Barack Obama furious at General Stanley McChrystal speech on Afghanistan

Telegraph ^ | Oct. 5, 2009 | Alex Spillius

[peggybac]

The relationship between President Barack Obama and the commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan has been put under severe strain by Gen Stanley McChrystal's comments on strategy for the war.

According to sources close to the administration, Gen McChrystal shocked and angered presidential advisers with the bluntness of a speech given in London last week.

The next day he was summoned to an awkward 25-minute face-to-face meeting on board Air Force One on the tarmac in Copenhagen, where the president had arrived to tout Chicago's unsuccessful Olympic bi

[PhiKapMom]

We go back to European papers and news to post if that happens or to Canada or New Zealand — a whole host of foreign media does better then the MIA media of this Country.

[PLD]

“Thank RATs in the US Congress; We The People will Neuter them in 2010!”

Lets hope we live that long..

[PhiKapMom]

That wouldn’t shock me after the Rules of Engagement that look to be written by the enemy.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Isn’t that the truth.

[ExTexasRedhead]

That’s what AuschwitzCare is all about.

[rlmorel]

Let’s see...an effeminate euroweenie metrosexual sitzpinkler is offended because a real man spoke bluntly after being roundly ignored for months.

Good. I hope the wimp is offended.

[kabar]

I can only draw upon my 8 years as a naval officer, including serving a year in Vietnam and another 8 months off the coast. In the military I served in, a leader has the responsibility for his people, including providing them with the tools they need to survive and win. Without those resources, McCrystal is accepting the fact that his people are in a losing battle and that their sacrifice is meaningless.

Duty, honor, and country means that you tell the truth and do what is right for your people and your nation. We either get out of Afghanistan or win. If I were McCrystal, I would resign and then speak out against a policy that endangers my people and the mission. He can not do that now because he is part of the chain of command starting with the CIC.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

An adviser to the administration said: "People aren't sure whether McChrystal is being naïve or an upstart. To my mind he doesn't seem ready for this Washington hard-ball and is just speaking his mind too plainly."

It's awfully hard to sit down and shut up when brave American men are dying on the battlefield....

[ExSoldier]

Zero is throwing the US military under the bus.

That's not all bad news. He's going to have to come to the military to enforce order in his new tyranny. You think they're going to be all that compliant now?

[KevinB]

“Wanna fire me? Go for it. - in the mean while make yourself useful and get me a beer”.

LMAO! Bambi isn't qualified to shine the general's boots, much less to lecture to him.

[PLD]

Good name for it..

[jwparkerjr]

I can't imagine the thoughts that must have been running through the general’s mind during that brief encounter.

[COUNTrecount]

[kabar]

Newbie, it is tin foil hat time. Are you an agent provocateur trying to paint us as some kind of nut jobs?

[BamaDi]

He’s a retired USMC general officer. He’s a close friend of my best friend - though she’s also gone over to the dark side these days - and he’s apparently forgotten that it was Republicans (the Bushes) who made him but now he’s on Zero’s staff, ergo, he’s forgotten that he was ever a Marine - IMHO....if he had any integrity, he would have quit this administration weeks ago when it became apparent that Zero is totally anti-military (or at anti-US military)...

[missnry]

Obama crapped his pants when the General squeezed his hand.

[gov_bean_ counter]

I genuinely respect your opinion and thank you for expressing it in such eloquent terms. I think though that McCrystal is doing what he believes reflects the values you described.

[Harley]

Here's what I'm going to do General. I'm appointing Jane Fonda as my new Afghan Czar. You'll be reporting your findings and take orders directly from her. Now get to work.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I fear that Barry will just can him and the lapdog Press will present this as the second coming of Harry Truman

[LS]

Yep, the demonizing of McChrystal has started, and no doubt Petraeus as well. It’s easy to sit here and say they should just resign now, but increasingly they are going to be put in the position of increasingly risking their troops’ lives unnecessarily. At some point, it will become untenable.