Posted on 10/08/2009 1:48:42 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
Army officers gathered at a convention in Washington this week said senior White House officials should not have rebuked Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, for saying publicly that a scaled-back war effort would not succeed.
The hallways at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center buzzed with sympathy for McChrystal, who has said the U.S.-led effort in Afghanistan risks failure without a rapid infusion of additional forces. Obama and his advisers are now debating strategy in Afghanistan, with some officials arguing against additional deployments.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
A few easy tips on how to lose a war
Obama has managed to cram four years of Jimmy Carter's incompetence and cowardice into less than nine months -- an Olympic record! It took years for Carter to build a track record of fecklessness and cowardice big enough to invite the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but Obama bested Carter with the Taliban in mere months.
Liberals -- including Obama -- opposed the war in Iraq supposedly because of the theory that Iraq 'diverted' resources from Afghanistan, which was the war they pretended for seven years and eleven months to support. Now libbies say they suddenly oppose the war in Afghanistan because Afghanistan 'diverts' resources from Pakistan, where al-Qaeda is. When liberals finish surrendering to the Taliban in Afghanistan, they'll claim we shouldn't fight in Pakistan either because Pakistan 'diverts' resources from Afghanistan, where al-Qaeda just returned!
Making believe he has a clue about what is going on in Afghanistan, Obama got together with his alleged national security team for yet another 'strategy session' on Afghanistan Wednesday after a 90-minute meeting the day before with House and Senate politicians, including eminent war strategists Gen. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. To really put the fear in al-Qaeda, more strategy sessions are scheduled. (And on the seventh strategy session, the messiah will rest.)
Winter is just around the corner and American troops in Afghanistan still don't have reinforcements and are running out of ammo and water and are getting bombed and shot at from all directions -- but look at those strategy sessions the White House is having! How can we lose???
Obama spokesman Baghdad Bob Gibbs told "reporters" (or, Democrats with press passes) that Obama "is going to make a decision -- popular or unpopular -- based on what he thinks is in the best interests of the country." Depending on which country Gibbs is talking about, this would mark the first time. His own commander on the ground along with Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen and CENTCOM Commander David Petraeus all say reinforcements are needed -- versus Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. This is a real brain teaser.
For almost two years, some chap named "Sen. Barack Obama" headed up a subcommittee which oversees NATO ops in Afghanistan, so maybe the 'president' should ask him what to do.
Showcasing his decisiveness, Obama's strategy on Afghanistan since becoming president has been to announce a 'comprehensive new strategy', hold on to it for at least five minutes, then change his mind. In March, Obama announced a 'comprehensive new strategy' on Afghanistan, sending another 21,000 troops to carry out the fight without Obama. Six weeks later, he appoints Gen. Stanley McChrystal as ground commander because McChrystal is against relying too much on drones. Late August rolls around, polls go south, and Obama begins to disagree with decisions made weeks earlier by Obama. Now Obama wants to rely more on drones.
On September 30, just one tiny month after Gen. McChrystal handed in his assessment for Obama to ignore, Obama held a 3-hour strategy session on when to hold the next 3-hour strategy session where no decisions will be made.
Afghanistan was called the Soviets' 'Viet Nam' but warmongering George W. Bush and the other grown ups eight years ago knew it's either invade Iraq, hang a huge flypaper there and get the blanket of swarming jihadists buzzing into it or Afghanistan rapidly becomes the Great Satan's prolonged war/'Nam-style quagmire, too. Win the Afghan war in Iraq or lose both. The run up in the U.S. troop body count in Afghanistan is happening concurrent with talk of bugging out. Even beyond Afghanistan, Bush's 'unnecessary war' in Iraq kept binny and the boys so diverted and distracted that, eight years on, the all-but-certain and inevitable second 9/11 on U.S. soil never happened. But voters sent a former ACORN community organizer to finish a grown up's job so better gird your loins for Viet Nam II.
Anyway, that's...
My Two Cents...
"JohnHuang2"
Hi John, wish you were able ro be here as much these day as earlier.
This is sometimes a precursor to mutiny.
We’ve already been mutinied.
BHO has no standing to argue this. He has no knowledge of military matters. If he is angry with McChrystal it is either that the money required will put his health plan in jeoprady or, worse, he doesn’t want to win anyway.
Looks to me like he is on the road to losing the confidence of those who do the fighting. Beyond sad that we put this guy in there.
All these officers swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Zer0 has the arrogance of the child who believes the world revolves about him. He must get his way. He won’t accept the wisdom of others because “he” is perfect.
The same old Zer0; excercising the politics of personal destruction.
The man-child is not capable of rational discourse.
Another day, another rebuke by the Obama administration. He’s losing friends fast and running out of room under the bus.
Obama and his advisers are now debating strategy in Afghanistan ...
The Big 0's version of LBJ's "Best and Brightest"?
We used to have a War Department and it served us well. Congress and our President would decide war was necessary and unleash our military. Generals and admirals decided how to win. After WW II the War Department was changed to the Department of Defense and look at our record. Truman interfered with MacArthur and look what happened. Johnson micromanaged in Viet Nam and look what happened.
President Bush gave the military a free hand and Desert Storm was about as efficient an operation as possible. His son interfered some when he decided we should rebuild Iran in our image, but eventually it worked. He gave a free hand in Afghanistan and it wasn’t long before it was quiet enough to be referred to as “The forgotten war” - until Obama became involved.
Personally, I think wars should be run by generals and admirals, not politicians.
There has been a strategy since March. O is afraid to offend his far left base lest he lost health care support.
O dithers, troops die.
In this case, troops are deliberately left to die.
Pork Chop Hill writ large?
LLS
The kindest word I can puke up for this gaggle of socialist nit-wits is bastard.
They should feel honored, however, as the term applies neatly to their CIC!
In a similar vein:
By design or incompetence Obama creates Afghanistan quagmire - ALAN KEYES
O is afraid to offend his far left base and the rest of the criminals of this world: Muslim extremists, Chicago Mafia, Homosexual despots, South American tyrants, Red Chinese, Tyrannical Unions, Kim ill, the Rich and Famous supporting the subversion of America, and I’madinnerjob.
They did, and they might have to take the white house for us all
McChrystal is a servant of the Constitution and not of any person. He is subordinant to the Commander in Chief, but constitutionally he is also under the regulation of the Congress. With regard for the necessary secrecy that goes with any classified information, he is to be candid with the people as well, who are the “America” that is reflected in and the reason for the broad purview granted to Congress by the Constitution. Congress is the “public” in miniature.
In short, therefore, Gen. McChrystal is to be broadly candid when asked for an assessment by any of his “bosses.” We all know that out-and-out dishonesty to the Congress, the President, or the people is a betrayal of trust and a chargeable offense.
Of interest is that McChrystal’s brother is a high-ranking chaplain (Assembly of God, I think) in the US Army (if he hasn’t retired by now.) That family is deeply religious, and I assume that the brother’s faith and forthright ethical approach might give some indication of McChrystal’s own.
I'm thinking a Sherman (from the Civil War) type apporach should fix things up nicely.
Where is Admiral Thomas Moorer when we really need him. For those who don’t remember (because it was carefully hidden) JCS Chairman Moorer spied on President Nixon and was ready to force Nixon out of office with the full backing of the U.S. military! OH PLEASE!!!!
Want to get in on my “Preakness Pool”?
ECOMCON will handle the betting.
perhaps you meant Iraq.
As an former Infantry Officer from the Viet Nam war, this kind of crap demoralizes the hell out of your men. Here we were still humping the bush and getting shot at in 71 72, and the press and our esteemed leaders were telling the American Public that we were no longer in the field. The guys would get newspapers from home telling them that they were longer in the field, but were preparing to come home. They were lieing about Casulaties every week.
We are in contact with what we call the juniors, The present day company outfit I served with when I was with the 1st Cav. They are a fine bunch of young men doing an outstanding job. Their last tour, we pitched in and bought them quality sniper equipment cause the Army couldn’t get it to them! REminds me of when I couldn’t get replacements to the field because the Army had given all the canteens to the South Vietnamese Army in 1971.
It really pisses me off! These young men derserve better than that.
Politicians and damn gov’’t beureacrats can’t fight wars. Soldiers fight wars. You would have thought that America learned something 40 years ago, but I don’t guess not, and it is sad.
I believe the chaplain, a friend of mine, is his son. And I also believe he is now retired.
They are plainly saying that President Zero has had no executive strategy, for a war he has Commander in Chief responsibility to lead, some nine months after taking office.
Let me repeat:
His own Administration and spokesmen are plainly saying that President Zero has had no executive strategy, for a war he has Commander in Chief responsibility to lead, some nine months after taking office.
Incredible.
His brother was my division chaplain when Gen McChrystal commanded the Ranger regiment. They’re roughly the same age.
“...If he is angry with McChrystal...”
He’s angry at General McChrystal because General McChrystal has shown himself to be an AMERICAN MAN who knows how to do his job, and FuBo is a cowardly, communist FOOL puke who considers half of THIS country to be the real enemies.
“...You would have thought that America learned something 40 years ago...”
That’s because those very same POS scumbags that were, in 1971-72, back here providing aid and comfort to the Viet Cong and NVA communists (and their Chinese and Soviet benefactors) while you were in the field getting shot at are now Democrat and RINO US Senators and Congressmen and have finally gotten their Manchurian Candidate in place in the WH.
They almost had it with J F***ing Kerry - HE’S arguably the WORST traitor, because he was still in uniform and betraying brethern still in the field.
Well, they have it now with OBumblef*ck in the WH and he’s the perfect foil for them - you can’t criticize him because it’s “racist” if you do, or you just “hate the black man”...blah blah blah...
Treason is treason and should have no statute of limitations; it just takes men with balls to prosecute them for it, and no one ever stepped up to do it and hold these b*stards accountable.
One political party is wholly bought and owned by the enemy of our history, our culture, our faith, and our very LIBERTY, and the other party is feckless and without the testicular fortitude needed to prosecute them and slap them behind bars.
That’s why we’re here, brother. That reason, and no other.
Obama, you are a piss poor, lack luster, incredibly naive, grossly egotistical military leader. You will be fired November, 2012. Please invite me to the White House so I can tell this to your face in front of all MSM cameras.
Yup.
What you said!
Are we taking about Scott?
Eventually those officers will have to decide whether a given order, regardless of who issued it, is constitutional and if they will obey it.
Yeah, at this rate he’s going to have to buy out Greyhound.
Whoops. Yep.
Scott, yes.
Could have sworn it was father and son. We served together several times.
Scott was a grunt lieutenant in Vietnam. Stan wasn’t a butter bar until ‘76.
I graduated from college the same year. The early years of the all-volunteer force were challenging to say the least, and I'll bet that GEN McChrystal had many of the same experiences that I did.
The Carter Administration was a disaster for the armed forces: shortages of everything imaginable; troops, equipment, spare parts, POL, money for training, etc.
One of my "extra duties" was to serve as an Augmentation Reserve Force (ARF) Commander in the event that a nearby Nike Hercules battery came under attack from terrorists.
I was allowed four hours to get my 40 men equipped and trained as an infantry unit. Two hours was spent scrounging the necessary web gear, and another 90 minutes was spent in infantry training. As we were an ADA battery, these guys hadn't had infantry tactics since basic. I was fortunate that my ROTC program was one of the best in the country (my spring breaks were spent at Fort Lewis, to boot).
How did I select my men for these missions: "Hey You!", except for my two Vulcan gunners. I made sure these were two men I trusted, because when we rolled into the assembly area, we had live 20mm ammo loaded to the breech.
Live ammo was distributed to all soldiers, which added to the seriousness of the situation.
Fond memories to this day...lol.
Great stuff, NHN.
I was just finished with an enlisted tour and 2 years into college in ‘76. The early 70’s were very strange years.
I was an artillery LT in Viet Nam. Hmm? Was their father an officer? I just seem to recall having conversations with Scott about his father...and thought he was a General.
I think Stanley’s a West Pointer and Scott is something like Citadel. (Norwalk, VMI?) That would seem to indicate a military minded family background. I don’t know if their father was a general, though, but I’d trust your memory.
OK - I have it...it was their father that I was thinking about: MG Herbert McChrystal
Wikipedia: Scott had 4 brothers and a sister...all of whom served or married into the military.
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