Posted on 09/22/2009 7:47:30 AM PDT by CWW
McChrystal to resign if not given resources for Afghanistan
By Bill RoggioSeptember 21, 2009 4:17 PM
Within 24 hours of the leak of the Afghanistan assessment to The Washington Post, General Stanley McChrystal's team fired its second shot across the bow of the Obama administration. According to McClatchy, military officers close to General McChrystal said he is prepared to resign if he isn't given sufficient resources (read "troops") to implement a change of direction in Afghanistan:
Adding to the frustration, according to officials in Kabul and Washington, are White House and Pentagon directives made over the last six weeks that Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, not submit his request for as many as 45,000 additional troops because the administration isn't ready for it.
In the last two weeks, top administration leaders have suggested that more American troops will be sent to Afghanistan, and then called that suggestion "premature." Earlier this month, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that "time is not on our side"; on Thursday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urged the public "to take a deep breath."
...
In Kabul, some members of McChrystal's staff said they don't understand why Obama called Afghanistan a "war of necessity" but still hasn't given them the resources they need to turn things around quickly.
Three officers at the Pentagon and in Kabul told McClatchy that the McChrystal they know would resign before he'd stand behind a faltering policy that he thought would endanger his forces or the strategy.
"Yes, he'll be a good soldier, but he will only go so far," a senior official in Kabul said. "He'll hold his ground. He's not going to bend to political pressure."
On Thursday, Gates danced around the question of when the administration would be ready to receive McChrystal's request, which was completed in late August. "We're working through the process by which we want that submitted," he said.
The entire process followed by the military in implementing a change of course in Afghanistan is far different, and bizarrely so, from the process it followed in changing strategy in Iraq.
For Afghanistan, the process to decide on a course change began in March of this year, when Bruce Reidel was tasked to assess the situation. This produced the much-heralded yet vague "AfPak" assessment. Then, in May, General David McKiernan was fired and replaced by General McChrystal, who took command in June. General McChrystal's assessment hit President Obama's desk at the end of August, almost three months after he took command. And yet now in the last half of September, the decision on additional forces has yet to be submitted to the administration.
Contrast this with Iraq in the fall of 2006. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was fired just one day after the elections in early November. The Keane-Kagan plan for Iraq was submitted to President Bush shortly afterward, and encompassed both the assessment of the situation and the recommended course of action, including the recommended number of troops to be deployed to deal with the situation. General David Petraeus replaced General George Casey in early February 2007, and hit the ground running; the surge strategy was in place, troops were being mustered to deploy to Iraq, and commanders on the ground were preparing for and executing the new orders. The first of the surge units began to arrive in Iraq only weeks later, in March.
Today, the military is perceiving that the administration is punting the question of a troop increase in Afghanistan, and the military is even questioning the administration's commitment to succeed in Afghanistan. The leaking of the assessment and the report that McChrystal would resign if he is not given what is needed to succeed constitute some very public pushback against the administration's waffling on Afghanistan.
OMG. Wesley Clark? First off, he’s not in the military anymore.
I would see Gates resigning too, wouldn’t you if McChrystal resigns.
It’s perfectly obvious that Obama doesn’t ever intend to press the war in Afghanistan, plus he’s already jeopardized our gains in Iraq by withdrawing too early. Virtually every major foreign policy move he’s made thus far has favored our opponents and infuriated our allies. This is because, in my opinion, he views our traditional opponents as allies likely to support his left-wing causes.
Conservatives need to consider whether it’s time to argue that we need to get out of Afghanistan unless this administration is willing to provide the support our troops require.
In other words we support our troops either by 1) giving them the resources they need to succeed or 2) if we won’t do that, then get them the hell out of harm’s way.
Our current treatment of Honduras is a clear indication as to where the Obama administration’s sentiments lie.
That is exactly what needs to happen and McChrystal is not willing to do that. In fact he wants to put them more in harms way.
“He also says that coalition forces will change their operational culture, in part by spending “as little time as possible in armored vehicles or behind the walls of forward operating bases.” Strengthening Afghans’ sense of security will require troops to take greater risks, “ but the coalition “cannot succeed if it is unwilling to share risk, at least equally, with the people.”
I’ve thought for some time now, that Obama is sending quiet beyond the scene messages to these terrorist regimes.
I’m thinking about the overt display of celebration at Ramadan and his taking vacation at that time.
I’m thinking about his approach to Hondurus and his putting pressure on Israel, in fact overt lack of support for Israel.
I’m looking at the drawing back of missile defense unilaterally. There was some deal made.. but we’ll see.
I’m looking at the people he has around him.
In summary, the message is clear to Muslims the world over. Like Ghadafi said, “Obama, is Muslim.”
Believe me , if my son hadn’t already served (Subs) I would chain him in the backyard before I would allow him to join the military NOW.
What is his state of birth/residence? If he resigns/retires...he can run for the Senate..
I am not a big McChrystal fan given some of his past remarks backing up Obama’s new Rules Of Engagement that are getting our soldiers killed. He and Gates seem more concerned about their own careers than our military. I’d be willing to reconsider if they actually took a stand against Obama publicly. Of course, I continue to pray for our military and their leaders. They deserve better than their current CIC. It sure would be great if Petraeus would take a stand against Obama’s treasonous policies.
Tell that to the fighting men & women! I hate when someone in authority says something so stupid! That is one of Hillary Clinton's favorite phrases.
We wish, General, but these marxists do not care whether you resign or not.
God bless you!
GEN McCrystal is a superb Officer.
I would follow him to hell and back, if it weren’t for the current POTUS/CINC circumstances.
“I am not a big McChrystal fan given some of his past remarks backing up Obama’s new Rules Of Engagement that are getting our soldiers killed. He and Gates seem more concerned about their own careers than our military. I’d be willing to reconsider if they actually took a stand against Obama publicly. Of course, I continue to pray for our military and their leaders. They deserve better than their current CIC. It sure would be great if Petraeus would take a stand against Obama’s treasonous policies.”
I can’t figure if its a cut and run for McChrystal or that he has finally grown some. Keep this in mind.
*PLEASE NOTE THIS PARAGRAPH IN THIS ARTICLE IN PARTICULAR.*
“In preparing his assessment of the Afghan command, McChrystal found an American military culture that showed a great concern for troops’ protection – sometimes at the expense of their relations with Afghan civilians.
To change those relations, McChrystal wants American forces to think twice about basic conduct - for instance no longer pointing their guns at people when they pass in convoy or blocking narrow roads with their convoys, while relegating Afghans to the ditches.
To deal with the most contentious aspect of those shaky relations, McChrystal has already committed to try to reduce civilian casualties by issuing new orders that restrict when troops should call in bombing strikes.”
http://www.hotsr.com/news/WireHeadlines/2009/08/02/general-wants-more-troops-for-afghan-war-26.php
From the posted article by McClatchy ‘We’re pinned down:’:
“...U.S. commanders, citing new rules to avoid civilian casualties, rejected repeated calls to unleash artillery rounds at attackers dug into the slopes and tree lines — despite being told repeatedly that they weren’t near the village.”
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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/75036.html?storylink=MI_emailed
(snip)..Dashing from boulder to boulder, diving into trenches and ducking behind stone walls as the insurgents maneuvered to outflank us, we waited more than an hour for U.S. helicopters to arrive, despite earlier assurances that air cover would be five minutes away.
U.S. commanders, citing new rules to avoid civilian casualties, rejected repeated calls to unleash artillery rounds at attackers dug into the slopes and tree lines — despite being told repeatedly that they weren’t near the village.
Whoa. If this is confirmed,we have a real standoff.
Winter is coming to Afghanistan. We need tohave everything in place for their typical Taliban spring surge. McChrystal means business. If he leaves, then everyone should follow him. I admire this man very much. I hope he gets what he needs to do the job, because if he can’t do it, I cannot see who can.
Makes me fear for my son’s safety. This clown in the WH is likely to make my future twin grandsons fatherless.
Hind sight is a wonderful thing. If you remember the history of WWII. HE ordered the assault on Normandy. Red, White,Green etc. Only a totally bereft of a soul man would not be affected by that.
I believe his only goal was to keep Americans safe at home and give the Country time to heal from the trauma.
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