...quoting another famous military man.
-PJ
Posted on 06/23/2010 10:31:05 AM PDT by reaganaut1
Obama chooses Gen. David Petraeus to replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal as top Afghan commander, according to the Associated Press.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Yeah, I’ve been wondering about that lately. During my time in the Clinton-era Army, the officer corps seemed to be 75-85% Republican and generally despised Clinton. Enlisted men weren’t quite as overwhelmingly Republican as officers, but certainly leaned that way.
I’ve heard a lot of reports (many from dubious sources) claiming that the Army has been trending Democrat since 2004. It certainly seemed like Bush became unpopular among soldiers as Iraq dragged on. Obama certainly did well in donations from active duty soldiers in 2008, though he evidently only got a quarter of their votes.
Ridicule needs to be heaped on Obama. Withering, constant ridicule targeting all his frailties. He will not handle it, and better, he will be less able to carry on with abuses.
Great post, Nepeta!
I agree with you. McChrystal knew full well this would happen. So the question becomes, why would he fall on his sword this way? This was an incredibly daring move.
Some have questioned McChrystal’s decision to go to Rolling Stone... would he really go to the lame stream media? Think about that.
I am wondering how bad things really are and how much is going on behind the scenes for the General to step up this way. He certainly made a supreme sacrifice, and it wasn’t out of stupidity or naivity, but a desperate move by a courageous and honorable man. Too bad there aren’t too many of those around anymore.
That is the way I read it too!
I’d hate to be in Petraeus’ position right now. Hard to abandon the troops. Hard to agree to be the leader who sends them to a senseless death.
I really, really hope that Petraeus will have a serious talk with Obama and only accept the position on his own terms. If Obama won’t do right I hope every person Obama taps on the shoulder resigns. I’m sick of him screwing our troops, our Constitution, and the rule of law.
That’s why they have the hijab.
A classic!
Based on McC’s history as profiled in the Stone piece, McC is just going to roll with this. He’s probably relieved to be out from under the thumb of the worst president in history.
Yes, that’s it! LOL
True! Hoisted by his own petard of Rules for Radicals.
Karma ........
Rule 5: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It’s hard to counterattack ridicule, and it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.
Did McChrystal retire his commission or his assignment?
Obumbles reaches for the “Easy button” because he has absolutely no clue how to do otherwise. The narcissist is incompetent. Period.
Back in the bad old days of the Soviet Union, Stalin used to shoot his generals when they told him unfortunate truths.
As a result, the generals lied and flattered his ego and let the Germans advance into Russia, to avoid giving Stalin “The Bad News”.
If I recall correctly, General Zhukov and General Khrushchev were the only two that were somehow graced with permission to tell the truth.
History has never told us why.
I am comparing Obozo to Lincoln in that Lincoln went through 8 Generals during the Civil War. There is no other comparison between Lincoln and Obama. Obozo is not even fit to shine the shoes of Lincoln.
D'OHbama!
“Unless it’s an “additional duty” and he keeps CENTCOM as well.”
What does this say about Obama’s attitude about the military? That CENTCOM and running a war in Afghanistan are only part-time jobs, hence 1 person can easily handle both?
Petraeus is awesome, but he’s not Superman. Apparently the president has no qualms about risking the Afghan war outcome by giving its management to someone who by definition can only tend to it part time.
Of course, Obama himself has substantially eroded our chances for success by imposing an artificial deadline for withdrawal that is incentivizing Karzai to start cutting deals with the Taliban. So maybe he’s thinking 2 steps ahead about whom to blame when it all goes sour.
Using his own logic, maybe Obama should appoint HIMSELF to the Supreme Court. After all, he has experience in constitutional law and for someone with his talents, handling 2 part-time jobs like the presidency and being a Supreme Court justice should be a piece of cake. As a former Senator, his confirmation would be a cakewalk.
Response: This may be the best thing that ever happened to McChrystal. I know I would feel honored to be relieved of any military command by the imbecile.
Yes. There are very few slots for full (4 star) Generals, and I'd bet a lot that every one of them requires Senate approval. The Army is not about to send this guy to Capitol Hill to be grilled about his thoughts on BO, Biden, and the rest. Time to update the resume.
...quoting another famous military man.
-PJ
I was joking, It is what I would expect Obambi to do, because his ROE are SO gay.
Agreed. That alone is proof of his incompetence. Radical, anti-American rag that seems to pay its authors per curse word.
Pretty shabby treatment of him, too. Not being invited into the sit room. Not being allowed to return to Afghanistan to collect his gear and say goodbye. He went straight to the Pentagon and I'm betting all the paperwork will be done today and McChrystal is in civilian clothes by tomorrow morning. And I don't doubt that the quoted members of his staff will be with him shortly. I'll bet they all wish they had never heard of "Rolling Stone".
US, Afghan forces hammer the Haqqani Network in Paktia ( Villagers join in...)
No. He's being allowed to resign and retire. His pension and his rank are intact.
Also, all the Generals and officers should resign...sort of, “what if they gave a war and nobody came.”
This country is still in the middle of two wars which need leadership, regardless of who is in the Oval Office. If they quit en mass then they're abandoning their troops in the field.
When I read on some blogs that a revolution is coming, it worries me that there might be a military coup coming with it.
There won't be. The loyalty of the officers is to the country and the Constitution, not any one man.
Senator Barack Obama Questions General Petraeus 2007, wherein the Kenyan blathers on, imitating a man, and doesn’t let the General get a word in edgewise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIUej6VJzII
Hey! Idiots take offense to that.
0dumbo doesn't rise to the level of being an idiot!
It’s just weird. Unless he is totally clueless (which I hope he isn’t), then he knows what Rolling Stone is. It’s not exactly The Wall Street Journal. That mag is going to do whatever it can to undermine the war, the troops, etc., and make a fool of anyone associated with it. Did he do it on purpose? I just can’t figure it out.
If LA, AZ keep up the pressure...and then Blank-Os trial is bound to put some added stress....Now the military is piling on and then there’s the BC cases coming up at the end of the month....
Think of anything else we could add (or stir up)?
;~)
Honored! And if he writes a book I’d be honored to buy it!
The mission isn’t going to change, Obama isn’t going to change, the only thing that will change is Obama will put Petreus in Afghanistan with too few troops to get the job done. I don’t get it. Senators and politicians can excoriate the military like John Murtha, Harry Reid, Senator Obama, and Hillary Clinton. The General Betray Us Ad can be printed in the paper of record, yet no military member can say boo about the misgivings of the politicians? I think something is wrong here.
At least the good General’s men are hammering away at the goons as the CIC fires him.
Yikes! I don't think even Hussein would go *that* far.If McCrystal is leaving the military it would be through standard retirement with full pension,etc.
It was due to a volcano, and the fact that McChrystal's staff couldn't STFU:
No clue about that - sorry.
Pity Patton didn’t survive. He likely would have turned the country into something that wouldn’t have allowed this to happen down the road.
Hopefully someone with some brains will get to Obama and let him know it would be a really bad move to pull his pension and have a decorated war hero, well-respected in the military, and a specialist in black-ops with a score to settle with Obama.
I think everyone in the military, including McChrystal, knew Obama had to remove him. No president can tolerate this big a breakdown in military discipline and be seen as THAT weak by our enemies (despite the fact they are apparently already catching on). I think a quick retirement will leave most of the military brass understanding that McChrystal gave him no choice; vindictive measures will make Obama a major enemy for the military fast - although the Kenyan is getting there on his own pretty quickly.
MacArthur also had this right (from a 1984 article in American Heritage): "He warned of “insidious forces working from within” to destroy traditional “moral precepts” and to turn the government itself into “an instrument of despotism. ” These same sinister forces, he hinted, had engineered his dismissal and were even using the taxing power to destroy the American soul. They “seek to make the burden of taxation so great and its progressive increases so alarming that the spirit of adventure, tireless energy and masterful initiative… shall become stultified and inert.”
Well, no one ever listens to the generals as they tell the truth about military operations.
You just know “VP Bite Me” is going ‘viral’... Too funny.
btw, GOOD to see you...........as always!
Obama is looking for one who wants to lose (and he has failed miserably in allowing David Petraeus to take charge. He sure doesn't want General "Betrayus" out there doing something as dumb as working for a victory).
Perhaps the most charitable definition here falls into the "desparate times call for desparate measures." This is like having your grocery store owner have to micromanage the vegetable aisle.
The Obozo’s such a weak sissy. He should just man up and accept the fact that people may say nasty things about him, and that the mission is bigger than he is.
Ridicule needs to be heaped on Obama. Withering, constant ridicule targeting all his frailties. He will not handle it, and better, he will be less able to carry on with abuses.
Post of the day.
“MacArthur,
McClellan,
McChrystal...
I’m detecting a pattern.”
Yes. Gasp. Americans are prejudiced against Scotts-Irish generals.
I was just being clever. As someone of Scots-Irish descent, I certainly am not prejudiced against them!
A likely story. I bet you’re an Uncle MacThomas:-)
BAHAHAHA ... The Ego has landed. I think this was McChrystal's intention all along. He sees the writing on the wall. This will be Bam Bam's tar baby now. I feel bad for our troops and any failures will be laid at the feet of Petraius.
If he gets seriously razzed, though, like a Friar’s Club Roast, he may decide to push the button and destroy the world.
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