AAR

[dick]

McChrystal's faux pas doesn't inspire much confidence in the military operation in Afghanistan, does it? A general dissing the CIC in a national publication makes one believe he has the smarts of a ten penny nail. And he's in command?

[Karaa]

Unfortunatley, unlike with Gen. Petraeus, with Gen. McChrystal, it's harder to tell whether he is truly a fish or a fowl.

On the one hand, McChrystal seems to be one of the very few to get it *right* in Afghanistan by stressing more CIMIC less discriminate air strikes which only serves to alienate the very pop. the "int. community", supposedly, is there to "save".

Unfortunately, McChrystal also stands for the very Bush Admin establishment that got it so, so wrong, both in Afghanistan, but especially in Iraq: the so-called "US intelligence", the no-post-invasion-plan-whatsoever slash pure ideology-spiked invasion & occupation, Abu Ghraib-GITMO-torture-giving-finger-to-the-human-rights.

So McChrystal today is very much like the poor boy who cried wolf.

I think the so-called "international community" has already drawn its own conclusions, scaling down the military operations in Afghanistan, after eight and half or so years with no "peace" in sight. So the only guestion really is, what is the United States of America's response. With a brief glance at the military history of the United States of America, I can tell that nothing a GOG says will affect the Washington establishment. Wars like the this are just too profitable, and at times like this, certain countries just cannot afford to shut down such important part of their economies.

My predictions is, there will be a bit of a dog and pony show. McChrystal, being thoroughly repleacable, will be fired, and it will be "business as usual" in Afghanistan/Pakistan border. Ka-ching for missile producers, who again will post record profits.

[erhea13]

Actually, McChrystal didn't comment on the president to Rolling Stone. It was his immediate subordinates joking around with a Rolling Stone reporter in the room. Lots of arguments have abounded lately concerning the conduct of the reporter reporting on something that was supposed to be "off the record". Frankly, ours is a media culture where almost nothing is kept secret. Consequently, both McCrhystal and his subbordinates showed a marked lack of judgement in being so candid with a reporter present. I do not like Obama, but I feel he did the only thing he could do in this situation by replacing McChrystal. The military is not a place for open dissent. It undermines the chain of command. I support Generals who are candid with the president but make their concerns known respectfully and away from prying eyes.
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