Posted on 06/23/2010 8:34:51 PM PDT by jazusamo
The flap about General Stanley McChrystal's "resignation" was nobody's finest hour. But there are some painful lessons in all this that go beyond any of the individuals involved-- the general, the president or any of the officials at the Pentagon or the State Department.
What is far more important than all these individuals put together are the lives of the tens of thousands of Americans fighting in Afghanistan. What is even more important is the national security of this country.
It is certainly not politic for a general or his staff to express their contempt for civilian authorities publicly. But what is far more important-- from the standpoint of national security-- is whether what those authorities have done deserves contempt.
My hope is that General McChrystal will write a book about his experiences in Afghanistan-- and in Washington. The public needs to know what is really going on, and they are not likely to get that information from politicians.
This is, after all, an administration that waited for months last year before acting on General McChrystal's urgent request for 40,000 more troops, which he warned would be necessary to prevent the failure of the mission in Afghanistan. He got 30,000 eventually-- and a public statement by President Obama about when he wants to start withdrawing American troops from that country.
In no previous period of history has an American president announced a timetable for pulling out troops. They may have had a timetable in mind, but none of these presidents was irresponsible enough to tell the world-- including our enemies-- when our troops would be leaving.
Such information encourages our enemies, who know that they need only wait us out before they can take over, whether in Afghanistan or elsewhere. At the same time, it undermines our allies, who know that relying on the United States is dangerous in the long run, and that they had better make the best deal they can get with our enemies.
But the worst aspect of the national security policy of this administration is its clear intention to do nothing that has any realistic chance of stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons. This may be the most grossly irresponsible policy in all of history, because it can leave this generation-- and future generations-- of Americans at the mercy of terrorists who have no mercy and who cannot be deterred, as the Soviet Union was deterred.
All the current political theater about "international sanctions" is unlikely to make the slightest difference to Iran. Nor is the administration itself likely to expect it to. What then is its purpose? To fool the American people into thinking that they are doing something serious when all that they are doing is putting on a charade by lining up countries to agree to actions that they all know will not have any real effect.
There is another aspect to General McChrystal's "resignation."
Everyone seems to be agreed that Stanley McChrystal has been a soldier's soldier-- someone who knows what to do on a battlefield and is not afraid to put himself in danger to do it.
Do we need more generals like this or do we need political generals who know how to cultivate Washington politicians, in order to advance their own careers?
Some people see a parallel between McChrystal's "resignation" and President Harry Truman's firing of General Douglas MacArthur. No two situations are ever exactly the same, but some of the parallels are striking.
MacArthur was proud not only of his military victories but also of the fact that he won those victories with lower casualty rates among his troops than other generals had. But General MacArthur too was not always discreet in what he said, and also had reasons to have contempt for politicians, going all the way back to FDR, who cut the army's budget in the 1930s, while Nazi Germany and imperial Japan were building up huge military machines that would kill many an American before it was all over.
If we are creating an environment where only political generals can survive, what will that mean for America's ability to win military victories without massive casualty rates? Or to win military victories at all?
Tellin’ it like it IS, I meant...
Agreed...I've no idea if Dr. Sowell lurks at FR but if so I would hope he sees your post.
It’s good you brought up McClellan.
There’s a stark contrast in the way Lincoln tolerated McClellan’s contempt— only firing him after repeated delays, excuses, and failures and ‘bam’s firing today.
‘bam just fired a capable, though arrogant, general for grumbling.
fired? when was he fired?
He can say in one paragraph what George Will says in 5 paragraphs. Also everyone can understand Dr. Sowell without aid of a dictionary. I wish he was my president.
I caught that also, but think it was an error of language. I have also used the phrase "clean or articulate" when describing a style of writing. Sowell's writings are very clean as there is nothing extra added in each sentence and he is obviously very articulate. The writer should have said, "his prose is clean and articulate."
Maybe there's something I'm missing, but I thought the poster was channeling Joe Biden.
“Maybe there’s something I’m missing, but I thought the poster was channeling Joe Biden”
I know mylife and he is a friend. I have never heard one racist comment from this man. I assure you he does not channel Joe Biden.
I was.
This is the crux of the matter.
Thomas Sowell has enunciated the important points.I posit Goat Boy intends our defeat:
Rules of engagement require the soldier must fill out a form in triplicate and wait for a reply from the Ministry of Aid and Comfort.
President GaGa prances on stage in Talaqueda Nights, "Yoo hoo, militants! We're leaving! Hang in there!"
Our people are dying at the highest rate of the nine-year campaign.
Poppy production explodes, causing even Russia and China alarm; it is a 35 billion a year import to the United States.
Iowa is poised for its greatest foreign deployment since World War II.
Rolling Stone? GaGa Goat Boy won't get out of his golf cart to give McChrystal a hearing, or the troops--but he will jump at the chance to fire McChrsytal and assure the enemy we're leaving.
And Sowell briefly alludes to Iran. Recall that negotiating with Iran was Obama's main deal; along with his 52-second disarmament youtube.
Rat Boy has more and better centrifuges. Iran is moving arms to Syria, Lebanon, Bek'ka, having murdered its dissidents with Goat Boy's blessing.
We are to leave Iraq and be assured Iran will be working with the Shi'ia majority in the oil-rich southern provinces to take it.
It's much larger than a general: it's the gook in the wire in the Oval Office.
Sowell is great.
Thanks for the ping jaz. Agree with Dr. Sowell.
The whole situation is a damned shame. If it weren’t for lousey Politicians, criminal Politicians, their self servience, and limited foresight much of what is grinding our guts today wouldn’t exist.
It’s a Maalox World today thanks to them, and an apathetic public.
"What is far more important than all these individuals put together are the lives of the tens of thousands of Americans fighting in Afghanistan. What is even more important is the national security of this country."
NY POST.com: "PORT AUTHORITY COPS ON LOOKOUT FOR TERROR ATTACK" by Philip Messing (Posted June 23, 2010, 10:31 pm) (SNIPPET: "The chilling warning was read at roll call for four police commands -- cops assigned to the Holland and Lincoln Tunnel; the George Washington Bridge; and also the Staten Island command, which incorporates the Bayonne and Goethals Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing, a source said. The message, which was read by police brass, noted that as 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, "there is a threat to all crossings, as of this point, being treated as credible, that some type of tanker will explode causing us to respond." "At some point during the response, a second explosion [will occur] causing injury to all first responders to this incident," the message noted.") (Posted June 23, 2010, 10:31 pm) (Read More...)
INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT.org - IPT News: "ILYAS KASHMIRI - PAKISTAN'S FRANKENSTEIN" (SNIPPET: "Top Al Qaeda commander Ilyas Kashmiri poses a major threat to U.S. interests both at home and abroad. Described by intelligence agencies "as the most effective, dangerous and successful guerrilla leader in the world," Kashmiri heads Al Qaeda's military operations wing. He figures prominently in two recent high-profile terrorism indictments issued in Chicago. But Kashmiri remains free in South Asia and in control of a renowned Al Qaeda terror cell called the 313 Brigade, in large part due to support from rogue elements tied to the Pakistani military and intelligence services.") (June 22, 2010) (Read More...)
Blogs.ABC NEWS.com - Political Punch: "OBAMA PROMISES TO KEEP WORKING UNTIL 'DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL' SIGNED INTO LAW" -from Sunlen Miller (SNIPPET: "Celebrating LGBT pride month at the White House this evening, President Obama declared that the nation has never been closer to ending the "discriminatory policy" of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and promised to keep working until the bill is signed into law.") [Note: LGBT is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered.] (June 22, 2010, 8:37 pm) (Read More...)
CNN.com: "POLICE CHIEF: CARTELS THREATEN U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT IN ARIZONA" by Nick Valencia (SNIPPET: "...cartels are making direct death threats to U.S. law enforcement officials in Nogales, Arizona, the police chief there told CNN Monday.") (June 21, 2010, 7:01 pm EDT) (Read More...)
DEFENSE.gov (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "Gates, Mullen Urge Senate to Ratify Arms Reduction Treaty" by Jim Garamone (SNIPPET: "The United States is better off with the new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia than it is without it, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also urged the committee to ratify the agreement, saying the treaty has the full support of uniformed leaders. Gates and Mullen testified alongside Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Energy Secretary Steven Chu.") (June 17, 2010) (Read More...)
INVESTORS.com - INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY - IBD Editorials: "MISSING DEFENSE" (SNIPPET: "National Security: There seems to be only one thing White House arms negotiators want more than a reduction in U.S. nuclear weapons -- a reduction in U.S. missile defenses to protect us from such weapons. The Washington Times' Bill Gertz reports that U.S. diplomats are secretly negotiating with Russia to link nuclear arms reduction to limits on our anti-missile defenses.") (Posted June 18, 2010, 07:04 pm ET) (Read More...)
DAVID LIMBAUGH.com - Column: "PLEASE READ 'THE GRAND JIHAD'" by David Limbaugh (SNIPPET: "This is not another book on the dangers of Islamic terrorism, but a wake-up call to Americans who might be missing the overarching goal behind that "tactic," a goal shared by the hard left in this country: the destruction of "the freedom culture" on which America was built.") (June 17, 2010) (Read More...)
BBC NEWS: "PLASTIC BAGS TO BE PUT OVER BIRMINGHAM 'TERROR CAMERAS'" (SNIPPET: "A surveillance operation in parts of Birmingham with large Muslim populations has been halted after it was revealed the move was linked to counter terrorism. Some out of 218 cameras, mainly in the Washwood Heath and Sparkbrook districts, will be covered with bags.") (Page last updated June 17, 2010, 19:38 UK) (Read More...)
JIHAD WATCH.org (REUTERS): Geneva - "MUSLIM STATES WANT UN TO TAKE TOUGH ACTION AGAINST 'ISLAMOPHOBIA' IN THE WEST" (SNIPPET: "And Pakistan, speaking for the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), said the council's special investigator into religious freedom should look into such racism "especially in Western societies". Acting for the OIC, Pakistan has tabled a resolution at the council instructing its special investigator on religious freedom "to work closely with mass media organisations to ensure that they create and promote an atmosphere of respect and tolerance for religious and cultural diversity".") (June 16, 2010) (Read More...)
INTERNET HAGANAH.com: "MALAYSIAN COMPLICITY IN TALIBAN TERRORISM" (SNIPPET: "http://124.217.252.55/~alemarah/" SNIPPET: "That IP address (124.217.252.55) is provided to the Afghan Taliban by Malaysian company piradius.net. Piradius.net has been central to the online activities of al-Qaida and its affiliated organizations for many years.") (June 15, 2010) (Read More...)
DEFENSE.gov (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE): Washington - "Afghanistan Timeline Not a Withdrawal Date, Officials Say" by Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden (SNIPPET: "Petraeus added that his agreement with Obama's policy was based on projections of conditions in July 2011. "We're doing all that is humanly possible to achieve those conditions," he said.") (June 16, 2010) (Read More...)
History teaches us that any war will be lost when the @sshats in DC start trying to run the show.
I have a friend leaving for his FOURTH tour over there; how I LOATHE 0bama! I’m certain that we Vets all feel that way. Jerk.
“But the worst aspect of the national security policy of this administration is its clear intention to do nothing that has any realistic chance of stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons. This may be the most grossly irresponsible policy in all of history, because it can leave this generation— and future generations— of Americans at the mercy of terrorists who have no mercyIs a friend of the terrorists a terrorist? An enabler?
“Sowell is great.”
He is. If you get the opportunity, pick up one of his books at the book store or on the net. I read “Intellectuals & Society” by him. It was well worth the time.
Slam dunk! Thank you Mr. Sowell.
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