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Aides to U.S. General in Afghanistan Slam Obama: Report
Reuters ^ | Monday, June 21, 2010

Posted on 06/21/2010 7:47:03 PM PDT by kristinn

Aides to the top U.S. general in Afghanistan insulted some of President Barack Obama's closest advisers, calling one a "clown" and another a "wounded animal," in an article to be published Friday in Rolling Stone magazine.

The article also quotes an aide describing the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal's "disappointment" with his initial one-on-one meeting with Obama last year.

Quoting all the McChrystal aides anonymously, the article portrays a split between the U.S. military and Obama's advisers at an extremely sensitive moment for the Pentagon, which is fending off criticism of its strategy to turn around the nearly nine-year-old Afghan war.

The Pentagon had no immediate comment about the article, which has been brought to the attention of senior officials.

It quotes a member of McChrystal's team making jokes about Vice President Joe Biden, who was seen as critical of the general's efforts to escalate the conflict and who had favored a more limited counter-terrorism approach.

"Biden?" the aide was quoted as saying. "Did you say: Bite me?"

Another aide called White House National Security Adviser Jim Jones, a retired four star general, a "clown" who was "stuck in 1985."

It quoted an adviser to McChrystal dismissing an early meeting with Obama as a "10-minute photo op."

"Obama clearly didn't know anything about him, who he was. The boss was pretty disappointed," the adviser told the magazine.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; dnc4alqaeda; dncvsamerica; enemedia; mcchrystal; obama; obama4alqaeda; obamahatesamerica; obamahatesamericans; obamahatesfreedom; obamavsamerica; rollingstone
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To: Mr. Mojo

maybe he got into some of the goodies they grow over there...

/s


41 posted on 06/21/2010 10:21:46 PM PDT by wardaddy (I am not in favor of practical endorsements in primaries, endorse the conservative please)
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To: Cicero
So, is Rolling Stone going to be our new source of information that the MSM is covering up?

What an upside down world it has become. Instead of the hippy musician war protesters of 40 years ago, now we'll have high level military staffers singing singing:

... the thrill we've never known
Is the thrill that'll get you when you get your picture
On the cover of the Rolling Stone

42 posted on 06/21/2010 10:21:47 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (Now can we forget about that old rum-runner Joe Kennedy and his progeny of philandering drunks?)
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To: wardaddy

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100622/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan_55
21 mins ago

..US commander in Afghanistan apologizes for article

KABUL, Afghanistan – The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan has apologized for a magazine profile in which he criticizes the U.S. administration.

An article out this week in “Rolling Stone” magazine depicts Gen. Stanley McChrystal as a lone wolf on the outs with many important figures in the Obama administration and unable to convince even some of his own soldiers that his strategy can win the war.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal said in a statement issued Tuesday the article “was a mistake reflecting poor judgment.” He said he has enormous respect for the Obama administration, and the piece fell short of his principles of personal honor and professional integrity.
********************************
From this article:
McChrystal was quoted as saying he felt “betrayed” by the leak of a classified cable from U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry last year. The cable raised doubts about sending more troops to shore up an Afghan government already lacking in credibility.

“I like Karl, I’ve known him for years, but they’d never said anything like that to us before,” McChrystal was quoted as saying in the article.

“Here’s one that covers his flank for the history books. Now if we fail, they can say, ‘I told you so.’”
****************************************
McChrystal said it. McChrystal did it. McChrystal is doing as much CYA as he can. He is a complete failure as a commander. Now he is failing as a politician too.

He turned his aides loose to criticize bam and the administration and those aides quoted him. He spoke for himself as well. And now?????


43 posted on 06/21/2010 10:49:32 PM PDT by MestaMachine (De inimico non loquaris sed cogites- Don't wish ill for your enemy; plan it)
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To: kristinn
As a former Marine Corps officer I'm very disappointed in General Jones. I think he was Commandant of the Marine Corps during the Clinton administration, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

But as they say, once you pin on the first star it's all politics.

Semper fi anyway.....

44 posted on 06/21/2010 10:54:35 PM PDT by clintonh8r (Times Square: A law enforcement success made possible by an intellingence failure.)
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To: MestaMachine

no one stands by what they say now...bend over and apologize

Obama could fire him ...he could get rich writing or working corporate

and soon enough vindicated by events


45 posted on 06/21/2010 10:59:50 PM PDT by wardaddy (I am not in favor of practical endorsements in primaries, endorse the conservative please)
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To: Deb

bullseye


46 posted on 06/21/2010 11:43:18 PM PDT by americanophile (November can't come fast enough....)
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To: Jeff Head
Good to see you, sir!
47 posted on 06/22/2010 1:57:03 AM PDT by Semper Mark (Nemo me impune lacessit.)
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To: wardaddy
This will cost McCrystal his job....no General and his staff gives an interview like this and survives.. ... dissing a Republican President or Democrat..

No one.

48 posted on 06/22/2010 2:03:08 AM PDT by Dog (Only reads headlines since 2000)
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To: NormsRevenge

sure, save Mother Earth by manufacturing a product that is near impossible to dispose of


49 posted on 06/22/2010 3:26:47 AM PDT by SF_Redux
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To: kristinn; All
Yeah, Obama certainly has, and McChrystal has abetted him. Michael Yon has been all over the general, accusing him of gross incompetence, and also McChrystal's troops are turning on him because of his ridiculous ROEs, which are getting more and more of them killed and yielding the battlefield to the Taliban.

If anyone has a Facebok account and is interested in following Yon's ongoing reporting of the whole sordid mess, then here is his link:

Michael Yon Facebook Page

50 posted on 06/22/2010 3:31:33 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin has crossed the Rubicon!)
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To: kristinn; All
He's toast...

Top general in Afghan war apologizes for profile

51 posted on 06/22/2010 3:33:03 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin has crossed the Rubicon!)
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To: MestaMachine

testing water to see how other rank and file military feel?


52 posted on 06/22/2010 3:33:40 AM PDT by SF_Redux
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To: kristinn
“The article says that although McChrystal voted for Obama, the two failed to connect from the start. Obama called McChrystal on the carpet last fall for speaking too bluntly about his desire for more troops.”

McChrystal's first mistake was voting for Obama.

53 posted on 06/22/2010 3:41:06 AM PDT by tobyhill
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To: Jeff Head

Great to see you Jeff!


54 posted on 06/22/2010 3:44:56 AM PDT by Marty62 (marty60)
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To: patriot preacher
I think you're probably right. McChrystal is no prize (see Michael Yon's work) and hasn't been very successful. This is an excuse to get rid of him for 'insubordination' without admitting the strategy is bad.

Afghanistan is a total cluster-f*ck now, given that the Afghans know we don't have the staying power to remain until it's fixed and we let the left push us into undermining Musharraf in Pakistan. Musharraf was a thug, but he was at least a reasonably Western-oriented thug. The Bhuto and post Bhuto governments in Pakistan are weak, and under the influence of radical Islamists. Best thing we could do at this point would be to give the Indians a green light to put paid to Pakistan.

55 posted on 06/22/2010 4:26:06 AM PDT by CatoRenasci (Ceterum Censeo Persae Esse Delendam -- Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit)
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To: jeltz25

I think Hillary is now too old looking.

The candidate needs to “sporty”. Shes a nagging drag.


56 posted on 06/22/2010 5:29:55 AM PDT by PA-RIVER
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To: Jeff Head

Excellent quotes!!!


57 posted on 06/22/2010 5:30:32 AM PDT by SumProVita (Cogito, ergo...Sum Pro Vita. (Modified Decartes))
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Bite Me? What? Who? That Billy Crystal, he's a funny guy.

58 posted on 06/22/2010 5:38:38 AM PDT by csvset
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To: kristinn
It quoted an adviser to McChrystal dismissing an early meeting with Obama as a "10-minute photo op."

And that statement right there speaks volumes about the respect Zero has for our military -- ESPECIALLY while deployed in harms' way: he didn't even bother to listen to their operations' commander.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I sincerely hope you understand that there are millions of the rest of rest who highly respect what you do. You earn it - each and every day; you deserve better.

59 posted on 06/22/2010 6:12:46 AM PDT by alancarp (Please don't tell Obama what comes after "trillion")
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To: Jeff Head

How wonderful to see you posting again, Jeff.


60 posted on 06/22/2010 6:24:36 AM PDT by Helen
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