Don't Blame McChrystal, Blame Obama

Washington Post- Post Partisan ^ | 6/22/2010 | Jackson Diehl

[Qbert]

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal should not lose his job because of the article about him in Rolling Stone magazine. If anyone deserves blame for the latest airing of the administration’s internal feuds over Afghanistan, it is President Obama.

For months Obama has tolerated deep divisions between his military and civilian aides over how to implement the counterinsurgency strategy he announced last December. The divide has made it practically impossible to fashion a coherent politico-military plan, led to frequent disputes over tactics and contributed to a sharp deterioration in the administration’s relations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The virtue of the Rolling Stone article is that Obama may finally have to confront the trouble. But the dismissal of McChrystal would be the wrong outcome. It could spell disaster for the military campaign he is now overseeing in southern Afghanistan, and it would reward those in the administration who have been trying to undermine him, including through media leaks of their own.

[Snip]

Nor is McChrystal the only participant in the feuding who has gone public with his argument. A scathing memo by Eikenberry describing Karzai as an unreliable partner was leaked to the press last fall. At a White House press briefing during Karzai’s visit to Washington last month, the ambassador pointedly refused to endorse the Afghan leader he must work with.

Biden, for his part, gave an interview to Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter in which he said that in July of next year “you are going to see a whole lot of [U.S. troops] moving out.” Yet as Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates tartly pointed out over the weekend, “that absolutely has not been decided.” Instead, Biden was pushing his personal version of the strategy Obama approved, which calls for the beginning of withdrawals next year...

[Ancient Drive]

Obama is looking smaller and smaller next to McChrystal every minute.

[Jim Robinson]

The idiot Obama is going to get a lot of good people killed. I wish they’d just bring them home now. To hell with Afghanistan.

[ABQHispConservative]

This is in the Washington Post? Wow.

[tsmith130]

I starting to think that also...my son is schedule to go there in 6 months.

[equalitybeforethelaw]

Ooops, looks like WAPO is pulling their support for the one. I guess they read the Hillary polls?

[OB1kNOb]

I agree. Bring the troops home. Then send in the bombers.

[whence911]

We are living in a catch 22 world when it comes to our president. If things were under a normal president who had a clue, McCrystal would be retired. But if things were normal, there would have been no need for him to make those comments.

If Obama had balls he would fire him, but then he always does the "wrong" thing anyway. If he doesn't fire him, does that mean Obama thinks McCrystal is correct? You can only get into these situations when you have an inexperienced wroingheaded idiot in charge.

[ex-snook]

The military in another FUBAR situation. All wars which have not been Constitutionally declared have the same result. Presidential Constitution work-arounds always end up with a divided nation.

[RedMDer]

This is in the Washington Post? Wow.

My first thought as well.

[jimbo123]

[kbennkc]

The idiot Obama is going to get a lot of good people killed. I wish they’d just bring them home now. To hell with Afghanistan.

You got it . Nation building is for settlers and pilgrims , not American fighting men and women .

[BAW]

This is in the Washington Post? Wow.

Exactly what I thought!

[Irenic]

I agree. Bring the troops home. Then send in the bombers.
******************************************
hear hear

[Qbert]

Agree.

If they’re going to do a job, do it right, otherwise...

[Gen. Burkhalter]

Some parts of this story are just plain weird. I learned today that Gen. McChrystal voted for BHO. A general??? What was he thinking?

And moreover, this interview with Rolling Stone? What was that all about? Why not Stars and Stripes?

[beethoven]

I agree with you. If we’re going to fight a war, let’s fight a war. . .Drop the bomb and it get over with. Bring our troops home. . .If our troops were along our own boarders, we could certainly improve our own country. . . My son and my brother are Marines. They do not respect Obama.

[Deb]

Eikenberry should have been called home when he first made his statements that undermined the mission that McChrystal was given to win the Afghan people as well as the fighting war.

Right in the middle of the most delicate negotiations with Karzai, the idiot tells the press he isn't a good partner and started the whole fiction that Karzai was corrupt.

Its difficult to keep believing an administration could be so completely inept. They have to be willfully working to weaken and defeat us.

[hinckley buzzard]

Fearless prediction is that McChrystal will offer his resignation, obama will decline it but will extract concessions of obedience and support such that McChrystal will be reduced to the status of little more than obama gofer. He will accept this out of a sense of duty to his men, but it will not end well in Afghanistan.

[OB1kNOb]

My son and my brother are Marines.

May God protect them and keep them safe from our enemies, both foreign and domestic, and return them safely home. Thank them for their service for me please. - OB1