Kansas58: “This brave General did his duty, to his country, by exposing the evil and incompetence of Obama.”
Wrong! The military works for civilian leadership. POTUS is the commander in chief, and so long as he doesn’t issue unlawful orders, the military is obligated to follow him to the best of its ability.
McChrystal is free to resign or retire. Otherwise, he is not supposed to publicly air his disagreements with the POTUS or carry on a public relations campaign to force the POTUS to follow a particular strategy (no matter how worthy that strategy is).
Obama is also “free” to fire him. Go ahead Obama, “Make my day.”
GEN McChrystal is not airing any disagreements with Obama's strategy, because the strategy has not been decided! He is publicly advocating for the resources he needs to properly conduct a counterinsurgency strategy that Obama outlined seven months ago.
As an expert on military insubordination, GEN McChrystal has not crossed the line.
In my case, a Jesuit education did not mix well with many officers I came into contact with. LOL! Interesting though, that a number of my best efficiency reports came from superiors with whom I "started on the wrong foot."
For example, my last battalion cdr in Germany denied my extension because I wasn't "his type of officer". As he actually saw my performance over a period of a few months, his attitude changed, and I departed from Germany 18 months later. We both ended up at Fort Bliss, and he tabbed me to be his operations officer (an O-5 slot), even though I had just been promoted to Captain.
McChrystal is free to resign or retire. Otherwise, he is not supposed to publicly air his disagreements with the POTUS or carry on a public relations campaign to force the POTUS to follow a particular strategy (no matter how worthy that strategy is)."
This is the oath of an enlisted serviceman:
I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.This is the oath taken by an officer:
"I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."Notice the difference? There is no oath of obedience to the President or superiors. This is an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States. This is NOT an oath to defend any specific territory or persons or property and there is no duration defined in the Oath. Once taken, it is a lifetime affirmation.
And where, exactly, was any order broken?