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US to Replace Top General in Afghanistan (McKiernan Out & McChrystal)
Herald Net ^
| 10 May 09
| Pauline Jelinek and Anne Gearan
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. Obamas 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 ...
TOPICS: Breaking News; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; generals; mcchrystal; mckiernan; waronterror
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To: CondorFlight
I wonder if giving the Pashtuns their own country would not be more successful. The remainder of Pakistan and Afghanistan seem to be more or less stable with just the backward "Pashtunistan" causing trouble.
This map includes Balochistan in Pashtunistan which I think is a mistake.
41
posted on
05/11/2009 12:03:53 PM PDT
by
Straight Vermonter
(Posting from deep behind the Maple Curtain)
To: xzins
"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." I hope you're right...since what you describe is in fact a military strategy.
To: Straight Vermonter
Before the Partition of India, the Pathans were proIndia, they did not want amalgamation into Pakistan, as Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan stated.
However, Imperial politics dictated that the Pathani populations were bifurcated by the existing Durand Line and the geography necessitated Pathans going into Pakistan.
Even last year, the ANP won the elections, a secularish party, moderate and progressive, but had to concede Sharia in their areas when the Pakistani Army didn’t come to their aid.
43
posted on
05/11/2009 12:07:26 PM PDT
by
swarthyguy
("We may be crazy in Pakistan, but not completely out of our minds," ISI Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha)
To: Dog
McCrystal is Special Ops Chief....this is VERY bad news for Al Qaeda..Only to the extent the idiots in Washington let him do his job.
Fight to win? We'll see.
44
posted on
05/11/2009 12:08:04 PM PDT
by
DTogo
(High time to bring back the Sons of Liberty !!)
To: swarthyguy
The Durand Line is just one more colonial era remnant that causes trouble 100+ years after the fact. Giving the Pashtuns their own country helps to isolating them. Trying to incorporate them into Pakistan and Afghanistan has been, and is, a disaster.
45
posted on
05/11/2009 12:12:24 PM PDT
by
Straight Vermonter
(Posting from deep behind the Maple Curtain)
To: xzins
I hope all you guys are right, but I have a real problem picturing zero doing anything pro-military.
To: EagleUSA
Shooters are extremely happy about this choice - Understand that. McChrystal is a damn fine choice (though he will likely butt heads with the WH about wanting to be more aggressive).
To: 9YearLurker
Very. This change does sound like an improvement.
Militarily we can win. The trouble is the politics foreign and domestic.
48
posted on
05/11/2009 12:54:56 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
To: Dog
this is VERY bad news for Al Qaeda the Taliban in Pakistan.
49
posted on
05/11/2009 12:58:21 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
To: xzins
Looks like he eats more than just snakes.
50
posted on
05/11/2009 1:03:45 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
To: swarthyguy
Sadly, they're not just closing them, but destroying them. The historical and archaeological value alone is unfathomable. They are anti-intellectual. If it isn't in the Koran who needs to know it.
51
posted on
05/11/2009 1:08:20 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
To: counterpunch
Afghanistan was the Soviet's Vietnam. They got their asses kicked there. Plus, they had a lot of tanks, etc., which we do not have in Affieland. Yet, they got their butts kicked. I seriously doubt that we can do a total win there. The country is just too mountainous and isolated. Plenty of hills for the bad guys to hide in. Hit and run stuff. We will just do some damage here and there, but I doubt a total win. Same crap we did in Nam. Hump for days, weeks, and never see Charley, then all of a sudden, there the little sucker was and we got bloodied.
52
posted on
05/11/2009 1:09:18 PM PDT
by
RetiredArmy
(Right wing military retiree. Proudly on DHLS hit list!!!!!)
To: xzins
The problem will be resupply from Iran.The problem goes back to before Persia even existed as an empire. The geography, tribalism and economics of Afghanistan are tough, tough and terrible. We'll be there forever. It will be a long, slow process and the setbacks are built in.
53
posted on
05/11/2009 1:11:13 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
To: swarthyguy
You’ll note all the problems internationally that occur due to arbitrary political boundaries imposed by previous empires, no? Politicians kick the can down the block in every era.
54
posted on
05/11/2009 1:13:31 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
To: 1010RD
That one Sufi shrine had apparently been closed to visitors and devotees, but you are absolutely correct, the ancient Buddhist statuaries are being devastated, never mind the Hindu temples of antiquity, long gone.
55
posted on
05/11/2009 1:26:36 PM PDT
by
swarthyguy
("We may be crazy in Pakistan, but not completely out of our minds," ISI Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha)
To: RetiredArmy
The Russians also tried to ANNIHILATE an entire generation of Afghani's with anti personnel devices aimed at children. They were NOT trying to "win hearts and minds", just make slaves which is why the Mooj grabbed an even tighter control on the country side. Our forces have done a LOT of good for the urban areas and the TB's know it. They are now the ones using outright intimidation on the populace and they will loose. These people want to live their lives, grow their poppies and goats. There are a very large number that will not put up with the Taliban any more. That is why Pakistan is now the HQ and home of AQ
Good hunting, General McChrystal.
56
posted on
05/11/2009 1:27:57 PM PDT
by
Mr. Jazzy
(No greater friend, no worse enemy -The United States Marine Corps.)
To: RetiredArmy
The Soviets never expanded into Pakistan.
As in Nam, the US never really stopped the resupply ships entering Haiphong harbor.
In AFPAK, for the past seven years, the US has allowed the Talibs to R&R in Pak before venturing back into Af.
We’ve been fighting with a hand tied simply because of political considerations.
Now, it seems the situation is too dire to engage in figleafism.
Hence the long over due expansion of efforts into Pakistan.
57
posted on
05/11/2009 1:30:02 PM PDT
by
swarthyguy
("We may be crazy in Pakistan, but not completely out of our minds," ISI Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha)
To: xzins
I had the privilege of working with McChrystal in Iraq. They don’t come much better.
58
posted on
05/11/2009 1:41:55 PM PDT
by
yazoo
(was)
To: Dog
“He lead the hunt for Zarqawi....and got him.”
And hundreds of other bad guys. He knows how to use technology and boots on the ground to accomplish the mission.
59
posted on
05/11/2009 1:44:58 PM PDT
by
yazoo
(was)
To: swarthyguy
Yes, I have a hard time understanding a world perspective that on one hand is absolutely certain it is correct and yet everything is a threat to it.
These Islamists need some serious psychological help. Lead is only a short-term solution.
60
posted on
05/11/2009 1:47:54 PM PDT
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
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