November 2010, hypothetically speaking...?
-
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 ... ???
- Thread starter A4sForever
- Start date
November 2010, hypothetically speaking...?
I gotta think if word got out that a some CO was talking shit about an Admiral in public enough that a reporter heard, there'd be a nice "F You, I'm in charge mother#*#$&" conversation. A lot of this is being hyped for the purpose of selling papers.
I think that's part of the point man - except maybe instead, its what's good for the gander is good for the goose.
Lincoln canned McClellan and Hooker. Truman canned MacArthur. Obama had to can McChrystal. You DON'T get caught publicly mocking el presidente as a military officer and get away with it. Perception is reality. This whole "civilian control" thing is what separates us from the banana republics.
McChrytstal did this for a reason -- either he's clinically stupid (right ...), or he's got another agenda ... I opt (as I've indicated) for the latter. The guy is stupid like a fox ... I'll wait for the book. 
I weep for the stupidity of the American political establishment and the naivete of the American public ...
While ... as always ... weeping for the future of Naval Aviation ...
I weep for the stupidity of the American political establishment and the naivete of the American public ...
While ... as always ... weeping for the future of Naval Aviation ...
There's no accountability in Washington anymore. Accountability is merely an annoyance to these people.
If there was accountability, they would at least be trying not to spend all of our money. A cursory effort is all I ask for.
Deror
How can I make this thread more awkward?
I think it is safe to say that the majority of the military is not fond of the guy. This is absolutely a power play. The General (either intentionally or unintentionally) made him look bad, and now the POTUS is flexing his muscle to show who's boss.
McChrytstal did this for a reason -- either he's clinically stupid (right ...), or he's got another agenda ... I opt (as I've indicated) for the latter. The guy is stupid like a fox ... I'll wait for the book.
I weep for the stupidity of the American political establishment and the naivete of the American public ...
While ... as always ... weeping for the future of Naval Aviation ...
Concur. A man that has been through all of the things that he (Gen McChrystal) has - such as help devise strategy's for counterinsurgency - has got to have his head screwed on straighter than the 'Gaffe Machine' that that makes gaffes part of his daily press quote-ables.
I think in this day and age of information technology flow and the speed in which it hits the 'wire', there's more to the story; of which the details wont be known until many moons from now in the book that A4s is referring to.
BTW, Gen Mattis will prob now retire. CMC - Pass; A-CMC - Pass; HMFIC of Afghanistan - Pass. Equils Retire.
Drunk Out.
Naaaaaaaaaaahhhh ... this is the 'way it's done' & business as usual.
You can't let subordinates stay in place who tell 'other people' the BOSS and his men are fucked up.
It just can't happen. I certainly wouldn't let 'em stay ...
The question is will Obama nominate McChrystal to retire with 4 stars, or will he be vindictive and make McChrystal retire with less. 2 star is the highest permanent rank. 3 and 4 star assignments and retirements take Presidential nomination and Senate approval.
Clux4
Banned
It is funny you said this. I had this same discussion this evening. I don't think the Senate will approve it even if Obama granted it.
I hear there might have been rancor within McChrystalls staff. So, could this be a set up from within by one of his men or is this something he planned as A4's is suggesting?
I have to agree with many of the previous comments about McCrystal knowing exactly what he was doing... My question is what exactly was he trying to achieve? And did he achieve it?
Was he trying to sway public opinion, and did he expect to win that battle with a R S article (there are many ways to fight a public opinion war, I don't think this is the way to do it), or was there another motive. I'm actually at a severe loss... did he make a big gamble and lose? Or did he accomplish his goals....
Was he trying to sway public opinion, and did he expect to win that battle with a R S article (there are many ways to fight a public opinion war, I don't think this is the way to do it), or was there another motive. I'm actually at a severe loss... did he make a big gamble and lose? Or did he accomplish his goals....
Interesting angle: How this mess helps Obama politically...
I think everyone agrees that the Administration was blindsided so let's go with that and put aside the conspiracy theory that the White House knew this was coming a minute before Monday. Once the President made the decision to sack McChrystal and started to consider his replacement, Petraeus landed on his lap like a golden egg. The good Commander at CENTCOM's name was floating for months as a possible 2012 Republican Presidential nominee. The conventional wisdom was that if he was indeed considering acting on the flattery, that he would retire this year so he could obey the one year "cooling period" FO/GOs take right after retirement so there's little chance they would get called out for taking a corporate/consulting/talking head job or run or office too soon. Petraeus' year of retirement would end (just) in time to spend a full year fundraising and campaigning. Nominating Petraeus for an open-ended IA to Afghanistan keeps him occupied long enough to preclude campaigning for himself or anyone else.
That said:
1) Petraeus actually is the best man for the job. He will get confirmed quickly and easily. He literally wrote the book on COIN. Just saying that the timing doesn't suck for the Chicago crew.
2) I believe the Administration is trying to make the best out of a shitty situation.
3) The whole thing is gonna get much worse before it gets any better.
I think everyone agrees that the Administration was blindsided so let's go with that and put aside the conspiracy theory that the White House knew this was coming a minute before Monday. Once the President made the decision to sack McChrystal and started to consider his replacement, Petraeus landed on his lap like a golden egg. The good Commander at CENTCOM's name was floating for months as a possible 2012 Republican Presidential nominee. The conventional wisdom was that if he was indeed considering acting on the flattery, that he would retire this year so he could obey the one year "cooling period" FO/GOs take right after retirement so there's little chance they would get called out for taking a corporate/consulting/talking head job or run or office too soon. Petraeus' year of retirement would end (just) in time to spend a full year fundraising and campaigning. Nominating Petraeus for an open-ended IA to Afghanistan keeps him occupied long enough to preclude campaigning for himself or anyone else.
That said:
1) Petraeus actually is the best man for the job. He will get confirmed quickly and easily. He literally wrote the book on COIN. Just saying that the timing doesn't suck for the Chicago crew.
2) I believe the Administration is trying to make the best out of a shitty situation.
3) The whole thing is gonna get much worse before it gets any better.
None of this occurred to me at all. Always an angle...