McChrystal spoke truth to power

McChrystal spoke truth to power http://tinyurl.com/2757nx8

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal and the inconvenient truth about “Mission Impossible”

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/06/mcchrystal-spoke-truth-to-power.html

Jun 23, 2010 ... President Barack Obama stripped Army General Stanley McChrystal of his command of US troops in Afghanistan for making disparaging remarks ... Gee, one may only imagine that journalists will have great access to the military now – maybe not…

What we are left with is a mixed bag.

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal got into trouble with the president and the leadership of the Democrat Party because he publicly said what many in the military and foreign policy development and execution have been saying privately for over a year.

The president had no choice but to relieve him of command.

Of course if Gen. McChrystal had uttered such observations during the Bush Administration, there would no end to the praise adulation from the very same Democrat leaders.

In the parlance of those on the left: McChrystal spoke truth to power.

McChrystal out; Petraeus picked for Afghanistan - Yahoo! News
Jun 23, 2010 ... President Barack Obama ousted Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the top US commander in Afghanistan on Wednesday, saying that his scathing ...

Would that be this General Betray Us? http://tinyurl.com/2f9atzy

Or this General Betray Us? McCain Asks When Clinton Will Apologize to Petraeus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXcXzoHjqhE&feature=related

Gee, I’m guessing that the appointment of General Petraeus requires a certain “suspension of disbelief.”

The Obama administration's attitude towards the military makes the Clinton administration's view look respectful...

That said, what McChrystal did was wrong. The military protects freedom of speech - it does not practice it.

Not to perseverate upon the issue, however, if the American public were to be aware of the increasingly - absolutely seething intellectual revolt of the American military over the military practices and policy of the Obama administration, it would make the alarm over the economy present like Romper Room.

If the traditional media continues to cover-up for the president, it will only add gasoline to the fire.

I have wanted to write about it; however, I usually avoid anonymous sources... (The most vocal are former Obama supporters.)

I have been observing the military closely since the late 1960s and I find the current unrest in the military unnerving.

The grunts on the frontline in Afghanistan call the war effort, “Mission Impossible.”

In spite of his extraordinary service as a black ops warrior, I have not been a McChrystal fan of the role he has played as the top military commander in Afghanistan.

However firing Gen. McChrystal for expressing the opinion of an increasingly large majority of military could precipitate an even bigger crisis.

How the president handles this current matter is critical. To paraphrase someone wiser: “The inconvenient truth is that when it comes to the substance of his criticism, most in the military think McChrystal ‘was right.’”

While we are attempting to sort it all out, be sure to read the Baltimore Reporter’s June 23, 2010 post: Obama’s Rules of Engagement In Afghanistan Will Ensure Our Failure (Filed under: General, bad foreign policy, Democratic weakness in Defense and the War on Terror) — Robert Farrow from Flopping Aces: The new rules of fighting a war….Obama style, via George F. Will: (h/t The Captain’s Journal.)

It may be found here: http://www.baltimorereporter.com/?p=8158

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Related: "Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal (had) been summoned to Washington to explain a Rolling Stone article that includes highly critical comments by him and his staff about Vice President Biden, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry and other top Obama administration officials." - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/22/AR2010062200813.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR

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McChrystal's Job in Peril After Obama Slam

Obama leaving options open on firing McChrystal, Gibbs says
By Michael D. Shear, Ernesto Londo?o and Debbi Wilgoren
Washington Post Foreign Service
June 22, 2010 5:05 AM
President Obama reacted angrily to derogatory comments by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, about administration officials involved in Afghan policy and is leaving his options open about firing him, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday.

Is Gen. Stanley McChrystal someone the president can afford to fire?
By Greg Jaffe and Ernesto Londono Washington Post Staff Writer
June 22, 2010 11:25 AM
Is Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal someone the president can afford to fire?

Obama the sphinx By Richard Cohen
June 21, 2010 4:33 PM
Like his foreign policy, Obama's intellectualism lacks heart.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal comments in Rolling Stone magazine
Ernesto Londono
Washington Post Foreign Service
June 22, 2010 10:09 AM
Washington Post foreign correspondent Ernesto Londono discusses the latest developments regarding Stanley McChrystal's interview with Rolling Stone magazine in which the top general criticized Obama administration policies in Afghanistan.

McChrystal's press aide resigns amid flap
By Ernesto Londono
Washington Post Foreign Service
June 22, 2010 9:33 AM
KABUL -- Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's civilian press aide resigned Tuesday over an upcoming magazine story that portrayed the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan and some of his aides as derisive toward Obama administration officials.

Labels: Iraq War General David H Petraeus, Military McChrystal Gen Stanley, Politics Liberal hypocrisy, Pres 2009 44 Obama-Barack, World Middle East Afghanistan

20100622 drft sdsom Gen Stanley A McChrystal notes

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20080315 Join me in wishing Admiral William Fallon well in his long overdue retirement

Join me in wishing Admiral William Fallon well in his long overdue retirement

March 16^th, 2008

Columnist Michael Barone has written an intelligent analysis about the “abrupt resignation of Adm. William Fallon as the head of Central Command…”

I for one, sure hope the doorknob does not hit him on the behind while he is on his way out…

Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert Gates announced his resignation last Tuesday, March 11, 2008 as the commander of Central Command.

No doubt his resignation was toasted by many in the military that evening.

Secretary Gates was, as usual, rather forthcoming as to the resignation stating Admiral Fallon’s reasons involved the controversies that have resulted from the recent, March 11, 2008, article in Esquire magazine: “The Man Between War and Peace,” by Thomas P.M. Barnett.

Gee – ya think?

Others in the military will quietly tell ya Admiral Fallon got confused and thought it was his job to set military and foreign policy instead of implementing it.

He did everything possible to undermine his bosses, Secretary of Defense Gates and President George W. Bush; and cut the knees out from under General David Petraeus. All the while, he overlooked several aspects of his job, such as was reported in the Washington Times - “Warriors welcome Fallon's resignation” by Sara Carter, March 13, 2008:

“Current and former military officials welcomed the resignation of Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, saying he failed to prevent foreign fighters and munitions from entering Iraq.”

To be certain, not to be overlooked is the fact that Admiral Fallon has led a storied career in the military and that we should all appreciate - and thank him for his service.

Nevertheless, we can wish him the best of luck in his retirement, which is, by many accounts, long overdue. Maybe now he can be a military analyst for Katie Couric or the New York Times – or Code Pink. He’ll fit in quite comfortably.

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The Importance of Fallon's Fall by Michael Barone, Saturday, March 15, 2008

The abrupt resignation of Adm. William Fallon as the head of Central Command almost got lost amid the breaking news of Barack Obama's victory in the Mississippi primary and Eliot Spitzer's resignation as governor of New York. But it's a much more consequential development -- in the foreign and military policy of the Bush administration in its final year in office and in the relations between civilian commanders and military officers in the long run of American history.

Though everyone involved denies it, Fallon was kicked out for insubordination, or something very close to it. His conduct became impossible to overlook after the publication of a jauntily written article in Esquire by Thomas P.M. Barnett, author of "The Pentagon's New Map."

Barnett paints Fallon as a seasoned officer who coolly and wisely has been frustrating George W. Bush's desire to invade Iran. He points out that Fallon opposed the surge in Iraq ordered by Bush in January 2007 and that he has tried to rein in Gen. David Petraeus, whose leadership of the surge has produced such impressive results. He seems to take it for granted that readers will applaud Fallon for opposing a move that converted likely defeat to a high chance of success.

Fallon also made it plain that he wants to withdraw troops from Iraq, as soon as possible -- even though Defense Secretary Robert Gates has approved Petraeus' request for a pause after currently scheduled troop withdrawals end in July.

Fallon is not the first subordinate to work openly to undercut the commander in chief…

[…]

Read his entire column here: The Importance of Fallon's Fall

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20080315 Join me in wishing Admiral William Fallon well in his long overdue retirement