Posted on 06/22/2010 8:15:05 PM PDT by Steelfish
McChrystal Balls
President Obama should reprimand his general, but listen to his complaints June 23 2010
General Stanley McChrystal, commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, has a reputation as the most disciplined soldier of his generation, and one of the brightest. The asceticism of his daily life, to keep himself ready for any threat, is now legendary: an eight-mile run, only one meal and just four hours sleep. It is understandable, then, that yesterday’s revelations stunned Washington — and Kabul. The general had so far forgotten the cost of careless talk that he had griped about the President and senior White House officials to a freelance reporter from Rolling Stone magazine, and over the course of some days, allowed his aides to do so too.
The most abusive remarks, such as calling General Jim Jones, National Security Adviser, “a clown”, came from unnamed aides. So did a description of the first meeting between President Barack Obama and General McChrystal, at which the general is said to have found the President unprepared and disappointing. But General McChrystal himself complained that he could not face opening another e-mail from Richard Holbrooke, US special envoy, and that he had felt “betrayed” by a leaked critique of his strategy from Karl Eikenberry, US Ambassador to Afghanistan. He is sharply critical of the President for taking three months last year to decide to send more troops. His tone towards his civilian counterparts is one of exasperation, sometimes contempt.
The overall portrait is devastating: that senior military commanders are mockingly critical of top officials in Washington, and of the President himself. That rings true, from many reports. Clearly, General McChrystal was guilty of extraordinary folly.
(Excerpt) Read more at thetimes.co.uk ...
Yup.
Bible thumper. Vain. time wasting runner. Hero of the Kandahar Burger King War. Dolt mouth off to reporter. Comfortible to having troops wait months for Obama to make up mind. Officer who basically as a you don’t have to tell me how to cover up, covered up Tilmans stupid death. ‘
Yeah, we’re going to win with this guy.
McCain-Feingold insured the Dems their wins in 2006 and 2008. The Saudi agent was able to “raise” $700 million to give to TV networks, magazines, newspaper s for ads.
The 5 networks own 95% of the channels and Fox is at least 7% owned by the Saudis if not more. Carl Icahn controlled companies with a smaller ownership stake.
I actually think for a General Officer to do that is kind of patehtic.
The best thing any enlisted, or officer, can do is do what they are supposed to do. No General who is critical,or the best, or thinks he is the best, is serving his troops under him by getting killed in some small unit action.
It is like a great emergency room physician getting killed for a sprain ankle at a softball game in a town park.
That photo of nobama and the General looks for all the world like a hawk sizing up a pidgeon.
I would have thought these were Obama’s rules if McChrystal has not done stupid things like banning burgers and fries for the soldiers....... personally, as much as I think Obama doesn’t have all his oars in the water, I thin McChrystal may be just as bad — or worse.
Why not a beer summit?
Amen, Brother.
He voted for Obama who was his choice or who was not his choice.
If Obama was his choice, then he is no discerning student of politics.
If he voted for Obama and Obama was not his choice, then he had a different motive.
It could have been a negative motive...simply to get a command. It could have been a positive motive....so that some troop-minded general would be able to stand between troops and a misguided president in hopes of ensuring the right thing was done for troops.
I do not for one minute believe that McChrystal accidentally spoke in the open in front of a Rolling Stone reporter. He knew he was setting up an explosion.
What was his intent?
Maybe he knew McCain!
That's what I said last night when the story (I think) first broke there. Almost never bother registering but did. Its more than email and password...the London Times wants a name and address.
I was talking to a retired Col and he told me they had a 4 star speak to them at a senior leadership conference on this issue...and the 4 star said if you are going to fall on your sword....do it in such a way there can be no doubt.
He thinks this is exactly what McC did...he is falling on his sword for the troops in a very public way.
Sorry to disagree with you...but I think this is exactly what he is doing. I wrote this in another reply but figured you might not see it: I spoke to a retired O-6 about this and he says this is exactly what he is doing. He comes to that conclusion because he says that at a snr leadership conference they had a 4 star give them this very same advice..."If you are going to fall on your sword...do it in such a way there can be no doubt and do it very publicly."
The one thing that is clear is a 4 star general does not make this kind of mistake. Period. Especially not a special ops guy. I'm a 23 yr AF guy but I've been Army support for 22 of those years and did special ops support during OIF. These guys are very calculating. They don't take a dump without a plan...and you can bet that this is part of some plan of his. Is it to fall on his sword, sacrificing himself for his troops? That seems the most logical answer...but it could be something else. The one thing it isn't is a mistake (diarrhea of the mouth).
If thats the truth, I have no use for this guy.
When you look at McChrystal (whose job is to direct armed forces charged with protecting the United States and its interests) and Obama (whose job is to faithfully execute the laws of the United States, defend the Constitution, and to protect the nation against its enemies both foreign and domestic) and the objectives of their missions, who is more egregiously failing in his job?
.......senior military commanders are mockingly critical of top officials in Washington.....
No American media will publish that truth. The Messiah has been given a crown of thorns
“I sleep 5hrs a nite and feel like I run 8 miles/day.”
ROTFLMAO
Yes MaChrystal is a great leader of men.
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