gen. Stanley McChrystal with Gen. David Petraeus to run the nine-year-old Afghan war, but in so doing he also reopened debate over his deadline to start getting out by next summer.

The next task is to contain what are so far mostly Republican demands to rethink the exit strategy. This is McChrystal's greatest disservice to his Commander in Chief, much more serious than the personal affront of his petty remarks about the President's war team.

This episode threatens to prolong this pointless war unless Petraeus unequivocally sticks to the departure plan. We should carefully weigh what Petraeus says in his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. Already, in remarks to reporters, I am hearing wiggle room. While saying he supports Obama's policy, when specifically asked about the withdrawal timetable he talks of making a decision based on "current assessments."

Count on GOP senators to probe such openings, and possibly unearth daylight between what Obama wants and what Petraeus says.

Craig blogs daily for CQ-Roll Call

 

 

 

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Comments

[Countess]

03:10 PM on 06/24/2010

There is no way Petraeus will go along with this timetable and Obama will not dare to go against such a popular general in such a militaristic culture. The policy of trying to transform Afghanistan from a tribal society into a western style nation state by the force of arms is so idiotic no one but ignorant fools could believe it to be possible.

[BlackJAC]

02:25 PM on 06/24/2010

What PR problem? McChrystal committed a court-martial offense per UCMJ Article 88.

[calluna]

02:48 PM on 06/24/2010

Not going to happen. Obama and his team want nothing more than for this to go away. A court-martial would serve absolutely no purpose other than keeping the story alive and keeping it a distraction. In a couple of days or weeks, McChrystal will quietly submit his resignation. End of story.