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Barack Obama furious at General Stanley McChrystal speech on Afghanistan
Telegraph ^ | Oct. 5, 2009 | Alex Spillius

Posted on 10/05/2009 7:41:35 AM PDT by 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

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


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; agenda; angrydems; barackobama; bho44; bhofascism; bhotreason; bhotyranny; cluelessinchief; commanderinchief; copenhagen; democrats; emperornoclothes; emptysuit; mcchrystal; military; notbreakingnews; obama; obamascandals; wot
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To: Tailback

That’s a big leap to an American President passing on information to the Taliban so they can ambush American troops in Afghanistan. That assumes that Obama has access to such information and can pass it on to the enemy on a real time basis. And that he would do this out of malevolence for the troops and the country, no matter what the risk might be of disclosure. Anyone who believes this has to be f*cking nuts.


241 posted on 10/05/2009 1:51:12 PM PDT by kabar
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To: GI Joe Fan

Obama was not a happy camper in that picture. From what the British press have been reporting today, McCrystal was brought on AF 1 to be lectured by ZERO about his speech he gave in London.

This is going to backfire on ZERO and the Progressive Democrats as McChrystal was picked by Obama and cannot blame that on Bush but they will probably try.


242 posted on 10/05/2009 2:06:35 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: A.A. Cunningham

I know two that worked under him in Europe and there was a Freeper on here that said the same thing. Been around the military for over 30 years and have daughter that served in the Navy and a brother-in-law in the Marines plus my husband was a Marine.


243 posted on 10/05/2009 2:08:16 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: CitizenUSA
“I agree with your post except military “tradition” does not let the chief executive set military objectives and strategy. The POTUS is commander in chief, literally. Tradition has nothing to do with it. Obama is the legal/constitutional commander of the US armed forces.”

I wouldn't say we are in disagreement. You just stated it more succinctly :) Btw, this must be a subject of considerable interest as I have received a record number of responses from this posting. None actually disagreeing, but most adding their own perceptions and solutions to the situation - which is good.

244 posted on 10/05/2009 2:09:14 PM PDT by snoringbear (Government is the Pimp,)
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To: jwparkerjr

I cannot imagine sitting there with a guy that won’t even look you in the eye and according to the Brits this meeting was because the General gave speech in London that made ZERO mad. Would love to know what he was thinking.


245 posted on 10/05/2009 2:11:31 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: COUNTrecount

LOL! Good picture!


246 posted on 10/05/2009 2:12:43 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: LS

Petraeus used to give 20-30 minute presentations on what was happening in Iraq/Afghanistan when Bush was President but now he is to sit at the table and say nothing. How long is that going to last? Can you imagine sitting around the table with those jerks.


247 posted on 10/05/2009 2:14:42 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: meatloaf

I agree with you.

For years, I have had a habit of watching how people handle themselves when talking more then what they say. I worked for someone at Wright-Patt AFB who always said watch their hands and facial expressions and it will tell more then what they are saying.


248 posted on 10/05/2009 2:20:02 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: Hoosier-Daddy

Exactly! The look on the general’s face said it all looking intently at Obama while Obama refused to look him in the eye and in the 2nd picture Obama didn’t extend his hand.

If those are the best of the pictures, can you imagine what the rest look like?


249 posted on 10/05/2009 2:23:22 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: nutmeg

You’re right, nutmeg. Unbelievable.


250 posted on 10/05/2009 2:24:57 PM PDT by GOPJ (MSM BIAS: the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome. George Orwell)
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To: lucias_clay

Wonder what the rest of the pictures look like if this is the best of the bunch. I would love to see those.


251 posted on 10/05/2009 2:25:51 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: hampdenkid

LOL!! I remember those kind — whiners! I had two cousins like that — whined about everything.


252 posted on 10/05/2009 2:27:30 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: Alas Babylon!

With almost 70% of the American people saying they trust the Commanders in the field to run the war not politicians, I would say to ZERO — make our day and come after those three generals.


253 posted on 10/05/2009 2:30:45 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: stephenjohnbanker

I cannot believe how thinned skinned Obama is — he does not handle criticism at all. I think you are right he is a snot nosed punk. Looks to me as someone who never grew up and wants everything handed to him on a silver platter because he is entitled.


254 posted on 10/05/2009 2:32:42 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: Personal Responsibility

Obama fired the other guy at the beginning of summer and installed McChrystal to get things straightened out and do an analysis of the situation. June 15, 2009 McChrystal assumed command.


255 posted on 10/05/2009 2:35:08 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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To: PhiKapMom

“Looks to me as someone who never grew up and wants everything handed to him on a silver platter because he is entitled.”

You nailed it. You are indeed a PhiCapMom!


256 posted on 10/05/2009 2:38:49 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (Pray for, and support our troops(heroes) !! And vote out the RINO's!!)
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To: Condor51
Here's the speech that embarrassed Barry. There's also a pdf download and video link. General Stanley McChrystal Address

Is this link still working? I keep getting a "runtime error" page.

(Bummer too. I really wanted to hear what he had to say.)
257 posted on 10/05/2009 3:28:00 PM PDT by LearsFool ("Thou shouldst not have been old, till thou hadst been wise.")
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To: 444Flyer

.

HILLARY in a Yankee Cap =

DUKAKIS in a Tank

.


258 posted on 10/05/2009 3:39:50 PM PDT by ALOHA RONNIE ("ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer/Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965 http://www.lzxray.com)
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To: peggybac
So, McChrystal made the mistake of believing what his Commander In Chief actually said, emphatically and repeatedly, about the need to succeed in Afghanistan as a matter of necessity.

McChrystal was supposed to read Obama's mind, and put that ahead of Obama's own stated policy (read, "just words") even though Obama never met with him to explain this (apparently suddenly important) distinction.

What's more, McChrystal was supposed to (telepathically) understand that he was NOT to press the British and other allies about the urgency of the Afghan effort, and their need to contribute to it, even though Obama himself had been pressing the British and other European allies in the same manner just this past spring.

But NONE of this is behavior is capricious, feckless or political on Obama's part. Uh, huh.

259 posted on 10/05/2009 7:24:33 PM PDT by Stultis (Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia; Democrats always opposed waterboarding as torture)
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To: ALOHA RONNIE; All

October 5, 2009

“U.S. Military Advisors Told To Keep Remarks Private [”Disarray” in Obama Administration!]”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2355704/posts


260 posted on 10/05/2009 10:21:08 PM PDT by 444Flyer ("Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers."--Mignon McLaughlin)
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