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The curious sacking of Gen McKiernan
The Guardian ^ | Tuesday 12 May 2009 15.11 BST | Simon Tisdall

Posted on 05/12/2009 10:07:49 PM PDT by garyhope

It seems harsh to suggest the Pentagon top brass don't know what they're doing. But those who care to read the transcript of the press conference at which the sacking of the top American general in Afghanistan was announced may find that conclusion hard to resist. "In some ways we're learning as we go here," said Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs. It was not a reassuring admission.

The public defenestration of General David McKiernan, a distinguished career officer who took command in Kabul less than one year ago, was brutal in that cold, callous way peculiar to American officialdom. More to the point, it remains largely unexplained. "We can and must do better ... We have a new policy set by our president, a new strategy, a new mission ... I believe new military leadership is also needed," said Robert Gates, the defence secretary.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; afpak; bhodod; dod; mckiernan; oef; taliban
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Another Obammy fall guy. Somebody besides Obeyme has got to get the blame.
1 posted on 05/12/2009 10:07:49 PM PDT by garyhope
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To: garyhope

Krauthammer spoke highly of his replacement McCrystal on Fox today, FWIW.


2 posted on 05/12/2009 10:13:08 PM PDT by balch3
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To: garyhope

bump


3 posted on 05/12/2009 10:14:32 PM PDT by Buddy B (MSgt Retired-USAF - Year: 1972)
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To: garyhope

Is Afghanistan going to be ZERO’s Vietnam?


4 posted on 05/12/2009 10:16:10 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin for OK Governor in 2010! Mark Rubio for FL Governor in 2010!)
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To: balch3

A lot of freepers have too on other threads.


5 posted on 05/12/2009 10:30:37 PM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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To: garyhope

Do we know this FOR A FACT or is the Boston Globe just making it up?!

******

there is a crucial caveat that Gates and President Obama need to keep in mind as they evaluate the new commanders and their new strategy. McChrystal and the new number two commander in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, must make one tenet in their guerrilla warfare playbook an absolute priority: protection of the civilian population.

The Taliban are reaping benefits from a dynamic that should be familiar from other guerrilla wars. When Taliban fighters stage an ambush, US forces frequently feel compelled to call in air strikes or artillery fire. And all too often, as happened last week, innocent Afghan villagers are hurt or killed.

The inevitable outcome is widespread anger against the foreign army. This is what Afghan President Hamid Karzai lamented again and again last week during a visit to Washington. He begged Americans to stop killing Afghan civilians.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/05/13/new_strategy_new_commander/


6 posted on 05/12/2009 10:31:29 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: garyhope

not knowing jack about this but hearing that the new brass is a former spec ops guy and that Gates suggested this I think this may be the rare instance maybe Teleprompter in Chief got it right

or didn’t get in the way

somebody correct me please if i’m wrong


7 posted on 05/12/2009 10:34:50 PM PDT by wardaddy
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To: garyhope

Do not alter titles from articles.

Thanks


8 posted on 05/12/2009 10:39:37 PM PDT by Sidebar Moderator
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To: kcvl

US forces frequently feel compelled to call in air strikes or artillery fire
///////////////
That the way we wage war. I’m sure the Afghan Prez would rather have us use tasers and kid gloves and lose 10,000 troops but that ain’t the way we do it.

We should have someone comment on how many civilians the talis kill every stinking month.


9 posted on 05/12/2009 10:53:30 PM PDT by TomasUSMC ( FIGHT LIKE WW2, FINISH LIKE WW2. FIGHT LIKE NAM, FINISH LIKE NAM)
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To: kcvl
The inevitable outcome is widespread anger against the foreign army. This is what Afghan President Hamid Karzai lamented again and again last week during a visit to Washington. He begged Americans to stop killing Afghan civilians.

So does that mean that American casualties will now go up? If so, that should please the Left.

10 posted on 05/12/2009 10:58:52 PM PDT by stripes1776 ("That if gold rust, what shall iron do?" --Chaucer)
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To: PhiKapMom

>>Is Afghanistan going to be ZERO’s Vietnam?<<

The danger is that its going to be OUR next Vietnam. This is one of those situations where we can’t afford to have a President from the other party fail.


11 posted on 05/12/2009 11:10:23 PM PDT by gondramB
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To: PhiKapMom

[ Is Afghanistan going to be ZERO’s Vietnam? ]

Kingfish Stevens(Zero) running the Afganistan war is what we have..
i.e. Amos N’Andy


The Convention 3 parts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B09QHDWLgo0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOFM5PStH6Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO_o2BAa1M8&feature=related


12 posted on 05/12/2009 11:19:15 PM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: gondramB
The danger is that its going to be OUR next Vietnam. This is one of those situations where we can’t afford to have a President from the other party fail.

Unfortunately, the war-fighting record of Democrat presidents isn't terribly encouraging.

13 posted on 05/12/2009 11:36:32 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: garyhope

Sounds to me that the General in Afghanistan probably disagreed with Obama’s plans for more troops, and probably for suggesting going into Pakistan like Obama said he wanted to do in his campaign... I don’t know anything about the former commander in that area, all I know is that Obama can’t really stand being told he’s wrong — he believes he knows best, even if the commanders on the ground are telling him they firmly disagree. I would imagine that would get someone “sacked” in a hurry in Obama’s military...

All just my armchair opinion...


14 posted on 05/12/2009 11:56:58 PM PDT by LibertyRocks ( http://LibertyRocks.wordpress.com ~ ANTI-OBAMA STUFF : http://cafepress.com/NO_ObamaBiden08)
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To: balch3

Well, that’s a good thing at least...


15 posted on 05/12/2009 11:57:57 PM PDT by LibertyRocks ( http://LibertyRocks.wordpress.com ~ ANTI-OBAMA STUFF : http://cafepress.com/NO_ObamaBiden08)
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To: PhiKapMom

Honestly, I think Obama is planning on turning Afghanistan into the “Pakistan War” and putting our troops in the mountains like he spoke of during the campaign...

THAT would be Zero’s Vietnam, IMHO.


16 posted on 05/12/2009 11:59:19 PM PDT by LibertyRocks ( http://LibertyRocks.wordpress.com ~ ANTI-OBAMA STUFF : http://cafepress.com/NO_ObamaBiden08)
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To: PhiKapMom

Worse. Its going to turn into some UN style political correct clusterf@@k getting alot of US and our allies soliders coming home in bodybags. All in the name of “making sure the taliban feelings don’t get hurt” and Obama maintains his poll numbers with the upper eastside manhattan liberals and SF moonbats.


17 posted on 05/13/2009 12:45:27 AM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican (Trust unto God and He shall direct your path)
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To: garyhope

I suspect this general refused to publicly condemn “don’t ask, don’t tell” and wouldn’t get on board Zero’s desire to appease his sodomite constituency by repealing the policy. That’s my guess.

Let’s see what happens over the next couple of months.


18 posted on 05/13/2009 1:09:13 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: PhiKapMom

NO.


19 posted on 05/13/2009 2:35:12 AM PDT by Dog
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To: wardaddy

You’re right sir.


20 posted on 05/13/2009 2:36:26 AM PDT by Dog
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