dont be dissin the Big O!

[RIJIMMY]

actually seems like a small issue - read the excerpts. Not much is coming directly from mcchrystal. Really not a big deal


Excerpts from Rolling Stone article on Gen. McChrystal – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs

[mosholu]

If he wants to criticize the gov't policy he should take it up the chain of command. If he gets no response and thinks it is a critical issue for the nation and our troops he can then go to the press. To engage in petty name calling with his staff in front of a reporter is wrong and calls into question imo his leadership abilities. I do not think the fact that most of the comments came from staff really absolves him. Staff take their cues from those who lead them and I am sure they were playing to a receptive audience.
If you ran a company would you have someone making remarks to a paper regarding the management team above him?
To address the point about prior conflicts I can not think of one general who criticized Lincoln who had the performance on the battlefield to back it up. In Vietnam I can not recall, and I admit my knowledge about this is weak, any generals who criticized publicly the US President or the policies. The one guy I can remember doing so was Col. Hackworth and they drummed him right out of the military.
I am not anti military by nature but like in any company sometimes you rise up the ladder to a place where your faults are exposed.

[spence]

Originally Posted by mosholu

If he wants to criticize the gov't policy he should take it up the chain of command. If he gets no response and thinks it is a critical issue for the nation and our troops he can then go to the press. To engage in petty name calling with his staff in front of a reporter is wrong and calls into question imo his leadership abilities. I do not think the fact that most of the comments came from staff really absolves him. Staff take their cues from those who lead them and I am sure they were playing to a receptive audience.
If you ran a company would you have someone making remarks to a paper regarding the management team above him?

I think this is pretty much nuts on, and don't believe for a second his aides felt what they were saying to a Rolling Stone reporter would be challenged by their boss. No way...

Should he be fired? Absolutely if he doesn't resign immediately.

That being said, he seems like an effective leader and this has to be taken into the equation. Unless Obama feels there's a suitable replacement who can step in they might take it in stride.

Regardless, McChrystal and his people have disrespected the president and their uniform. This won't be easy to get out of...

-spence

[Fly Rod]

Apparently this general does not belong in the public eye. You exspect a field officer to give the finger while being interviewed. He must have watched to many Clint Eastwood war movies.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Fly Rod

Apparently this general does not belong in the public eye. You exspect a field officer to give the finger while being interviewed. He must have watched to many Clint Eastwood war movies.

You sound like you admire his actions.

It's sounding like he was completely aware of the comments. How are the troops in harms way under his leadership supposed to interpret this?

-spence

[scottw]

Originally Posted by spence

. How are the troops in harms way under his leadership supposed to interpret this?

-spence

How are the troops in harms way under his leadership supposed to interpret Obama not talking to Mc Chrystal for 4 months regarding Afghanistan, skipping the laying of the wreath on Memorial Day recently, trashing the military during the campaign and before, using a returning coffin for a cheesy photo op, snubbing wounded troops in Germany and on and on and on with this America hating rat...Mc Chrystal shouldn't have done what he did but this is only made possible by a president that deserves no respect because he makes it very clear that he has little respect for others...except for those thugs around the world that he has a habit of bowing to...McChrystal is just another disgruntled Obama voter finally waking up...pretty much all that's left are the pathetic Obama toe suckers..Obama has earned no respect and will continue to get none...it's just taking some longer than others to wake up to the fact that he's a disaster...

[spence]

Originally Posted by scottw

Mc Chrystal shouldn't have done what he did but this is only made possible by a president that deserves no respect because he makes it very clear that he has little respect for others...

Ahhh, the old "Ken Starr MADE ME LIE" defense

Looks like McChrystal has quite a track record of misbehavior. Good thing he's been effective or I doubt he would have lasted this long.

And Buck, the wasn't just about Obama but the entire Whitehouse. Do you think that Joe Biden and Holebrook loathe the military as well?

It's looking like McChrystal may have let his people make these remarks to the Rolling Stone while being completely aware and complicit.

To blame this on Obama is laughable and just shows how un-objective you really are. McChrystal has undermined the very mission he's been assigned and I believe an offense he could be court-martialed if found guilty of.

-spence

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by scottw

How are the troops in harms way under his leadership supposed to interpret Obama not talking to Mc Chrystal for 4 months regarding Afghanistan, skipping the laying of the wreath on Memorial Day recently, trashing the military during the campaign and before, using a returning coffin for a cheesy photo op, snubbing wounded troops in Germany and on and on and on with this America hating rat...Mc Chrystal shouldn't have done what he did but this is only made possible by a president that deserves no respect because he makes it very clear that he has little respect for others...except for those thugs around the world that he has a habit of bowing to...McChrystal is just another disgruntled Obama voter finally waking up...pretty much all that's left are the pathetic Obama toe suckers..Obama has earned no respect and will continue to get none...it's just taking some longer than others to wake up to the fact that he's a disaster...

BINGO

but shhhhh - you cant say anything!

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by spence

You sound like you admire his actions.

It's sounding like he was completely aware of the comments. How are the troops in harms way under his leadership supposed to interpret this?

-spence

It is his way of sticking up for them. When his Sgts. are emailing him from the field asking him to explain why our elected and appointed officials are dissing the soldiers in the field they want to know the superiors back them.

This general is a very special person. Walked over a hundred disciplinary hours in the quad at West Point. He shows up in the wee hours of the morning and goes on operations with Seals and other black ops units.

He has to accept responsibilty for what his subordinates said in the article, but I don't see personally where the general said anything wrong.

Imagine getting where he is in life only to have to turn around at the apex of his career and have to take orders from this group of miscast politicians who think they actually know how to win a war, but what they do best is dodge supoenas in the Blago trial. The general himself was one of the first people to put pen to paper and write about not only winning a war in another country but then helping rebuild it after the fighting is over.

The general has the respect and admiration of all the troops. At one time or another he has been in charge of the Delta force, the arm rangers, and the seal force as well. He ran and went on some if not most all of the blackest of ops in Iraq. Obama new who he was appointing to run and win the war. This is part of what Obama new and undertsand about the general. Obama could make a stand here against what Holbrooke and the others are saying and doing behind the general's back and send him back to the front lines. Without this general in charge the troops are not going to becoming home anytime soon.

[mosholu]

Here is a link to an article in the today's New York Times regarding the attitude of some of the troop in Afghanistan.

News Analysis - Rules for War Vex the Warriors - NYTimes.com

Here is a link to the Rolling Stone story as well:

The Runaway General | Rolling Stone Politics

[spence]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

It is his way of sticking up for them. When his Sgts. are emailing him from the field asking him to explain why our elected and appointed officials are dissing the soldiers in the field they want to know the superiors back them.

This goes way beyond that. And to knowingly do so in a global magazine that you know will make a big story sounds more and more like a calculated hit every day.

Remember this is the same General who argued passionately for more troops to execute his strategy, and what did Obama do? He gave him 30,000 more fighting men and women.

This general is a very special person. Walked over a hundred disciplinary hours in the quad at West Point. He shows up in the wee hours of the morning and goes on operations with Seals and other black ops units.

When you read up on most of the elite generals they all have pretty amazing stories.

He has to accept responsibilty for what his subordinates said in the article, but I don't see personally where the general said anything wrong.

We're talking about characterizing the Whitehouse as the real enemy. That's not sticking up for your troops, it's called insubordination and almost has treasonous undertones.

Imagine getting where he is in life only to have to turn around at the apex of his career and have to take orders from this group of miscast politicians who think they actually know how to win a war, but what they do best is dodge supoenas in the Blago trial.

Many said the same thing about the Bush Administration.

The general himself was one of the first people to put pen to paper and write about not only winning a war in another country but then helping rebuild it after the fighting is over.

He was following Gen. Petraeus lead, someone who in recent times was very effective at using the media to state his mind and influence policy.

Without this general in charge the troops are not going to becoming home anytime soon.

Obama has let McChrystal run the war his way and the situation doesn't appear to be improving. The real issues here are much bigger than a single person.

-spence

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

At one time or another he has been in charge of the Delta force, the arm rangers, and the seal force as well. He ran and went on some if not most all of the blackest of ops in Iraq. .

hey come on now! Thats no excuse for him to be critical of a junior sentaor that was once a community organizer. He f'in taught at HARVARD for gods sake!

[buckman]

Originally Posted by spence

I think this is pretty much nuts on, and don't believe for a second his aides felt what they were saying to a Rolling Stone reporter would be challenged by their boss. No way...

Should he be fired? Absolutely if he doesn't resign immediately.

That being said, he seems like an effective leader and this has to be taken into the equation. Unless Obama feels there's a suitable replacement who can step in they might take it in stride.

Regardless, McChrystal and his people have disrespected the president and their uniform. This won't be easy to get out of...

-spence

He will resign. That's bad for our men over there. We will now be on the eve of a major offensive with no leadership. I quess we are getting used to that....no leadership that is.
This shows what happens when you loath the military and then become """Commander and Chief""".

Obama's a disgrace .