Merged Gen. McChrystal summoned to Washington over Rolling Stone profile

[MattusMaximus]

You know it's funny, I thought the same thing about most of the MSM aka NYTimes,MSNBC etc when Bush was President and I dont even like Bush.

Guess you'd also need to throw Obama himself in there criticizing Petraeus when W was the President no?

And yet only now it sickens you?

Why do you assume that? It's a false premise, FYI. I'm a pretty committed Democrat, I didn't vote for Bush, I fought vociferously against him sending troops into Iraq (I even engaged in public protests, recorded public debates, had my house vandalized for "hating America" in the run up to the war, and so on), but once they were there and we were committed, I tended to lean on the side of supporting his military decisions. After a certain point, resisting the war effort became moot.

I'm pretty liberal, and I was a supporter of MoveOn.org - right up until the point where they ran that goddamn stupid "General Betray-Us" ad when Petraeus was attempting to push the "surge" strategy in Iraq to a skeptical Congress. After that, I was finished with MoveOn.

So yes, I'm being consistent. Feel free to bundle up another straw man, I'll burn that one, too

 

[NoZed Avenger]

Bully for that author, he/she is spot on in their analysis. I further commend that author, and you Zig, for leaving any political bias out of this particular discussion.

And, I should say, that like the author of that article, I am breathing a huge sigh of relief that Gen. Petraeus has been called upon to replace McChrystal. President Obama made a good move there.

Agreed. It sounds like he's got the confidence of a lot of the service, as well.

Good move that hopefully shows a commitment to winning over political considerations.

 

[MattusMaximus]

You are already seeing a real divide between those in the GOP like McCain who are knowledgable about the Military and are not rushing to glorify McChrystal, and the Tea Baggers who are trying to do the MacArthur/Truman routine with this.

I was wondering if this sort of thing was going to happen. Do you have a link on this?

If true, the GOP had better step lightly, because this could become a political land mine for them.

 

[MattusMaximus]

Agreed. It sounds like he's got the confidence of a lot of the service, as well.

Good move that hopefully shows a commitment to winning over political considerations.

This. If only others would put aside politics when dealing with clearly non-political subject matter

 

[Drysdale]

Why do you assume that? It's a false premise, FYI. I'm a pretty committed Democrat, I didn't vote for Bush, I fought vociferously against him sending troops into Iraq (I even engaged in public protests, recorded public debates, had my house vandalized for "hating America" in the run up to the war, and so on), but once they were there and we were committed, I tended to lean on the side of supporting his military decisions. After a certain point, resisting the war effort became moot.

I'm pretty liberal, and I was a supporter of MoveOn.org - right up until the point where they ran that goddamn stupid "General Betray-Us" ad when Petraeus was attempting to push the "surge" strategy in Iraq to a skeptical Congress. After that, I was finished with MoveOn.

So yes, I'm being consistent. Feel free to bundle up another straw man, I'll burn that one, too

I was making a broader statement referring to much of the media. That Betrayus bit sickened me as well. Had no idea of how you reacted.
If that was your reaction though I apologize and good for you.

I'd hope the GOP does'nt try and make hay with this. Although I have no doubt they will. It is politics after all. If it was'nt Obama would have kept Petraeus in the first place.

 

[MattusMaximus]

I was making a broader statement referring to much of the media. That Betrayus bit sickened me as well. Had no idea of how you reacted.
If that was your reaction though I apologize and good for you.

Understood, and apology accepted

I'd hope the GOP does'nt try and make hay with this. Although I have no doubt they will. It is politics after all. If it was'nt Obama would have kept Petraeus in the first place.

Me too. We really, really, REALLY don't need something like this devolving into a political free-for-all. As someone pointed out earlier, it will be interesting to see if there is a military-professional vs. Tea Party split in the GOP on this one.

That said, I don't hold out much hope that this won't be fodder for the rightwing noise crowd.

 

[Nosi]

General Stanley McChrystal & Obama Lock Horns

General Stanley McChrystal got the sack resigned after badmouthing President Obama and Vice Pres. Biden in Rolling Stone Magazine. McChrystal will be replaced by General Petraeus.

In the magazine interview, the general ridiculed Vice President Joe Biden, White House envoy to Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke and US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry. Members of General McChrystal's staff said that their boss had failed to engage with Mr Obama from the outset and believed the president had been unprepared for their first meeting last year soon after the general's appointment. The general's staff also called Mr Obama's national security adviser James Jones a "clown".

 

[leftysergeant]

If true, the GOP had better step lightly, because this could become a political land mine for them.

Just watch the GOP start wetting their pants in excitement and using this as a way to show that the president hates the military and that McC is a martyr.

Kiss the military vote goodbye, rightwhackers.

 

[dudalb]

Another thread in progress in US Politics. Suggest merger.

 

[Ziggurat]

Just watch the GOP start wetting their pants in excitement and using this as a way to show that the president hates the military and that McC is a martyr.

Kiss the military vote goodbye, rightwhackers.

Oh lefty, don't ever change!

 

[Nosi]

Another thread in progress in US Politics. Suggest merger.

OK, how?

 

[geni]

Agreed. It sounds like he's got the confidence of a lot of the service, as well.

Good move that hopefully shows a commitment to winning over political considerations.

Or the only "safe pair of hands" fallback option due a lack of a plan B.

 

[applecorped]

I have a copy of Rolling Stone. #20. It came out on my birthday back in 1968. The Beatles are on the cover.

 

[Nosi]

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.)

McCrystal "resigned". He wasn't "fired". He is now out of the public eyeball and presumably a civilian. That doesn't mean he's necessarily no longer in theater. Outfits such as the former Blackwater outfit were full of 'civilian contractors'.

It is also possible he is back in the shadows where he is/was most comfortable, away from the Gucci restaurants he most despised, commanding from the shadows.

 

[ravdin]

Technically, Obama doesn't have the authority to "fire" McChrystal, i.e. remove him from active duty. He only has the authority to relieve him of command. That pretty much spells the end of his career and he'll almost certainly retire from the military very soon- but it would take a court martial to remove him otherwise, and Obama would not decide the outcome.

 

[leftysergeant]

Oh lefty, don't ever change!

What? Did you think the military will see McC as a victim?

(I mean besides being a victim of his aligator mouth writing checks his mousy ass can't cash.)

 

[Cain]

OK, how?

By exercising Obama-like leadership: Cooly sit back and hope it takes care of itself.

 

[Darth Rotor]

It is real simple.

The General put the President into a position where the President had to fire him, or look like a standard liberal nancy.

So, the president manned up, and fired his ass. As he should have, given the loose talk he allowed his staff to engage in, in explicit violation of UCMJ article 88, which all of those field grade and above officers know damned well and good. In a word, unprofessional.

Loose lips sinks the generalship. I wonder if the General wanted to be fired. I wonder if he deliberately encouraged such trash talk so that he'd be fired before mission failure.

I'll never know, not being psychic.

Sylvia, a little help here?

 

[Thunder]

Ive read the interview. Its nuts.

Maybe this guy did want to get fired.

 

[Ziggurat]

What? Did you think the military will see McC as a victim?

Nope. That wasn't my point at all. Nice try, though.