McChrystal Rejects Scaling Down Afghan Military Aims...ok, i say get the fuck out

[spanone]

p.s. generals don't make policy...they follow their commander in chief or they get out of the way

.

LONDON — The top military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, rejected calls for scaling down military objectives there on Thursday and said Washington did not have unlimited time to settle on a new strategy to pursue the eight-year-old war.

In a speech to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a private policy group here, General McChrystal said that the situation in Afghanistan was serious and that “neither success nor failure can be taken for granted.”

He was speaking in Britain — America’s close ally in Afghanistan — a day after he had participated by video link from London in a White House strategy session on the war that included President Obama, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and an array of senior advisers.

General McChrystal was asked by a member of an audience that included retired military commanders and security specialists whether he would support an idea put forward by Mr. Biden to scale back the American military presence in Afghanistan to focus on tracking down the leaders of Al Qaeda, in place of the current broader effort now under way to defeat the Taliban.

“The short answer is: no,” he said. “You have to navigate from where you are, not where you wish to be. A strategy that does not leave Afghanistan in a stable position is probably a short-sighted strategy.”

He did not mention Mr. Biden by name.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/world/asia/02general.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. I say fire McChrystal's ass. Isn't he the one who fudged the info on Pat Tillman?

:grr:

[spanone]

3. yes, link

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090525/zirin2

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. Thanks for providing the link. I was actually asking a rhetorical question. I've read about

it and heard him give testimony on it. I despise his lying guts.

[Avalux]

8. Don't forget he thinks torture is OK.

http://washingtonindependent.com/45193/former-interrogator-presses-for-mcchrystals-stance-on-abuse

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. Just an all round great guy. Do you think he believes someone wants to

steal his bodily fluids?

[Avalux]

2. McChrystal needs to be put in his place, NOW.

He is overstepping his bounds and instead of working with Obama, has decided to publicly disagree (in Britain, no less!), as if he's the one calling the shots.

Enough of this asshole shooting off his mouth. Fire him.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. He has no power to reject.

coc

[TwilightGardener]

6. He may not support scaling back--that's fine, that's his opinion.

I don't know how many generals ever think scaling back military missions is a good idea--they're all about war, and more war. They have hammers, they see nails. As long as he understands it isn't up to him, and that he needs to step down from his post if he isn't committed to the President's directives.

[Royal Sloan 09]

7. Time to replace General McCan't who dissed his Boss's idea?

He's got to go! Talking down the President and the VP's idea, not good. Pack your bags general.

[Thothmes]

10. Thats right, get rid of him. Get a real yes man in that spot.

[Avalux]

11. You're missing the point.

There's nothing wrong with him disagreeing with Obama. It's how he's chosing to do it - very publicly. 60 minutes, FAUX news, a think tank in Britain...what next?

This is not how the military works - there are penalties for insubordination.

[Thothmes]

13. Stating ones professional opinion is not insubordination

it becomes insubordination when he refuses to carry out the policy decisions of the President of the United States. To day, he has carried out his orders.

[rubberducky]

9. Mc Chrystal needs to remember what happened to MacArthur.

If he doesn`t want to follow orders someone else will.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

14. This is insubordination and it's being put to the test

of public opinion. That McChrystal's superiors are allowing this to happen makes me very nervious.