McChrystal Balls [Must Read Editorial]

London Times ^ | June 22, 2010

[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.

[bigbob]

what a ghastly poor excuse for a website the Times has!

[OldDeckHand]

'Men like McChrystal do not make mistakes of that magnitude. There is no question that he planned to use the Rolling Stone article as an push for a change of attitude from the civilians controlling the military and a resignation letter."

I don't think so. There are ways to do this much more effectively. This isn't one of them. If he wanted to fall on his sword, he would have asked for a meeting with Obama to voice his concerns, then if he was stone-walled, he would have walked to the microphone set up outside the White House, and told the media everything, on the record and in public.

This isn't that. That would have been devastating to Obama. Now, because of the forum, it's easy to portray McChrystal as conceited, cavalier and sloppy.

I suspect if he's only sleeping four hours a night, he should think about sleeping five.

[zeebee]

bugmenot.com

[Jo Nuvark]

Praise God for this courageous man.

When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will
surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked
from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity,
but his blood I will require from your hand.
— EZEKIEL 33:8 ==

[Steelfish]

See post 10 for entire article

[Palladin]

Thanks for that link.

[mylife]

Thanks!

[OldDeckHand]

"Praise God for this courageous man."

Before you go praising God and all that, you might want to know that he voted for Obama. I'm not sure how courageous that was, or this was. I think it was actually pretty ignorant.

[goodnesswins]

YEP....As I heard a former military guy say (caller) today on a talk show....”looks like McChrystal has sacrificed himself.”

[free from tyranny]

Senate???? F%#CK that disgraced and failed institution. Let us have General Stanley McChrystal lead a USSC decision to remove this fraud potus and his inept circus( i.e. legislature)

[Pan_Yan]

There is no question that he planned to use the Rolling Stone article as an push for a change of attitude from the civilians controlling the military ...

Then he seriously miscalculated.

[smokingfrog]

It works!

[Jo Nuvark]

Lots of people voted for Obama who now regret it.
That IS ignorance.

Standing up to this fetid oligarch is courageous.
That IS heroic.

— my opinion —

[Personal Responsibility]

I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree. Guys don’t get to McChrystal’s level without thinking three or four moves - or more - ahead. He HAD to know the firestorm his comments would cause and that he’d be forced to resign / be fired. But he made them anyway.

The other option is that he is so frustrated with Obama and co. that he agreed to an interview and decided to air it out in Rolling Stone - and allowed his staff to do so as well - in a fit of anger. That just does not add up to me.

[Diogenesis]

The undocumented, multiple social security #’d, CIC:
"You propose patriotism and American safety. Phooey.
Instead, you will use my plan to weaken and trap American troops,
decimate security, open borders like sponges,
destroy every iota of law and your stupid Constitution,
eliminate American infrastructure, space plans, freedom,
innovation, economy, health, well-being and future,
because it will bring in sufficient foreign enemies
and their families and their slaves to your helpless homeland
to assure my win in the next and last election.”

[anglian]

More McChrystal [Rich Lowry]

I’ve now read the piece, which — as you might expect — is very defeatist. I’ll make some more observations later, but it’s worth recalling that — whatever his media-management skills — McChrystal is an extraordinarily brave man. Rolling Stone reminds us of this:

He went out on dozens of night-time raids during his time in Iraq, unprecedented for a top commander, and turned up on missions unannounced, with almost no entourage. “The f—-ing lads love Stan McChrystal,” says a British officer who serves in Kabul. “You’d be out in Somewhere, Iraq, and someone would take a knee beside you, and a corporal would be like ‘Who the f—- is that?’ And it’s f—-ing Stan McChrystal.”

And there’s this from Afghanistan:

In March, McChrystal traveled to Combat Outpost JFM — a small encampment on the outskirts of Kandahar — to confront such accusations from the troops directly. It was a typically bold move by the general. Only two days earlier, he had received an email from Israel Arroyo, a 25-year-old staff sergeant who asked McChrystal to go on a mission with his unit. “I am writing because it was said you don’t care about the troops and have made it harder to defend outselves,” Arroyo wrote.

Within hours, McChrystal responded personally: “I’m saddened by the accusation that I don’t care about soldiers, as it is something I suspect any soldier takes both personally and professionally — at least I do. But I know perceptions depend upon your perspective at the time, and I respect that every soldier’s view is his own.” Then he showed up at Arroyo’s outpost and went on a foot patrol with the troops — not some bulls—-t photo-op stroll through a market, but a real live operation in a dangerous war zone.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTE2YzM1NTk4ZDk4NjIwMDQ4YmU5MmZiOTE0NmJkNDA=

[txhurl]

The White House is not at ease with the military.

---

Surest sign of a usurper. Not only despises the military as Commander in Chief, but earns their contempt.

[mylife]

This is something you will NEVER see from Obama

[OldDeckHand]

"Guys don’t get to McChrystal’s level without thinking three or four moves - or more - ahead."

I retired as an 0-6. You might be surprised how many boneheaded and poorly thought out career decisions these guys make.

He HAD to know the firestorm his comments would cause and that he’d be forced to resign / be fired. But he made them anyway.

He certainly should have known. But as I said, if that was his intent - to get fired or forced to resign - there are many more effective ways to do it. Having an honesty attack with a Rolling Stone reporter in the room , isn't one of them and giving leave to your subordinates to make similar comments about the CIC is even worse.

[okie01]

The Times of London really, really doesn't care for Ambassador Eikenberry or Ambassador Holbrook.

You can take that as reflecting the attitude of the British Foreign Office.

And, while they like McChrystal -- a lot -- they don't care all that much for Dear Leader. Which you can take as reflecting the attitude of the British military.

The President of the United States is viewed as a dangerous fool by our closest allies.

They are, of course, correct.