The lack of respect for civilian authority demonstrated by General McChrystal and his staff - on the record and over an extended period of time - is, in my opinion, all the justification President Obama needs to fire General McChrystal.
However, I believe this behavior is symptomatic of a larger underlying "disease": a breakdown in the relationship between the civilian side of American society and the military-industrial complex that has been catalyzed by the fact that America is basically on a permanent war-time footing.
America has been "at war" for so long.. and our military (and their friends in the corporate sector) have been "keeping America safe" for so many years... that I think those in the upper ranks of the military-industrial complex now think they "know it all". I think the reason General McChrystal doesn't respect President Obama, Vice President Biden, and others is that a larger mindset I will call "The Pentagon Knows Best" has taken over (or, I should say, is trying to take over) America.
For this reason, I do not think President Obama should fire General McChrystal. I don't think firing him will solve the underlying cause of the "mindset problem" that significantly influences how General McChrystal feels about his civilian commanders. (And, yes, I have heard that General McChrystal has been an outspoken, "push the limits of what's acceptable behavior" kind of guy since he first joined the military. But remember, we know that his staff shares his feelings.)
Rather than fire him, I believe President Obama should reassign General McChrystal to an entirely new position created especially for him. I believe President Obama should put General McChrystal in charge of returning the military-industrial complex to civilian control.
General McChrystal should be in charge of a very public (as in public hearings covered by C-Span) task force that (a) identifies all the ways in which the military-industrial complex has corrupted our system of democracy (and our system of capitalism) and (b) proposes the necessary remedies for returning both the military and those corporations that design and build all the things that "keep America safe" to the control of "we, the people".
I don't know how many of you remember how our troops in Iraq were forced to fight with inadequately armored HumVees and other equipment, but that was just one sign that the military-industrial complex is out of control. I'm sure there are many, many others.
Just as "only Nixon could go to China", I believe only someone like General McChrystal can take the military-industrial complex apart and put it back together in a way that eliminates the ego-driven mental "virus" that has "infected" its upper ranks.
In the motion picture "Gandhi", there is a wonderful scene in which a soldier from one religious tradition is forced to raise the orphaned child of a family from the opposite religion in that opposite religion... the religion that soldier has just been fighting against. It's a brilliant form of "punishment", because it forces the soldier to learn the traditions of the religion he hates... ostensibly for the benefit of an orphan. You can imagine how that would leave the soldier a changed man.
Well, for that same reason (that General McChrystal will be left a changed man), I see this as the perfect punishment for him.
(By the way, if you haven't seen the movie "Gandhi", I highly reccommend it. Here's a link to the trailer.)
We in America have many serious challenges ahead. And I believe that one of them is dealing with the unintended consequences of having been at war for so long. And, in my opinion, one of those unintended consequences is that our top protectors (like General McChrystal) and their corporate partners have begun to forget just who - and what - they are protecting.
I hope President Obama sees the systemic nature of General McChrystal's (and his staff's) behavior as I do. Because if he does, President Obama can use this opportunity to begin to restore the balance between the military and civilian sectors of American society... to rid the military-industrial complex of this "virus" that is a very real threat to the health and well-being of our democracy and our economy.
Follow Steven G. Brant on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SteveBrant
Huffington Post: McChrystal Rolling Stone Interview: HuffPost Bloggers Weigh In
With reports of General McChrystal's resignation on the table, we've asked HuffPost bloggers to weigh in: Should he go, or did he have the right to say what he said? Read blogger reactions, and leave your own in the comments section.
That's why I think that. Anything short of canning him, and the incessant buzz would be "who runs things?". And you know it.
Now there is absolutely no uncertainty about who controls the military. The President does.
So instead of 2 problems (civilian control over the military and the MIC issue), we have one. That's an improvement. An improvement not guaranteed by your superslickrick bank shot idea.
Industrial-Congressional Complex so firmly rooted
in our economy and polity that no amount of
reworking will substantially change anything???
Both sides, in an era voluntary military service, need to understand each other more. When the draft was in effect, at least you had most men having some real exposure to military ways-not now.
Call it the Eisenhower Civilian/Military Transition Commission. Rich-after badmouthing the civs.
How about busting him a star too.
Reading the excerpts from Rolling Stone, I like McChrystal and respect his courage. I am not appalled by his staff's sarcasm or frustrations. They are at war!
Honestly, we don't know what is really happening here. What is McChrystal's chief doubt?
His attitude towards the "team" suggests everyone isn't on the same page; that is symptomatic of a failed mission concept. Can the mission be re-thought?
Who is in control of the hidden levers of power? Is no one in control? Does Gen. McChrystal think this war is unwinnable?
McChrystal seems like a fine soldier, a person absolutely dedicated to his men, with a mission impossible. Does he think he could catch bin lauden with more men, another, altered objective, or does he think we should be in Pakistan, not Afghanistan?
Obama and McChrystal couldn't be more opposite. Can someone like Obama run a war? Can McChrystal run public policy? No. But both can tell the truth. Where does each think we are, where should we be, what resources and man would it take? As President, I would want to spend a whole day with McChrystal, no holds barred, frankness straight out, an LISTEN.
With insight from McChrystal, POTUS can intelligently reassess the mission, its length & its probable costs. He needs to know what the percentages are of win/lose, and he can decide if it is worth risking.
These days, we aren't doing a lot of the things we need to start doing. A large dose of truth-telling would really help.
Seriously, what is your take on Petreus taking over command in Afghanistan?
this won't happen.
Gen McChrystal ought to resign, the Defense Department ought to be renamed the War Dept. and the wars ought to be ended immediately.
Other than that I like your idea. It is good to be a dreamer.
Aimlow Joe was here.
http://www.aimlow.com
Let me be your first fan.
Vote to give the front row seat in the White House briefing room vacated by Helen Thomas to National Public Radio.
http://www.petitiononline.com/nprfront/petition.html
It started with going to town hall meetings to get opinions of health care. Then it was caving to the insurance companies. His lack of decorum when dealing with British royalty. He couldn't get the Olympics. The global warming summit was a bust. The banks made a mockery of him. The Wall street guys miss meeting because of bad weather and he lets them slide. He let BP tell him what to do. A judge overrides his decision to close the wells.
Nobody is treating this guy seriously and it isn't just the Republicans filibustering.
Obama is still being treated like the "new kid" by the right and the left is excusing him for the same reason.
He better turn it around fast or he's going to see the wheels fall completely of the wagon.
Making sure that money from BP is secured might be a good first step. So far, it's just a promise -- like everything else. And it seems both Obama's promises an the one that are made to him don't have a whole lot of merit.
"The Military Industrial and Political Complex."
Too much complicity between all three and it's breaking this country. End it now!
Although you brand yourself as a "social systems scientist" you must remember that "society" is in its infancy and human nature has been evolving for hundreds of thousands of years. Reading the article in rolling stone reveals that the military side regards itself correctly as the "men" in the relationship as they are the ones giving and occasionally taking bullets while the civilian side sends emasculating emails. The good general believes, correctly, that in nature the politicians would be lamps sent to a special forces slaughter.
Civilian control is US constitutional law and tradition. Get over it.