Gates Tightens Rules for Military and the Media

nyt ^ | 7/2/10 | Thom Shanker

[Nachum]

WASHINGTON — Nine days after a four-star general was relieved of command for comments made to Rolling Stone magazine, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates issued orders on Friday tightening the reins on officials dealing with the news media.

The memorandum requires top-level Pentagon and military leaders to notify the office of the Defense Department’s assistant secretary for public affairs “prior to interviews or any other means of media and public engagement with possible national or international implications.”

Just as the removal of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal from command in Afghanistan was viewed as President Obama’s reassertion of civilian control of the military, so Mr. Gates’s memo on “Interaction With the Media” was viewed as a reassertion by civilian public affairs specialists of control over the military’s contacts with the news media.

[Nachum]

How convenient

[FlingWingFlyer]

Someday the military is going to figure out that the maggots in the “media” are not their friends.

[ScoopAmma]

So happy to hear they have their priorities in order. Nine days to put this written policy together. Where are the new ROE’s?

[Arrowhead1952]

Gen. McChrystal was / is an idiot. Anyone with that many years of service should ask the Public Affairs Office about interviews with certain news outlets. SOP for most of us.

Loose lips sink ships.

[Blogger]

With as many detrimental leaks as there have been from the cowards in the press, I can’t argue with this one at the surface.

[SandRat]

and Commands/Careers/Reputations.

[LukeSW]

I have it on very good sources (former Army flag officers) that McChrystal was an outstanding general, and far from an idiot.

The issue was we have a narcissist for a President. He can't tolerate any negative comments. Has nothing to do with civilian control of the military. McChrystal was in fact carrying out the wishes and directives of the President. Has everything to do with Presidential control of his own fragile self image. Neither Lincoln nor either of the Bushes would have made such a big deal about the RS article. But then, neither was the laughing stock that Obama is.

[missnry]

HEY GATES GO TO THE CLUE LOCKER!! Obama doesn't even know what a Corpsman is - the guy is a total poser and most in the military know it.

[BARLF]

http://www.isaf.nato.int/media-visit-information.html

[Enterprise]

"Just as the removal of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal from command in Afghanistan was viewed as President Obama’s reassertion of civilian control of the military"

The dismissal of General McCarthur by Truman is something all officers are acutely aware of. McChrystal has not publicly challenged Obama about the course of the war. And he sure as hell has not said something to the effect that he wants to expand the war beyond Afghanistan to nations assisting the Taliban. McChrystal got fired because over a period of time some snarky comments were made. Hastings, we assume, went to Afghanistan to cover the war. He ended up being a tattle tale bitch, unworthy of being in the company of fighting men.

[VeniVidiVici]

Gen. McChrystal was / is an idiot.

Right. Got his hand slapped. Then put in his retirement papers to retire at his current 4-star rank.

Sounds pretty darn smart to me.

I think he planned this whole thing. Obviously he is no dummy so he "sacrificed" his career and in return got wide dissemination of what everyone knows but noone has the balls to say. That Obama and Biden are worse than "stuck on stupid", they have redefined stupid.

[widdle_wabbit]

I hear that, and concur.

[Arrowhead1952]

The issue was we have a narcissist for a President. He can't tolerate any negative comments.

I understand that too, but we always ask the PAO if we should do any interviews and they usually tell us to hush.

[Arrowhead1952]

... Then put in his retirement papers to retire at his current 4-star rank.

Sounds pretty darn smart to me.

I think there will be a lot more retirements coming with the current corrupt admin.