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Merged Gen. McChrystal summoned to Washington over Rolling Stone profile

Wait. I thought military leaders making public statements critical of the Administration and its policies were brave whistleblowers who, despite the military code, are worried enough to bring attention to serious proble-

Ermm..are you referring to the RETIRED Generals who gave the Shrub what-for? If so, why? Irrelevant to an active-duty yutz having been caught with his trousers down.
 
There is no way you can be an effective commander and let a subordinate tell you that he is going to do things his way because he knows everything.

Good thing McChrystal never told Obama this then.

He is surrounded by the sort who think that the military should set policies as well as develop strategies.

I don't recall any of his staff saying anything like this. What on earth are you talking about?
 
This situation is interesting to me. I don't like Stanley McChrystal. I think he's implicated in the Tillman cover-up. I think he's not serving President Obama well in Afghanistan.

I also don't see that he needs to be fired for this. I think he should be fired as soon as the President thinks he's not performing the job he's been given, and if that's now, then he'll go. But short of that, the anti-authoritarian in me sort of respects people who mouth off. I also think this is yet another in a long line of shiny objects the press loves to glom on to to declare that "Obama needs to do X" or else he's "weak". You know what's weak? Firing your general because a tub of goo like Dana Milbank says you should.
 
Former special forces. If that has ever included delta force he probably has.

Delta force commonly airs all their complaints in the media? There are two issues here, complaining about your boss, and talking to the media in this fashion. My understanding is that the second is very broadly controlled for active members of the armed services.
 
Ermm..are you referring to the RETIRED Generals who gave the Shrub what-for? If so, why? Irrelevant to an active-duty yutz having been caught with his trousers down.

Nope. Thanks for playing "selective memory." We have some lovely parting gifts for you.
 
This situation is interesting to me. I don't like Stanley McChrystal.

I tend to agree. (Oh, and with much of what I snipped, too. I had/have some doubts about him. I am not sure that this incident is firing-worthy, but it sure doesn't help the impression of him or put his judgment in good light. It would be hard to criticize his firing/forced resignation, either way.)
 
The correct response is to demote the guy.... Do nothing=soft ... Fire him=spiteful, petty, and small...
 
Are you advocating turning the Commander, ISAF and USFOR-A billet into a 3-star position? Otherwise, demote = fire.

Are you suggesting he can't be demoted? I'm not a military expert ... but that seems a stupid way of running an organization.
 
Are you suggesting he can't be demoted? I'm not a military expert ... but that seems a stupid way of running an organization.

Problem is when you are a Three Star, there are very few places to be demoted to.
And to lower his rank would involve a formal military court martial.
Once again ,we have a LOT of ignorance about the way the Military operates.
 
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This situation is interesting to me. I don't like Stanley McChrystal. I think he's implicated in the Tillman cover-up. I think he's not serving President Obama well in Afghanistan.

I also don't see that he needs to be fired for this. I think he should be fired as soon as the President thinks he's not performing the job he's been given, and if that's now, then he'll go. But short of that, the anti-authoritarian in me sort of respects people who mouth off. I also think this is yet another in a long line of shiny objects the press loves to glom on to to declare that "Obama needs to do X" or else he's "weak". You know what's weak? Firing your general because a tub of goo like Dana Milbank says you should.

Anti Authoritiarianism does not work real well in the Military.
 
Stanley runs away

'...Gen McChrystal quickly apologised for the magazine article, The Runaway General, written by Michael Hastings and due out on Friday, extending his "sincerest apology" and saying it showed a lack of integrity.

"It was a mistake reflecting poor judgement and should never have happened," he said.

President Obama said on Tuesday he wanted to talk with the general in person before deciding what action to take.

US media reports said Gen McChrystal had submitted his resignation, but it was up to the president to decide whether to accept it. There has been no official comment on the reports. ...'

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10386624.stm

Yet another Usan general runs away when under fire.

Either Stanley meant what he said about the administration in Washington or he didn't.

If he didn't mean it, then he has no judgement or credibility for saying things that he didn't mean and shouldn't be allowed near anything pointy. If he did mean what he said then he should stand by it. Running away is just cowardly.

If Stanley were to be booted out it would in fact be a great shame, as he was responsible for massively curtailing the wanton murder of Afghan civilians that demeaned previous US commanders periods in charge.

If he does go, you can more or less guarantee that the US military's pervasive contempt for civilian lives will quickly resurface, leading to huge numbers of unnecessary deaths - to the endangerment of UK troops lives and a prolonging of this already enormously long war. What's the betting it goes on for another 10 years?

If Obama has any sense left he will not allow that to happen but in the midst of his anti-British campaign it seems as though he has lost almost all his common sense and now panders to the rednecks in the Usan media and the stupid (Republican) party.
 
Problem is when you are a Three Star, there are very few places to be demoted to.
And to lower his rank would involve a formal military court martial.
Once again ,we have a LOT of ignorance about the way the Military operates.

I am certainly learning a great deal about the military. Nothing to its credit, unfortunately. I'm reminded of Kubrick's Doctor Strangelove ....
 
Are you suggesting he can't be demoted? I'm not a military expert ... but that seems a stupid way of running an organization.

He could theoretically be demoted. But his current position requires a four star rank.
 
Are you suggesting he can't be demoted? I'm not a military expert ... but that seems a stupid way of running an organization.
Of course he can be demoted - after a Court Martial - but he cannot be demoted and keep his command.

ETA: Rats, dtugg beat me to it...
 
Are you suggesting he can't be demoted? I'm not a military expert ... but that seems a stupid way of running an organization.

He can be demoted, my question is whether you are proposing that he be demoted in rank but keep his "job" - in which case he retains all the authority of a four-star command billet (which is his "job"), he just takes home a few pennies less (which, at his level, has a little less impact than losing a stripe). I don't know, that seems somewhat...
spiteful, petty, and small

I am certainly learning a great deal about the military. Nothing to its credit, unfortunately. I'm reminded of Kubrick's Doctor Strangelove ....

I would think the lesson you are learning is that petty punishments are discouraged. Either the guy can do the job, in which case give him a strongly worded reprimand and send him back, or he can't, in which case fire him. Trying to hit him in his pocketbook for punishment makes no sense.
 

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