Oh dear, I fear General Stanley McChrystal will be making a one-day trip to Washington after U.S. President Barack Obama summoned him to Washington to explain his less than flattering remarks about the Obama administration that are due to appear in this week’s edition of Rolling Stone magazine.Like it or not we have civilian leadership over our military. The civilians are not always terribly smart about things military, and sometimes we even wonder if they're on our side, but they are in charge and the kind of disrespect shown by McChrystal probably deserves firing. You can read more about the actual article and what was said about various political leaders at Hot Air.
Gen McChrystal has already apologised for the remarks, but that has not saved him from Mr Obama’s rage. There are many misguided souls in this world who still believe that the American president who is fundamentally a nice guy, who doesn’t get involved in petty political in-fighting.
Well, they are about to have a rude awakening. You don’t get to be elected President of the United States simply for a being a nice guy. You need to be a ruthless, political opportunist, and Mr Obama has these qualities in abundance.
The Obama administration gave serious consideration to dismissing McChrystal last autumn after his outspoken comments at London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies, in which he openly called on the Obama White House to back his surge strategy for Afghanistan.
Mr Obama thought better of sacking him then, but the hapless American general has now given Mr Obama all the ammunition he needs to fire him. Which is why I rate the chances of Gen McChrystal surviving his latest showdown with Mr Obama as zero.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Flat Stanley
That may be how Gen. Stanley McChrystal will be described after an upcoming meeting at the White House. McChrystal gave a very unguarded interview to Rolling Stone and may become the first commanding general sacked in a time of war since Gen. MacArthur during Korea. Con Coughlin at the UK Telegraph describes the situation:
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2 comments:
If Hitler were in charge, would it still seem right to keep quiet with that strange smell wafting in the air?
No. Sometimes you have to speak up against civil servants that have gone off the rails. It might break protocol, but it is the right thing to do.
The general might lose his job, but at least he was telling the truth; a commodity that is sorely lacking in our country.
I read that Rolling Stone has more of the interview which they won't publish because it was off the record. Betcha they've already sent The Won a complimentary copy of thos remarks.
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