Posted on 06/26/2010 3:50:06 PM PDT by Schnucki
So now we know. It is mind-bogglingly inexplicable why this is only emerging now (though I have one theory on that – see below) but it turns out that Rolling Stone did not run all its quotations past McChrystal’s staff as their editor said they did. The general’s staff now say that all the offensive quotations were clearly off the record. So far from this being “terrific journalism” as my colleague Harry Mount put it, the Rolling Stone piece now looks much more like a disgrace to the profession.
I say mind-boggling because if McChrystal’s staff had come out with this in the first few hours of the furore on Tuesday morning then the entire narrative of the week would have changed and the general might very well still be in his job today.
My hunch as to why it didn’t come out earlier? Basically, because McChrystal is an honourable man who thought it would be unseemly to quibble about the details. There could have been a tactical element to that, certainly – perhaps he or his staff calculated that trying to wriggle out of things would not be viewed kindly by Obama and that it could have fuelled a row with Rolling Stone that might have made things worse (if so, how wrong they were).
Politico has a list of the 30 fact-checking questions submitted. The most interesting one is number 30 in which Rolling STone asks whether McChrystal did indeed vote for Obama. The reponse – irony of ironies – was this:
IMPORTANT — PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE THIS — THIS IS PERSONAL AND PRIVATE INFORMATION AND UNREALTED TO HIS JOB. IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE TO SHARE. MY REASON FOR THIS IS IT WOULD PRESENT AN UNDUE COMMAND INFLLUENCE ON JUNIOR OFFICERS
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...
With this President, it wouldn't surprise me ONE bit!
That is exactly correct. You are allowed to have your private opinions, but you are not allowed them in a public forum. I read the article. McCrystal never was quoted as disparaging President Obama, only his aids, and now we learn, only in private after drinking a good bit.
How do you fight terrorists w/o overwhelming force?
Pray for Our Troops
His men were unhappy ,some getting killed because of ROE.
If you noticed, shortly after General Petraeus was handed his demotion, said he would change the ROE.
General Petraeus knows General McChrystal and knows why McC did what he did.
You can not command special forces and be a fool.
How drunk were they? ;)
Things are often not what they seem.
Excellent speech, well worth reading.
I agree, it is worth reading.
Sorry if I offend, but McChrystal is a dipsh*t.
He voted for Obama, poured out his heart to Rolling Stone, and believed he would get favorable treatment from them?
Good Lord, if we have people this naive running the show in Afghanistan, we are doomed.
May I ask how you reached your opinion?
I am not offended, you have the right to have and express your opinion, at least for now. Obama may change that in the near future so enjoy while you still can.
I like that!
May I ask how you reached your opinion?
Some people think McChrystal had a secret strategy in doing this, and he will, in in the end, turn the tables on the Left.
If McChrystal’s plan was to: ruin his career, allow Obama to puff his chest and slap down a top general, give an irrelevant magazine for potheads a chance to pretend they are serious journalists, and leave his troops wondering WTF???? - then his plan is working perfectly!
Sounds reasonable,
Yeah you can.
Sounds reasonable,
It’s almost as if life in this world isn’t fair. /s
Maybe McChrystal’s grand strategy was to damage the reputation of Rolling Stone reporting policies, thereby reducing the numbers of liberals who would ever consider granting RS any interviews in the future. /s
And now MoveOn wants us to believe “General Betray-us” was their choice all along.
They are idiots. If the US wins the war in Afghanistan, it will be in spite of of Obama.
At this point I support General McChrystal. If and when the truth and I do mean the truth comes out and I am wrong about McC, if he is what you say he is, I will accept that, and McC should be gone.
Our brave warriors deserve the best leadership possible
you can't call anyone patriotic or high minded who voted for bama.....they vote in the anti-soldier,anti-AMerican,anti-flag candidate...
but as long as they get to keep their massive pensions and strut around like peacocks....
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