• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Gen. Stanley McChrystal: on the job market soon ... ???

statesman

Shut up woman... get on my horse.
pilot
It's hard for me to believe that the Gen. lost SA around Rolling Stone... and the editor for RS said in this CNN article that the General and his staff were well aware of the R S reporter and that everything they said was deliberate.

Someone said earlier about the possibility of forcing a conflict, and the phrase "fall on your sword" has been used. To me it sounds like that's whats going on here. It sounds to me that the General is using the media to throw the spotlight on what he might view as mis managements in the Afghan war. It's just hard for me to believe that a General would not realize what was being said while a reporter from a magazine notoriously left leaning as Rolling Stone was around. This seems to me to be kind of a dumb like a fox situation....
 

FlyinRock

Registered User
Nittany
the wrong one is supposed to fall on a sword and in this case its his boss. I wouldn't P on the grave to put out a fire or stop the bleeding.
 

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
The anti-christ, Wolf Blitzer, is reporting that Gen McChrystal has "offered" his resignation, he made pains to stress that he offered it vice actually resigning - not sure if there is as much of difference as is being made of it. But, it could prove to be very smart. Put the ball back in the president's court and let him be the "bad guy" for the decision.
 

statesman

Shut up woman... get on my horse.
pilot
Like I said.... dumb like a fox....

I think this has all been a very calculated move.
 

Deror

How can I make this thread more awkward?
If he did just get canned; what are everyone's thoughts on the chance of Gen. McChrystal running for political office?
 

RedFive

Well-Known Member
pilot
None
Contributor

Alpha_Echo_606

Does not play well with others!™
Contributor
I do believe this was a calculated move by the General; you don't get 4 stars by saying stupid shit! I'm not sure how it will all play out; but hope that all is well for the General.
 

mmx1

Woof!
pilot
Contributor
I'm amused if not surprised at the attempt to portray this as a tussle between the Prez and McChrystal. The real friction is between McCrystal and Eikenberry and Holbrooke. Letting slip insubordination distracts from the problem of unity of command, which leads me to believe this wasn't a deliberate leak or terribly mishandled. If McChrystal's problem is with POTUS or the VP, he would have put out something more damning and relevant than jokes about Biden or a reference to their first meeting last year.

McCain, Eliot Cohen, and a few other prominent Republicans gave come out in support of the President's prerogative to fire McChrystal for insubordination, I'm inclined to think Petraeus would agree( though if he's smart he'll stay clear of the issue publically). There is not a revolt of the Generals brewing, much as some would like or imagine it to be.
 

Ducky

Formerly SNA2007
pilot
Contributor
+1 to the General for saying what he believed needed to be said and his willingness to accept the consequences. However, if this was an accident it is very unfortunate.
 

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
The real friction is between McCrystal and Eikenberry and Holbrooke.

Good point. Taking a step back, anyone think this is indicative of a bigger problem of a widening policy/ideology gap between military leadership and civilian leadership? Its been pointed out, correctly, that the general's had a distinguished career and is no dummy. Is the gap and resentment between the two camps so strong that such a poised leader would allow let his guard down and vent in front of a reporter?
 

exhelodrvr

Well-Known Member
pilot
That first link briefly discusses the link between McChrystal & Petraeus -- if McChrystal gets fired, what's to keep Petraeus and/or other flag officers from resigning in protest (or mutiny, depending on one's perspective)?

I doubt they would, especially if a McChrystal resignation is the catalyst for other resignations on the civilian side (i.e. Eikenberry).
 

HeyJoe

Fly Navy! ...or USMC
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
If he did just get canned; what are everyone's thoughts on the chance of Gen. McChrystal running for political office?

He is 100% SPECOPS warrior. Not in his blood to even consider that post military career path.
 
Top