Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan is subordinate to Commander, U.S. Central Command, and then to the Secretary of Defense. The Unified Combatant Command chain of command does not run through the Chairman of the JCS.
I do not know if Commander, ISAF is subordinate to the NATO Allied Commander, Operations.
If Congress created an exception were created to Goldwater-Nichols, a position of Supreme Commander, ISAF could be created which reported directly to the President and the Secretary General of NATO. This could justify five-star rank.
I actually believe such an action is warranted if we view the war against Islamic extremism is an existential war, and not simply a regional theater battle.
That is very interesting and if that worked he certainly deserves his fifth star...I never doubted that but just didn’t think it would work, but it looks like it could very well.