Is that a salute -- or is he trying to swat a fly?
Posted on 06/23/2010 6:15:16 AM PDT by MaestroLC
WASHINGTON - At a precarious moment in the war in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama prepared to hear his top war commander explain biting published complaints about the commander in chief and his aides. Even before their showdown, the White House's rebuke of Gen. Stanley McChrystal suggested it would be hard for him to save his job.
Ahead of his meeting with the president, McChrystal arrived at the Pentagon for meetings, including once scheduled with Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
On his arrival, he denied to NBC News that he's offered his resignation. "Come on, you know better than that. No!"
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Either way, Obama is the loser. If he fires McChrystal, he is portrayed as a petty narcissist who gets all wee-wee’d up over a few snarky comments, not directly from the general, but his aides. If he keeps McChrystal on, Obama is viewed as a weak nancy-boy who cannot stand up to a real man. Our allies in NATO are watching this very, very closely.
Either way, Obama is the loser. If he fires McChrystal, he is portrayed as a petty narcissist who gets all wee-wee’d up over a few snarky comments, not directly from the general, but his aides. If he keeps McChrystal on, Obama is viewed as a weak nancy-boy who cannot stand up to a real man. Our allies in NATO are watching this very, very closely.
Here’s a longer list ...
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/06/president_obama_official_sched_345.html
In the morning, the President will meet with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Situation Room. This meeting is closed press. Expected attendees include:
Vice President Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State
Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury
Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense
Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff
General James Jones, National Security Advisor
Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Advisor
John Brennan, Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor
Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
David Gompert, Acting Director of National Intelligence
Leon Panetta, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Rajiv Shah, Administrator, USAID
James Steinberg, Deputy Secretary of State
Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Doug Lute, Coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan
John Tien, Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan
General David Petraeus, U.S. Central Command
General Stanley McChrystal, Commander, International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan
Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan (via videoconference)
Ambassador Anne Patterson, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan (via videoconference)
He wants his unemployment check! lol
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Has he been with the US Army for over 90 days? ; )
McChrystal is stuck, tactically in Afghanistan. So are we, mired in operational hesitation.
There are two many competing strategic goals that compete with each other. Either find the enemy and kill him as fast as possible, thus creating a position of strength to begin negotiations.... Or, take years to empower and embolden the Afghans to carry the fight themselves. We are stuck between both ideas.
McChrystal is likely gone, if he stays, he and Obama both look weak. Obama always looks after his political image first, that is his pattern. Obama won't miss this opportunity to look decisive (for the first time).
He wants to see mass resignations from the Office Corps and enlistments-re-enlistments to plummet.
If the General is fired or resigns, as a private citizen can he do the talk shows and “opine”?
Ah! Rommel's Choice.
The thing about this bruhaha is that it’s all hearsay, what was reported was that aides to the General say he said x, y, and z. Not admissible in court. Not from the horses mouth. Hearsay. It’s actually kind of a betrayal/stupidity on the part of his staff to the general.
Man, oh man. So...did the White House deliberately plant this story to see what would happen...or...
“The general said that while he voted for Obama, the two men never hit it off in meetings last fall and he found the president unprepared.
However, McChrystal said Tuesday he has “enormous respect” for Obama and his team and emphasized his devotion to winning the war.
“I remain committed to ensuring its successful outcome,” he said.”
Voted for Zer0 and still likes Zer0.
The General should go in and tell idiot obama, he quits, then get out of his uniform and put on a business suit and announce he is running for President.
A guy with real stones. How unique.
The General may have suspected leaks and used the “I resigned” to ferret out who they were.
McC is “keeping O off-balance”. Yep, that’s his style.
Man BO must be terrified of this guy.
Yes, from the article in question, he now seems to adore Hillary Clinton.
Betcha McC simply cannot wait to face down these amateurs, especially the community-organizer-in-chief.
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