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McChrystal was effed from the get go. Operating and planning from the Bush NSS, he accepted his job as Gates was still there.

Obama failed to deliver the manning after months of delays of his own National Security Strategy.

The rules of engagement changed from week to week and finally, Obama answered with about 1/3 the troops being requested approved.

McChrystal knew this would not fufill his plan for success, as did most of the rest of the folks in theatre.

I have know idea what a Petreus demotion brings to the table. But, at least, Petreus has an Obama NSS to work from to formulate a strategy.

Good post. McChrystal did inherit a culture of minimalizing the full challenge of Afghanistan. Bush began the coronation of Karzai as the future of Afghanistan. Hilary and Obama to their credit saw the fallacy in that but didn't rise to do anything meaningful about it.

Ironic that Petraeus, Bush's appointment and historical savior now gets tapped to be Obama's savior. Cincinnatus redux.

You are right in that Obama dithered for months that were crititcal to a logistical buildup of our forces. We will not have our assets in place until September, halfway through the fighting season.

That hesitation destroyed McChrystal's tactical options.

One hopes that the eminence and credibility of Petraeus, who wrote the book on counter-insurgency, will succeed where his student could not.

However, (hopefully) positive results will still come too late to rehabilitate Obama's image for re-election, he's toast.