McChrystal is out

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Gen. David Petraeus will take over for Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the top commander in Afghanistan after Obama relieves him of duties following controversial remarks.

To his detriment, McChrystal has lots of military experience, but no political savvy.

To his detriment, Obama has lots of political experience, but no military savvy.

I think the loser here is the American war effort in Afghanistan.

I hope that if McChrystal resigns his commission, he will take every opportunity to voice his opinions, since he will no longer be constrained. It would be very interesting.

John
 
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I don't see how there could have been any other outcome.

I would like for M to voice his opinions, but I hope whatever he does or says after his retirement isn't to the detriment of the effort in Afghanistan. It might be better if he would wait a year before speaking out.
 
I saw a brief interview with the author of the Rolling Stone article. He seemed to have nothing but respect for the General. And less kind words to say about the Obama administration.

In the end, the fact remains that Obama is the least experienced man in the room, whatever room he walks into, in whatever capacity.

Patton was a General that would take no Quarter from a sissified civilian politician who wasn't fit to lick his boots. McCrystal is no different.

Ask me how I really feel?
 
Not being a military feller myself and only knowing of it what I've been told by relatives and friends and what I've read in the history books...

It seems that Gen. McC. life kinda parallels that of Gen. Grant in some ways.

He seems to be a feller I'd get along with mostly- I don't really know though. Perhaps I'll invite him down to come by and get some coffee and go fish'n and get the scoop.

I wonder if he'd help me hill the taters too? ;)
 
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This is bad for all. As the old saying goes "the truth will set you free"
 
There are plenty of civilian corporations where badmouthing, belittleling or ridiculing your superiors will get you a pink slip, PDQ, so that is not the issue here. Patton and MacArthur both suffered from oversize egos
and in MacArthur's case it was his faulty strategy that resulted in the 8th Army being too spread out and unable to resist the Chinese Intervention.
MacArthur's poor reaction to that reversal of fortune and the fact that it was Ridgway who turned the 8th Army around and saved MacArthur's hide
became known and led to the quick downturn in the "MacArthur for President" movement at the time.
As the French political figure Talleyrand said "We were given tongues to hide our thoughts."
 
But why is Gen Petraeus being demoted from Central Command to the Commander in Afganistan??
Gen McChrystal was subordinate to Gen Petraeus. OK, he mouthed off and got fired, but why punish his boss?

So who will be put into Central Command?

I understand that a C in Chief can do whatever he wants, but for a military guy, this is grade 3 strange.
Of course, I may be making a mistake by assuming the White House staff understands how strange this is.....
 
Read it. Not a lot new or surprising. Long war... frustration... cynicism... and a reporter taking pottymouth tattletale notes.
 
While I know that the general was out of line with his comments I have to respect him for doing it. The comparison with Patton was a good one.
 
The ridiculous rules of engagement that our troops are saddled with are the real story behind all of this.

Handing out a medal for "restaraint" is about the silliest thing I've ever heard of.

Just read LONE SURVIVOR to see how bad the ROE was a few years back, it's far worse now.
 
Maybe if Harry Reid loses in the elections, O will appoint him to replace Petraeus.:eek::D
 
McChrystal kept a civil tongue longer than I would have been able to while working for an unaccomplished community organizer who woke up one morning in command of the most powerful military on earth.

He is better off unemployed.
 
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