Obama Didn't Exactly Agonize Over Sacking McChrystal

Photograph of Obama with General Petraeus (AP)

As it turns out, President Obama's dismissal of General McChrystal over his trash-talking the administration to Rolling Stone didn't require much hand-wringing. According to Politico's behind-the-scenes story, Obama and top officials were all for cutting McChrystal loose as soon as they saw the first paragraph of the article, which begins, "'How'd I get screwed into going to this dinner?' demands Gen. Stanley McChrystal."

As one Obama aide put it, "A kid who is some PFC [private first class], knows darn well that if he said these things about his commanding officer, he could potentially get thrown in jail." Also, "we aren’t exactly rolling through Kandahar, so [McChrystal] wasn’t walking on water in the field." Now surely General Petraeus can bring Afghanistan the miracles it needs, and without all the drama! In fact, Senator John McCain told ABC News that he supports Petraeus, plus "we also need a new team over there as well—perhaps at the embassy and other areas."

Senate leaders claim they will confirm Petraeus quickly. The NY Times looks at what lies ahead for the general: "Where Iraq is an urban, oil-rich country with an educated middle class, Afghanistan is a shattered state whose social fabric and physical infrastructure has been ruined by three decades of war. In Iraq, the insurgency was in the cities; here, it is spread across the mountains and deserts of the country’s forbidding countryside."

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By John Del Signore in News on June 24, 2010 11:04 AM

Comments [rss]

dgeee

Can we fire Obama?

r1b2

Let's not kid ourselves. It's difficult with Obama's assertion: "I welcome debate among my team, but I won’t tolerate division."

Spirit of 76

Is that English you're writing? I don't get it. If you're trying to point up some kind of contradiction in his statement, there isn't one. He just said he doesn't mind if you tell him you disagree, but he's the commander in chief, it's his decision to make and when he does make it, you'd better get on the same side as everyone else. Which is eminently reasonable.

jaycjay

Exactly right. And debate among the team means internal debate, not public statements.

How would the General have reacted if it had been someone under his direct command saying similar things to a national magazine about his leadership? For that matter, how would any military officer react? It's simply not acceptable.

wingedearth

Obama and Biden should get sacked, and their successor should withdraw our troops from the Middle East entirely.

Amanda Harletsch

Right!

why would you leave the proximate withdrawal from war date off this statement?

"WASHINGTON – Sen. John McCain said Thursday he still thinks it's a mistake to publicly announce a July 2011 date for the start of a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan."

Jamie McDonald

Afghanistan isn't in the Middle East.

JacqueMehoff

what does mr. kabul chic say about this?

well his spokesperson wanted mchrystal to stay.

NYDirk

Now that the President has removed McChrystal, he should go after the guy that appointed him Commander of Afghan forces in the first place.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

McChrystal wanted out of the quagmire. he asked from more troops, even leak information to pressure the President to increase the troops presence. Now there are more young americans dead after the troop increase. McChrystal was the one behind the Pat Tillman coverup. I am glad he is gone. Now time to bring back the troops home.

Dead Himmler

Stick to stupid animals and Quinn. You know nothing else about anything.

SP's Ghost

He is absolutely correct in his statement. McChrystal did in fact leak his surge plan to force Obama's hand. And he was also instrumental in the coverup and lies concerning Pat Tillman's death by friendly fire.

Gotham Extremist

McChrystal got too big a pair of balls

Splicer

Obama did the right thing -- 100%. Now all we need is Petreus to hopefully help stabilize the situation enough so that we can get the hell out.