Now Comes the Hard Part for Petraeus (Oliver North)

Fox News ^ | July 1, 2010 | Col. Oliver North

[jazusamo]

Washington, D.C. — It was the speediest nomination, Senate confirmation hearing and vote to affirm a presidential appointment since President Obama moved into the White House.

Shortly after noon on June 30, just seven days after he was named to replace General Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. Senate voted 99-0 to appoint General David Petraeus as the next commander of the International Security Assistance Force (COM-ISAF) in Afghanistan. He faces extraordinary challenges. Unfortunately, the O-Team isn't likely to make a tough job any easier.

General Petraeus takes command in the midst of an increasingly difficult and bloody campaign. U.S. and NATO casualties topped 100 in June, the highest since the war began in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 on U.S. soil. The 46-nation "grand coalition" he now heads under a United Nations mandate is rife with dozens of conflicting "national caveats" that limit how troops from various countries can be deployed and employed. Placating our "allies" in this fight is a full-time task in itself.

The "surge" of 30,000 additional U.S. troops, which Obama famously announced in a surreal speech at the U.S. Military Academy on December 1, 2009, is not yet complete. Logistics support for deploying additional forces to a country suffering from "infrastructure deficit disorder" continues to be hampered by the need to move personnel, equipment and supplies into Afghanistan by air or overland through lovely places like Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. All of these routes depend on the good will of their governments and exorbitant fees for fuel, bases, security and transit rights.

Meanwhile, factions in both Iran and Pakistan are doing their best to confound any possibility of "success" -- the word Obama uses instead of "victory" -- for what we're trying to achieve in Afghanistan...

[MrPiper]

Since he voted for Obama, and a host of other reasons, I do not share your enthusiasm for McChrystal

He is Delta force,, you believe he voted for the bastard?? Don't think so.

[arjay]

Linda Chavez quotes from the rolling Stone article the following:
“McChrystal’s first mistake was to vote for Barack Obama. McChrystal told Rolling Stone that although he had voted for Obama, his first meeting with the president didn’t go well. In a thinly disguised reference to “sources familiar with the meeting,” Rolling Stone quotes its source — unmistakably McChrystal — as describing the president as “uncomfortable and intimidated” in a roomful of military brass. Well, what did he expect? He voted for a man who not only had zero military experience but no executive experience whatever — and one, moreover, who positioned himself as the anti-war candidate during the Democratic primaries. And it is not as if Obama was running against a Republican with similarly unimpressive credentials. How could anyone whose top priority was the U.S. military pick Barack Obama over war hero John McCain?

[MrPiper]

Linda Chavez quotes from the rolling Stone article the following: “McChrystal’s first mistake was to vote for Barack Obama.

I guess you believe in Santa Claus ..also.....LOL!!!!!

[MrPiper]

Linda Chavez quotes from the rolling Stone article the following: “McChrystal’s first mistake was to vote for Barack Obama.

for those that don't know,,,the Army compared to Delta Force is like Kindergarten compared to College..... just FYI!!!

[arjay]

I do not understand your reply. Numerous people have stated he voted for Obama. Rush and Boortz and Hannity among others.

Since McChrystal stated it, one would assume he knew who he voted for.

Believe what you want.

[arjay]

You might also check out this thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2541762/posts

[LibertyRocks]

Thanks for posting the link! That interview with Bartle Bull WAS great! I’m going to have to watch the other one tomorrow.

[Edgewood Pilot]

A true patriot.

[TomasUSMC]

Win?
What have we won?
Is Iraq going to help US go fight against Iran? NO.
Is Afghanistan? NO.
Do both consider US infidels, do they maintain islam as the official religioin YES YES

I’d hate to leave and see OBL parade around cheering Afghan crowds. But what is the end product we are looking for? Democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan? If Islam is in charge, there is nothing else.

So if we kill all the insurgents and taliban and AQ tomorrow, what would we have? Two allies worth the billions and the BLOOD? I don’t think so.

Nuke Iran, disarm Pakistan and proceed from there.... or sooner than you think that will be done to US.

[Prole]

I am sure Barry promised him the sun, the moon, and the stars.

[Future Snake Eater]

Where does it say he was CAG? The article said he went SF, but that’s pretty different from CAG.

Also, why do people on FR continue to believe that b/c someone is high-ranking in the military or they were some Johnny High Speed Super Soldier that that means they know their ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to politics?

McChrystal was overeducated and underenlightened. He fell for Obama, realized his error too late, and, in the process, got a lot of guys killed due to his ridiculous RoE. He will not be missed.