Posted on 05/11/2009 10:32:10 AM PDT by xzins
The Pentagon will replace its top general in Afghanistan as President Barack Obama tries to turn around a stalemated war, defense officials said.
The exit of Gen. David McKiernan comes as more than 21,000 additional U.S. forces begin to arrive in Afghanistan, dispatched by Obama to confront the Taliban more forcefully this spring and summer.
McKiernan, on the job about a year, has asked repeatedly for additional forces. Obama’s revamped strategy for Afghanistan does markedly increase the number of U.S. forces in the country but focuses on nonmilitary solutions as a better long-term solution.
Military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said McKiernan will be replaced by Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was likely to announce the new leadership in Afghanistan later today, an official said.
(Excerpt) Read more at heraldnet.com ...
OMG - I agree with Bam Bam on something - hell has frozen over!
Timing is not important here....its the pick that is important.....excellent choice.
The disaster has already happened. We are now just seeing the results.
What the hell are you talking about?
Afghanistan is tribal, there are no “Afghans”, there are only tribal members. There and in northwest Pakistan the tribal loyalties have to be destroyed and a single national identity created.
This has to be done in the way the British ransacked Scotland after 1745 (Bonnie Prince Charlie). The British banned the kilt and the bagpipes and arrested, exiled, bribed, or murdered clan leaders. Within a generation a Scottish nationality emerged with greater loyalties to the nation than to the clan. (And Scotland subsequently became a modern state which contributed greatly to the British Empire and the world.)
Something like that has to be done to the Pashtuns and all the other tribes in the region. If it’s not done, then there will be no peace because the tribes will always be fighting one another, which leaves an opening for terrorists and foreign nations to get and keep a foothold.
I hope this characterization doesn't inform the new commander's strategy.
I’m glad from what you have written that they made the change, lets hope they let his leash slip and have his way without a lot of interference.
I do enjoy watching a professional, any professional, attacking a problem in his area of expertise.
HA! LOVE IT.
Chief Snake Eater in charge of “Afghani” OPS, (wink, wink)
of course they will certainly NOT be violating Pakistani sovereignity, whatever that may be since over half the country is out of the control of the nominal government, hence the concept of sovereignity is somewhat dubious.
Petraeus did reassure the talking empty craniums that “no boots on the ground” - so SF guys now wear sandals?
Great news, pupster. The Game is Afoot!
It’s the religion. Africa is full of tribes, but they don’t want to kill us in our own country.
...McKiernan will be replaced by Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal BALL!
That is great news. Of all the recommendations, I’d trust a Freeper more than anybody else! Thank you!
The exit of Gen. David McKiernan comes as more than 21,000 additional U.S. forces begin to arrive in Afghanistan, dispatched by Obama to confront the Taliban more forcefully this spring and summer.But whatever ya do, don't refer to this as a surge. ;')
Forgive my comment on McChrystal! It just seemed like the thing to say. Mea maxi culpa!
Good details - very positive indeed. I’d say there’s a unanimous favorable vote here, which is sure nice.
This news has actually made me smile....a night stalker is now in charge.........some serious heartburn at AQ central tonight.
Imagine the costernation in Pakistani circles.
Hope we aren’t putting too much hope here, (where have I heard that word), but like you, it certainly made me break out in a soup eating grin!
And one option I know the US won’t use, but I bet there’s tons of Gurkhas who’d like some payback for the desecration of the remaining Buddhist monuments in Swat and Chitral, hell, the Talibs have even closed shrines honoring Sufis, ancient places of gathering, worship and singing and music and celebration that do not jive with the SaudiDeobandi inspired Talibs practice of Islam.
BBC: The US defence secretary has asked the country’s commander in Afghanistan to step down, saying the battle against the Taleban needs “new thinking”.
Robert Gates confirmed Gen David McKiernan would effectively be sacked less than a year after taking command.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8044735.stm
I think eventually we will be forced out of Afghanistan.
The “nonmilitary solutions” is hopefully their way of phrasing Petraeus’ strategy of going town by town isolating the enemy, destroying them, and then controlling the cleansed area.
Part of that is his “hearts and minds” campaign of local presence by our troops. Obviously, if they go straight to the 2nd part without implementing the 1st part, it simply won’t work. The taliban don’t make nice.
Find the roaches, kill them, and then apply insecticide.
In this case, they need to block all supply routes. We know that they aren’t making their own weapons and ammo. How to stop it getting in. As mountainous as the east and south is, there have to be chokepoints to control resupply from that direction. The problem will be resupply from Iran.
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