McChrystal Is Summoned to Washington Over Remarks

This guy voted for Obama!

KABUL, Afghanistan — An angry President Obama summoned his top commander in Afghanistan to Washington on Tuesday after a magazine article portrayed the general and his staff as openly contemptuous of some senior members of the Obama administration.

An administration official said the commander, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, would meet with President Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House on Wednesday “to explain to the Pentagon and the commander in chief his quotes in the piece,” which appears in the July 8-22 edition of Rolling Stone.

General McChrystal was scheduled to attend a monthly meeting on Afghanistan by teleconference, the official said, but was directed to return to Washington in light of the article. He apologized for his remarks, saying the article was “a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened.”

The article shows General McChrystal or his aides talking in sharply derisive terms about Mr. Biden; Ambassador Karl Eikenberry; Richard C. Holbrooke, the special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan; and an unnamed minister in the French government. One of General McChrystal’s aides is quoted as referring to the national security adviser, James L. Jones, as a “clown.”

A senior administration official said Mr. Obama was furious about the article, particularly with the suggestion that he was uninterested and unprepared to discuss the Afghanistan war after he took office.

The magazine article, entitled “The Runaway General,” quotes aides of General McChrystal saying the general was “pretty disappointed” by an Oval Office meeting with Mr. Obama, and that he found the president “uncomfortable and intimidated” during a Pentagon meeting with General McChrystal and several other generals.

The article does not mention any serious policy differences with Mr. Obama, who chose General McChrystal to take charge of a major escalation of American troops and materiel, in hopes of reversing the deteriorating situation here.

In his statement, General McChrystal said, “I have enormous respect and admiration for President Obama and his national security team, and for the civilian leaders and troops fighting this war and I remain committed to ensuring its successful outcome.” Still, the article seems destined to raise questions about General McChrystal’s judgment, and to spark debate over the wisdom of Mr. Obama’s strategy, at a time when violence in Afghanistan is rising sharply and when several central planks of the strategy appear to be stalled. Two important American allies, the Dutch and Canadians, have announced plans to pull their combat troops out of the country.

Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Tuesday in remarks broadcast on CNN that he had “tremendous respect for General McChrystal” and warned against overreaction to the remarks.

“My impression is that all of us would be best served by just backing off and staying cool and calm and not sort of succumbing to the normal Washington twitter,” Mr. Kerry said. The author of the article — Michael Hastings, a freelance journalist — appears to have been granted intimate access to General McChrystal’s inner circle. Most of the comments seem to have been uttered during unguarded moments, in places like bars and restaurants where the general and his aides gathered to unwind.

The Associated Press, citing an unnamed American official, said that a special assistant to General McChrystal who coordinated the article had resigned. The assistant was identified as Duncan Boothby, a civilian contractor to the Pentagon. About Mr. Holbrooke, Mr. Obama’s special envoy to the region, an aide to General McChrystal is quoted saying: “The Boss says he’s like a wounded animal. Holbrooke keeps hearing rumors that he’s going to be fired, so that makes him dangerous.”

On another occasion, General McChrystal is described as reacting with exasperation when he receives an e-mail message from Mr. Holbrooke. “Oh, not another e-mail from Holbrooke. I don’t even want to open it.”

The article describes a conversation in which General McChrystal and an aide talk about Mr. Biden. Mr. Biden is known to have opposed the decision to escalate the war, preferring instead a slimmed-down plan focused on containing terrorism.

“Are you asking about Vice President Biden?” General McChrystal jokes.

“Biden?” suggests a top adviser. “Did you say ‘Bite me?’ ”

General McChrystal is also quoted making disdainful remarks about Mr. Eikenberry, the ambassador to Afghanistan, with whom he has had sharp disagreements over the war. Last year, Mr. Eikenberry sent confidential cables to Washington opposing Mr. Obama’s decision to send more troops.

“He’s one that covers his flanks for the history books,” General McChrystal is quoted as saying. “Now, if we fail, they can say, ‘I told you so.’ ”

The magazine article also describes a meeting in which a soldier vents his frustration over General McChrystal’s tightening of the rules governing the use of air strikes against suspected insurgents. In the article, the soldier, Pfc. Jared Pautsch, is quoted telling General McChrystal that he is endangering soldiers’ lives by forcing them to be too restrained.

Pfc. Jared Pautsch is quoted as telling the general the Americans should just drop a “bomb on the place,” and asking, “What are we doing here?”


Jeff Zeleny and Brian Knowlton contributed reporting from Washington.

Fire the bastard, and his staff.

Or leave him there and let him be tatooed forever as the General who lost Afghanistan.

common theme these days: guy says stuff he truly believes, stuff guy says gets reported in a magazine or blog or youtube, guy regrets saying stuff and makes public apology.

I don't think that this is that big of a deal, everyone has people they work with that they don't like, some that they don't respect.

I do, however, think it makes him look petty and childish that he allowed this behavior to be observed by a reporter.

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Originally Posted by Drachen

I don't think that this is that big of a deal, everyone has people they work with that they don't like, some that they don't respect.

I do, however, think it makes him look petty and childish that he allowed this behavior to be observed by a reporter.

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He did vote for Obama. His decision making is in question.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Drachen

I don't think that this is that big of a deal, everyone has people they work with that they don't like, some that they don't respect.

I do, however, think it makes him look petty and childish that he allowed this behavior to be observed by a reporter.

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I disagree. A general shouldn't be making these kind of remarks (publicly) about his commmander in chief. He should save them for his memoirs.

Do none of these retards understand that ANYTHING you say these days will be put on Youtube or recorded via camera phone...or transmitted over the internet to millions upon millions of people..you can't lie anymore...people will know...and fast...if you say dumb shit...people WILL know...there's no more hiding or covering up...information is at everyones fingertips...

he's been ineffective with what he's been given. he's posturing. he's building a door to exit through.

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Originally Posted by fraga

Do none of these retards understand that ANYTHING you say these days will be put on Youtube or recorded via camera phone...or transmitted over the internet to millions upon millions of people..you can't lie anymore...people will know...and fast...if you say dumb shit...people WILL know...there's no more hiding or covering up...information is at everyones fingertips...

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It's not like he was at the bar shooting the shit with the troops and one of them recorded it. He interviewed with Rolling Stones. He knew what he was doing. Obama "Can't handle the truth"

Biden IS an idiot and Holbrooke and Eikenberry are typical state department style hacks. McCrystal shouldn't be apologizing for telling the truth.

he's trying to execute his own dismissal. not very brave for a general.

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Originally Posted by DarrinS

I disagree. A general shouldn't be making these kind of remarks (publicly) about his commmander in chief. He should save them for his memoirs.

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You and I agree here, the second portion of my post basically says something similar. All I was saying with the first portion was that I am not surprised that he doesn't like some of the people he works with, even his boss. It happens.

I would not, however, go tell the office gossip that I hate my boss, or other co-workers which is basically what this amounts to.

The military needs to overthrow the civilian "leadership."

"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 fucking war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed."

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Originally Posted by CosmicCowboy

Biden IS an idiot and Holbrooke and Eikenberry are typical state department style hacks. McCrystal shouldn't be apologizing for telling the truth.

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Funny, I just got done reading the RS article.

If you had read it, I dont think you would come away with the above stated opinion.

McCrystal fancies himself a cowboy. He, his aides, his staff and even his soldiers know there is no "winning" Afghanistan.

Read the article. He can apologize for it now, but you are right on one point, he shouldnt be. One in a position of power should never have to apologize for their decisions, unless of course you knew the decision was a bad one to begin with. Needless to point out what that suggests, no?

Just kill off all the civilian leadership and institure martial law. If anyone protests or gets out of line, they die. I don't care whether that's pussy liberal protestors, urban minorities, gun nuts, Jesus freaks, what have you. Cull 10-20% of the population and that will drive everyone else into terrified submission.

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Originally Posted by DarkReign

Funny, I just got done reading the RS article.

If you had read it, I dont think you would come away with the above stated opinion.

McCrystal fancies himself a cowboy. He, his aides, his staff and even his soldiers know there is no "winning" Afghanistan.

Read the article. He can apologize for it now, but you are right on one point, he shouldnt be. One in a position of power should never have to apologize for their decisions, unless of course you knew the decision was a bad one to begin with. Needless to point out what that suggests, no?

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McCrystal's biggest mistake has been handicapping his troops with the ROE. His replacement will probably be even more political and more restrictive on the ROE. We might as well just get the fuck out of there if we aren't gonna accomplish anything.

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Originally Posted by Homeland Security

Just kill off all the civilian leadership and institure martial law. If anyone protests or gets out of line, they die. I don't care whether that's pussy liberal protestors, urban minorities, gun nuts, Jesus freaks, what have you. Cull 10-20% of the population and that will drive everyone else into terrified submission.

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Article makes mention of that very strategy.

A strategy instituted by the Russians (killing north of 1 million Afghans).

Didnt work out as we all know (the Russian government especially).

Really, McCrystal, comes off as a wanna-be tough-ass to begin the article then transforms into a defeatist at the end.

Because the sober reality is, you cant win in Afghanistan. There is no centralized government that all the people look to for authority (much less respect as an authority). Its a tribal nation that only reacts to foreign incursion that threatens its ability to be tribal and factional.

I would hope much has been learned about the middle east (Iraq) and Muslim nations in general (Afghanistan) with the jaunts into their worlds over the past decade or so.

You either...

a) Stay the fuck out and let them be, for better or worse
b) Kill/Capture who you need to kill/capture and get the fuck out immediately
c) Be prepared to put the entire population "to the sword" wholesale should your goals entail regime change

These countries, the people and their way of life are completely and utterly foreign to us. They dont reason or think the same way (thus the "Western" moniker we wear with such pride). You can bring food, money, jobs and education and these people will still resent you as a foreign invader who doesnt pray to the East (or would be West when standing in Afghanistan?).

Theyre different...insurmountably so. Theyre nothing like you and me and no amount of university rationalization and peer-reviewed studies on human cognition will change the fundamental gaps between us. We are not and never will be seen as "Liberators" by the general populace (much less the warlords and power mongers)...it would be a giant step in relations if we were to be seen as something other than hostile foreign invaders.

Unwinnable by any current, coventional measure. Cant win, it is seriously impossible. FWIW, I do not consider mass genocide as winning, although it would certainly and permanently put control in our hands for the forseeable future. But, IMO, the ends do not justify the means (unlike Japan in WW2).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DarkReign

Article makes mention of that very strategy.

A strategy instituted by the Russians (killing north of 1 million Afghans).

Didnt work out as we all know (the Russian government especially).

Really, McCrystal, comes off as a wanna-be tough-ass to begin the article then transforms into a defeatist at the end.

Because the sober reality is, you cant win in Afghanistan.

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I wasn't talking about Afghanistan, fuckface.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Drachen

You and I agree here, the second portion of my post basically says something similar. All I was saying with the first portion was that I am not surprised that he doesn't like some of the people he works with, even his boss. It happens.

I would not, however, go tell the office gossip that I hate my boss, or other co-workers which is basically what this amounts to.

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exactly. didn't a pierogi get fired for posting negative stuff on his Facebook page about the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Even a tough ass General is going to get on his knees and shell out a phony apology. :depressed


Either way, hopefully this brings America closer to leaving that pointless shithole.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Homeland Security

I wasn't talking about Afghanistan, fuckface.

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http://www.motivationalz.com/picture...tough_guys.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CosmicCowboy

McCrystal's biggest mistake has been handicapping his troops with the ROE. His replacement will probably be even more political and more restrictive on the ROE. We might as well just get the fuck out of there if we aren't gonna accomplish anything.

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Truth in this post, there is.

Thats the crux of my "unwinnable by any conventional measure" argument.

This bullshit winning hearts and minds shit has got to stop. Their hearts and minds do not think or feel the same way. People that state otherwise are idealists.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Homeland Security

I wasn't talking about Afghanistan, fuckface.

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Got it, dickhead.

I'm reading suggestions that Mac WANTS to be fired so he can GTFO of failing Afghanistan and let the next poor sucker(s) fight a losing battle.