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

[Crazy8]

Take a staff's general off-the-record behind-closed-doors BSing, turn it into a conspiracy, and force the President to act.

With reporters, there is no such thing as off the record. You can expect them to use everything they see or hear, often in an unfavorable light. It surprises me that GEN McChrystal and his staff gave him so much access and didn't expect it to burn them.

I'm not sure the president was forced into firing GEN McChrystal. This was an awkward situation, especially because media descriptions of the article were pejorative and most people won't read the actual piece. However, I think President Obama had a choice, and he chose to fire McChrystal instead of smoothing it over.

 

[craftingraptor]

I also think the Rolling Stone guy was incredibly reckless. I disagree that all reporters are like that, but I think in this case....to cause a clusterf*ck between a General and his President, certainly makes me want to choke this guy. What gives him the right to ruin someone's career because they disagree with the President? I'm not wildly against the President by any stretch, but if you follow orders and abide by policies then so what if you disagree in private? Personally, I think having someone disagree with you about the way things should be done provides a fantastic opportunity to learn and do things better.

Also, Ernie Pyle had his own issues with public acceptance as was evident in the wiki article. Although, he was definitely loved.

 

[zpatman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/25/michael-hastings-rolling_n_625261.html article saying that soldiers are glad McChrystal is gone. Anybody hearing this or is this a case of a reporter covering his ass (and yes i know its from the huffin post)

 

[helolumpy]

I'm not sure the president was forced into firing GEN McChrystal. This was an awkward situation, especially because media descriptions of the article were pejorative and most people won't read the actual piece. However, I think President Obama had a choice, and he chose to fire McChrystal instead of smoothing it over.

With all the bad press Obama is taking right now about the perceived lack of leadership in the oil spill, there is no way Obama could allow (politically) a subordinate to call him out publicly and not crush that person.

If the President sat McChrystal down and chewed him a new one, the media would have a field day calling Obama weak for not firing for outright disrespect to the office of the Commander in Chief. Obama had to fire McChrystal or else he would be crucified in the media for not being a leader in the Afghan war either. Regardless of whether McChrystal actually said disparaging remarks, in the public's opinion, McChrystal called out the President. If Obama didn't can him, then Obama would be considered backing down to the military.

If BP never happened, then Obama may have been able to smooth it over, but with mid-term elections coming up, the Democrats need to show they are leading the country. Having a General making remarks like those to the press is not indicative of the inspirational leader that the Democrats need Obama to be in order to carry the midterm this fall.

 

[exhelodrvr]

Rolling Stone author misled the military?
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/...taff-think-they-were-speaking-off-the-record/

ROE being relaxed?
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/25/report-petraeus-to-relax-rules-of-engagement-in-afghanistan/

 

[Mumbles]

In any way, shape, or form....it's fucking sickining to watch the way the "Leadership" is bumbling stumbling and fumbling through this debacle.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...w_us_afghanistan_war_chief_not_smarter_t.html

YGBSM!

 

[phrogdriver]

You know the old story about the the frog who gives the scorpion a ride on his back across the river? The scorpion stings the frog anyway. He says,"It's just my nature."

The reporter isn't a "dirtbag" reporter. He's just a reporter. He didn't publish sensitive details of an ongoing op, like the NYT did with the wiretapping program. He just wrote what the general and his staff said. No one has disputed the truth of what was reported. These were big boys. If you're talking to a man writing in a notebook with a tape recorder, don't be surprised if your words come back and haunt you.

Also,"off the record" just means you don't get quoted by name. "On background" means you don't get quoted, but your opinions may form leads for the reporter or give him the basis for a story on a non-attributional basis. These guys may have wished they were on background, but they were only off the record.

 

[exhelodrvr]

In any way, shape, or form....it's fucking sickining to watch the way the "Leadership" is bumbling stumbling and fumbling through this debacle.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...w_us_afghanistan_war_chief_not_smarter_t.html

YGBSM!

In general, we sure don't use the media very effectively in this struggle against Islamism.

 

[mmx1]

In any way, shape, or form....it's fucking sickining to watch the way the "Leadership" is bumbling stumbling and fumbling through this debacle.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...w_us_afghanistan_war_chief_not_smarter_t.html

YGBSM!

What's your basis for that? Taliban endorsement of Gen. Petraeus and a wisecrack about him fainting? It was probably the least disruptive move to move the head of CENTCOM to head Afghanistan, and politically, Petraeus's aura also undercuts a lot of arguments for McChrystal's indispensability. It could come to blow up in Obama's face if Petraeus decides to challenge the administration on our commitment to Afghanistan, but that remains to be seen.

The Taliban do have a point, though, this shuffle doesn't change the US strategy, which hasn't been going well of late. You can argue that it's the darkness before the light, but the past few months have been full of disappointments and bad developments in Afghanistan.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Snowflakes are falling in hell.... I agree with MMX.

 

[Clux4]

Has anyone given much thought to this. We(Coalition Forces) train the Afghan National Army and Police to fight the Taliban. Who trains the new influx of Taliban recruits? Unlike the Taliban, the ANA and ANP do not believe in their efforts. If they did, we would have results. Why should they; with a corrupt and inept central government. There is no such thing as victory in Afghanistan. Joe Biden's approach is really starting to look more favorable. At least we can sustain it for years to come.

 

[phrogpilot73]

If you're talking to a man writing in a notebook with a tape recorder, don't be surprised if your words come back and haunt you.

Shit, I learned that during plebe summer... Third law of the Navy - REPRESENT!

"Take heed what ye say of your seniors, Be your words spoken softly or plain, Lest a bird of the air tell the matter, And so ye shall hear it again."

 

[exhelodrvr]

Another analysis of the lack of public affairs awareness

http://pajamasmedia.com/victordavishanson/rolling-stone-the-mcchrystalites-deserve-each-other/

 

[HeyJoe]

In general, we sure don't use the media very effectively in this struggle against Islamism.

I think if you asked the media about that, they would defy any notion that they could be "used" by government. Media that are used in that manner fall into category of propaganda and our press corps unites over their independence and role as watchdog over performance of the government and military. Military can scarcely hope to control access to combat zones and within units/staffs. When imbeds are permitted or access to leaders is granted, you have no control over product.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Almost threw the remote control through my television this morning when a CNN correspondent described himself as a "veteran" of both Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He'd been an imbedded reporter.