Wednesday, June 23, 2010

McChrystal: Why did he do it?

The recent bombshell in Rolling Stones magazine featuring General Stanley McChrystal's harsh words for the Obama administration really has me puzzled.
The general had a reason and a motive for such actions. Military commanders do not just let their opinions fly, especially in a time of war. And soldiers in general are taught to avoid the media. 

So why did he do it?

Only two things come to mind. One, he wanted to lose his job because he is burnt out from a variety of factors entailing the job of top commander in Afghanistan, one of which is the Obama administration's continual lack of interest or cooperation. Two, that his convictions regarding the Obama administration and said neglect are so strong that he would willingly risk his job so that the deserving American public would know the truth. 

It is outrageous really. Just think back to 2009, which showed the highest number of US casualties since the war started and Obama didn't even bat an eyelash! General McChrystal had to tug on King Obama's pantleg just to get him to recognize the war. If you'll recall, McChrystal voiced his opinions last year as well. Of course that didn't go over well with the boy king. Now we have round two, and it will likely cost the General his job.

My favorite excerpt?

The general first encountered Obama a week after he took office, when the president met with a dozen senior military officials in a room at the Pentagon known as the Tank. According to sources familiar with the meeting, McChrystal thought Obama looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by the roomful of military brass. Their first one-on-one meeting took place in the Oval Office four months later, after McChrystal got the Afghanistan job, and it didn't go much better. "It was a 10-minute photo op," says an adviser to McChrystal. "Obama clearly didn't know anything about him, who he was. Here's the guy who's going to run his f-----g war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed."


There was a motive behind this. A man like General Stanley McChrystal doesn't criticize his superiors in random interviews just for the hell of it. Maybe he just hates Obama.

A salute to you General!

4 comments:

Fredd said...

Naw, Hack. This kinda grousing about dipshit military leadership has been going on since Nero was crowned at age 16, and started lecturing his battle hardened generals on how to fight.

Stan's only mistake was letting a Rolling Stone reporter into the officer's club.

Anonymous said...

MacArthur had no problem going after Truman.

Fredd said...

Why is it that only Democrats seem to have uppity generals dissing them?

Republicans know how to get their generals to knuckle under. Perhaps we should elect Republicans to sit in the Oval Office from now on.

Gorges Smythe said...

Take a good look at the photo above. Does that look like love and admiration on the general's face?