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Obama upset that McChrystal spoke on how to win in Afghanistan

Imagine being in charge of thousands of American lives and the fate of a country and only getting a phone call over a period of seventy days. What would you do? Try to bring some sunshine on what needs to be done to win:

McChrystal


Barack Obama furious at General Stanley McChrystal speech on Afghanistan
The relationship between President Barack Obama and the commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan has been put under severe strain by Gen Stanley McChrystal’s comments on strategy for the war.

In London, Gen McChrystal, who heads the 68,000 US troops in Afghanistan as well as the 100,000 Nato forces, flatly rejected proposals to switch to a strategy more reliant on drone missile strikes and special forces operations against al-Qaeda.

He told the Institute of International and Strategic Studies that the formula, which is favoured by Vice-President Joe Biden, would lead to “Chaos-istan”.

When asked whether he would support it, he said: “The short answer is: No.”

He went on to say: “Waiting does not prolong a favorable outcome. This effort will not remain winnable indefinitely, and nor will public support.”

The remarks have been seen by some in the Obama administration as a barbed reference to the slow pace of debate within the White House.

Gen McChrystal delivered a report on Afghanistan requested by the president on Aug 31, but Mr Obama held only his second “principals meeting” on the issue last week.

Think about that: It’s already October 4. No wonder he’s insisting on reporting the facts on the ground.

What did McChrystal get so far?

The next day he was summoned to an awkward 25-minute face-to-face meeting on board Air Force One on the tarmac in Copenhagen, where the president had arrived to tout Chicago’s unsuccessful Olympic bid.

All of 25 minutes.

Makes you wonder how long a fitting took for that empty suit Obama’s wearing.

John Guardiano writes on Leaking for National Security. Go read it.

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Comments

  4. > All of 25 minutes.

    Most of which was probably butt-chewing and not really discussion of the commander’s issues with Obama’s obviously failing policies.

    > Makes you wonder how long a fitting took for that empty suit Obama’s wearing.

    You referring to The Emperor’s New Clothes?

  6. Imagine, Afghanistan and win in the same sentence.

    What will the arm chair, chicken hawks concoct next? Check the MIC.

  7. I’m not any more comfortable when McChrystal speaks publicly or even leaks then when Gen Jones or even the misunderstood statement of Gen Shenseki. Generals, like children, should be seen and not heard. And before anybody starts yammering about 1st Amendment rights it might be wise to consider that sworn military personnel do not have the same rights as citizens as limited by the UCMJ.