Posted on 06/22/2010 6:08:36 AM PDT by DBCJR
Expect violent summer in Afghanistan, Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal says... Gen. Stanley McChrystal apologized from overseas Tuesday for ripping the administration in a magazine article.
Now, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan will have a chance to say sorry in person.
McChyrstal has been ordered to Washington to explain why he and his staff criticized the White House in a recent Rolling Stone interview, administration officials said Tuesday.
Earlier, McChrystal had attempted to defuse the backlash over his comments in the piece, titled "The Runaway General."
"I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened," he said.
"Throughout my career, I have lived by the principles of personal honor and professional integrity. What is reflected in this article falls far short of that standard," McChrystal added.
Instead of attending the monthly White House meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan via teleconference, the general will be there in person Wednesday, the officials told The Associated Press.
The first casualty from the article appears to be a civilian member of McChyrstal's staff who allegedly arranged the Rolling Stone interview.
NBC News reported that Duncan Boothby quit his role on the general's public relations team. According to a senior military official, he was "asked to resign."
Last year, Obama criticized the general over his call for more troops in Afghanistan. In September, McChrystal issued a report saying without more soldiers, the war "will likely result in failure."
The president eventually added 30,000 soldiers to the war, but McChrystal and his staff felt Obama took to long and found his July 2011 deadline for withdrawal arbitrary.
"I found that time painful," McChrystal said. "I was selling an unsellable position."
Among McChrystal's criticisms in the Rolling Stone interview:
The general said he felt "betrayed" by U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry, a former three-star general. In a leaked document last year, Eikenberry said he distrusted Afghan president Hamid Karzai. "Here's one that covers his flank for the history books," McChrystal told Rolling Stone of Eikenberry.
McChrystal, the article reports, took control of the war, the article states, "by never taking his eye off the real enemy: The wimps in the White House."
An aide is quoted as calling National Security Adviser Gen. (Ret.) Jim Jones a "clown."
On Richard Holbrooke, the president's envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, a McChrystal staffer says he is a "wounded animal," dangerous because rumors speculated Holbrooke would be fired.
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.
McChrystal is a hero....he sees what is taking place. He knew exactly what he was doing. It needed to be done. He is willing to apologize and take the consequences.
A military man who would vote for a “community organizer” over a person who has military experience may not be the best person for the job. Not that I was a big McCain fan but given the choice...just sayin’
I have seen people on here rip McChrystal to shreds for not protecting the troops under his command.
Maybe it was just one or two vociferous FReepers.
At what point does a good soldier choose the good of the country over the good of command? What he said, and has said, has obviously been out of frustration. Those are not the best circumstances in which to make one’s point. He is dealing with a CIC who has no clue and is a dogmatic liberal globalist. At such a point the lives of his men become his primary concern for the mission is convoluted.
He may be an honest idiot and far more competent at military strategy than the idiots he works for- but he is still an idiot.
To allow the PC ROE, fomented by obama's Harvard military-stategist professors and lawyers, to limit the ability of our men to wage the war they have been ordered into - McChrystal is an idiot.
To have stayed in service and attempted to prosecute (I prefer the term “manage”) this war while subjecting himself and our men to the flimsy politics and cynical naive diplomatic games of idiots for whom he has no respect- McChrystal is an idiot.
Besides, what kind of rock star general lets himself be shadowed for a month and his honest views outed by “Rolling Stone” magazine?
This crap could have been leaked by “unnamed sources” , That’s the American way (sarc)
If he wants to do something good for his troops he should allow himself to be fired but don’t apologize? Jeez, are there no real men in the America who are willing to stand for what they believe? Are they all “Joe Bartons”?
That pretty much tells the story folks. He was forced to pay closer attention to the politics than winning the war.
That idiocy of which you speak is precisely the quality that allowed him to rise to the rank and command that he has. The General Pattons, even the Doug MacArthurs, would not make it in this kinder, more gentler, more politically correct military.
Why not just resign then speak the truth? Or is his position more important than his men’s lives? Is he willing to remain “frustrated” while his men are dieing?
He is the democrat’s favorite kind of troop: the political-soldier
Going off the reservation with a Rolling Stone interview...was just a mistake precipitated by his own hubris, I would guess....pending more information
Maybe now the troops will get a commander with the guts to bring Burger King back to “the boardwalk” in Afghanistan
‘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.’
LOL, he voted for Barry and is surprised he’s an empty suit. What a moron!
‘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.’
LOL, he voted for Barry and is surprised he’s an empty suit. What a moron!
Most of those who voted for him are surprised. But then most of them, according to exit polls, thought the Republicans controlled Congress when they voted, too.
Makes me wonder how he views national security since he so clueless when it comes to leadership.
McChrystal, the article reports, took control of the war, the article states, “by never taking his eye off the real enemy: The wimps in the White House.” ....................................... Boy has it got that right. However, this may lead to a Great Purge of the military.
it = he. (Senior moment.)
As far as an American general is concerned, that would be the point when he has the moral courage to first resign and retire and then, as soon as he is retired, he says exactly what he means and means exactly what he says in front of cameras while dressed in civilian clothing.
Anything else is what the difference is supposed to be between the United States and a Banana Republic.
You can either be a patriot that puts country first or you can be a careerist that puts career first but you cannot be both at the same time.
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