General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview?
by Jeff Dunetz
I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened. Throughout my career, I have lived by the principles of personal honor and professional integrity. What is reflected in this article falls far short of that standard. I have enormous respect and admiration for President Obama and his national security team, and for the civilian leaders and troops fighting this war and I remain committed to ensuring its successful outcome.”
-General Stanley McChrystal, 6/22/2010
The interview of General McChrystal and his in Rolling Stone was not an accident, it’s a perfect example of suicide by interview. The General knew that every criticism would be “on the record.” He also knew that the President will have no choice but to relieve the General of his command after their meeting tomorrow. The Military Code of Justice provides that a General does not criticize the Commander-in-Chief publicly however, the General criticized Obama in a major way and even picked the perfect vehicle to do it in the most visible of ways.
McChrystal’s statements clearly point to the fact that he believes the war cannot be won under the President’s parameters, a tepid escalation to protect the president from his political supports. McChrystal is clearly frustrated by Barack Obama and his administration and finds it necessary to protect his men. He finds himself having to take radical steps to protect his troops in the face of an administration trying to fight a war on a half-assed basis.
According to Fox, Some of the highlights of the up-coming article include:
- Although McChrystal voted for Obama, the two failed to connect from the start. Obama called McChrystal on the carpet last fall for speaking too bluntly about his desire for more troops. The President did not want to hear his advice. “I found that time painful,” McChrystal said in the article, on newsstands Friday. “I was selling an unsellable position.”
- It quoted an adviser to McChrystal dismissing the early meeting with Obama as a “10-minute photo op.Obama clearly didn’t know anything about him, who he was. The boss was pretty disappointed,” the adviser told the magazine.
- The military is clearly unhappy about Obama’s arbitrary deadline of July of next year. The White House’s troop commitment was toed a pledge to begin bringing them home in July 2011. Counterinsurgency strategists advising McChrystal regarded as an arbitrary deadline.
- The article list of administration figures said to back McChrystal, including Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and puts the SCHMOTUS (Schmo of the United States), Vice President Joe Biden at the top of a list of those who don’t. The article says McChrystal has seized control of the war “by never taking his eye off the real enemy: The wimps in the White House.”
- Asked by the Rolling Stone reporter about what he now feels of the war strategy advocated by the SHMOTUS last fall (fewer troops, more drone attacks), McChrystal and his aides attempted to come up with a good one-liner to dismiss the question. “Are you asking about Vice President Biden?” McChrystal joked. “Who’s that?” “Biden?” one aide was quoted as saying. “Did you say: Bite me?”
- Another aide called White House National Security Adviser Jim Jones, a retired four star general, a “clown” who was “stuck in 1985.
- Some of the strongest criticism, however, was reserved for Richard Holbrooke, Obama’s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. “The boss says he’s like a wounded animal,” one of the general’s aides was quoted as saying. “Holbrooke keeps hearing rumors that he’s going to get fired, so that makes him dangerous.”
- If Eikenberry had doubts about the troop buildup, McChrystal said he never expressed them until a leaked internal document threw a wild card into the debate over whether to add more troops last November. In the document, Eikenberry said Afghan President Hamid Karzai was not a reliable partner for the counterinsurgency strategy McChrystal was hired to execute. McChrystal said he felt “betrayed” and accused the ambassador of giving himself cover. Here’s one that covers his flank for the history books,” McChrystal told the magazine. “Now, if we fail, they can say ‘I told you so.”‘
McChrystal is a Four-Star General, a position you do not achieve by being an idiot. Today’s military leadership is well schooled not only in war-making but in diplomacy. He knew what the content of the article would be. He also knew that the article would lead his own dismissal (or the proverbial resignation letter where he says he’s quitting to spend more time with his family).
The Rolling Stone interview highlights the difference in the leadership styles of the President and the General. When this President faces a crisis, he looks for someone either internally or externally to blame. On the other hand, the General sees the War in Afghanistan reaching a crisis point because of the way it is being waged, rather than looking to find a scapegoat in his ranks as Obama would do, McChrystal found a way to let the country know what is really happening, while at the same time redirect any criticism for the war effort, away from his men and on to his own wide shoulders.
Notice that even in his apology above,the General does not take back the comments, he simply apologizes for making the comments. The Military commander was sending his troops and the administration a message. To the troops he was saying ” I have your backs even to the point of hurting my own career.” The message for the administration was, “Your way isn’t working, let us do what is necessary to win this war. Even though this was a violation of the Code of Honor, the General’s statements were a service to America and to his men by confirming what we all suspected, the President and his administration does not have a clue.
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552 Comments
Obama lied to McChrystal the same way he lied to the world…noway to win a war with a president that wants the U.S. to lose!
Well, he could always keep him out of the D-Day invasion by pretending to do an attack on southern France…. oh wait.
This great patriot, who stands tall and with honor in defending the Constitution, knows exactly what he is doing. Presidents come and go, but the higher power holds our military to the defense of our unalienable rights — not a Marxist, Progressive, man-child, community-organizer in the White House.
SCHMOTUS is a very mild description. You get the neighborhood Chicago organizer scolding a 4 Star General, not listening to his recommendations but listening to his commie czars and elite academic administration about winning a war? I don't blame McCrystal one bit for saying what he said. The man has had enough of taking orders from a man-child who doesn't know crap except campaigning and putting the men in the field in dire danger.
The truth needs to come out one way or another. Insubordination by McCrystal is not even close to what Obama is doing to us.
Orszag leaves, Rahm going, now this. The wheels are coming off the Obama wagon! Not a minute too soon.
Well, I think that obama's side is winning in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean the US is.
Hmmm. Obama is in a tight spot now. He really has no choice but to fire McChrystal for insubordination. But troop morale will be badly damaged by that same move. What to do, what to do? How about fire Obama and leave McChrystal alone and give him what he needs to win this war.
I think rolling stone acted stupidly. maybe they should have a "no pre-condition" beer summit.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/1.... the unabridged version
When he voted for Obama and took the job what did he expect would happen? Obama has never supported the military and made clear his position on the wars before the election. So again I ask what did he expect?
Suicide by Interview….
….but the General has left a Final Note expressing his love for America and our military, disdain for clueless, cynical politicians, and perhaps keys to ultimate Success…?
Excellent idea.
[...] As we wrote then, “the secret war has begun”. Now the counterattack from Hillary Clinton and her allies. [...]
link is broken.
I have no doubt that McChrystal is going to be fired. The Petulance In Chief, the Manchild Emperor Barack Hussein 0bama (mmm mmm mmm) has an ego that won't suffer this sort of insult. ESPECIALLY from a member of the military, which I feel that 0bama has no respect for. After all, Dear Leader's monstrous ass kicking narcissistic ego is THE most important thing on the planet.
And, where will 0bama find another general who will public ally admit to having voted for him? McChrystal was probably the only one. How much you wanna bet the new commander in Afghanistan is one of those "affirmative action" never saw combat in her life "Elena Kagan" generals? Why not? They have as much experience with war as 0bama does executive experience.
IMHO, the reason why McChrystal did this is he wants out. He doesn't see 0bama ever giving him the resources or authority to actually win the war, and saw the writing on the wall that his role is to be 0bama's scapegoat when he orders the withdrawal.
Afghanistan has been a major debacle based on an errant strategy since early 2002 when General Tommy Franks and the Bush administration decided to convert the war there from an unconventional to a conventional plan. They fell into a trap and erred with a strategy of counter-insurgency warfare, i.e. nation building, before the enemy is defeated.
Our currently top military leader in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his predecessors fell into the trap as well. And now we are in unwinnable situation.
Gen. McChrystal, as well as the troops, are in a total state of frustration. Rolling Stone magazine is an interesting media venue for McChrystal to vent his frustrations. If I were McChrystal and knew I was going to be fired, I would announce my resignation before being embarrassed by a White House photo-op. And I would state emphatically why I am retiring.
Added to the mess is incompetent political and diplomatic leadership.
Nine years. No victory, no clear winnable strategy.
By Gen. Paul Vallely (ret.)
Troop moral damaged? All part of the plan.
Under normal circumstances I would think this type of behavior by a General is insubordination. I have nothing but respect for the chain of command and the office of Commander-in-Chief.
However, for some reason I get the feeling that McChrystal's interview is more like a canary in a coal mine that an act of treason which is very alarming.
what is needed to win this war is a few well placed nukes, or at least a Curtis Lemay type of firebombing campaign, "innocent civilians" be damned.
This conflict should have been over in about 15 minutes if the US hadn't tied its hands behind its back in the interest of not offending people who are dedicated to the killing of as many US civilians as possible.
This conflict is and always has been a joke. Either do it right or get the hell out.
He should arrest the Usurper and do his duty.
The General showed courage in his remarks, and I am sure he knew what would be the result. The General cares about his troops, who are being killed with a toothless rules of engagement strategy implemented by the Dear Leader. We need more people in the military and government to speak out against these Progressive/Socialist a-holes who are seeking to destroy our Republic.
Obama was raised by Muslims and communist,groomed for a day such as this,to bring America to it's knees so it will get in line with the new world order,this administration knows exactly what it's doing,they have calculated every move.
That's what surprises me most. McChrystal voted for Obama? That's a pretty bad judgment call right there. It's even weirder that he surrendered that information to a reporter.
How could a military man of McChrystal's obvious intelligence and wisdom vote for a candidate who opposed the successful Iraq surge, wanted to cut and run from Iraq, close Gitmo, had zero military experience (or even a history of full-throated support of the military), talked about identifying the "root causes" of terrorism, and quite obviously engaged in phony "tough talk" about fighting in Afghanistan (the "good" war)?
Yeah, "nation building" never works, ESPECIALLY DURING A WAR. We didn't go into Germany or Japan to "nation build". We turned them into rubble, destroyed all capability to resist or fight, and drove both nations to have to unconditionally surrender. Then we rebuilt them.
We've lost our way since World War II, the US no longer has the guts to fight a real war, where we use anything and everything we have, utterly destroy the enemy and leave them with NO option but to unconditionally surrender. I can understand not deliberately bombing or killing civilians, but when our enemy has no restraint on doing that, sometimes we have to in order to hit the target. Besides, the civilians bear THEIR responsibility for the fact that the mohammedian taliban and terrorists were in their country in the first place.
[...] Dunetz believe that this *IS* Suicide by interview as I mentioned above. Maybe [...]
I wonder how long it will be before the men and women in the military revolt against their leader? I guess they already have starting with General McChrystal
Ever noticed that marxism and mohammedism seems to walk in lockstep? Most muslim countries are very socialist. Both end up as totalitarian states, just ones that set up somewhat different false gods that they force their people to worship, the muslims the pagan moon god "allah", the marxists the all powerful state.
oops http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/1...
Exactly.
God help us all if there arises some larger and more immediate need for the military and for them to be lead.
It's like I said when Obama won.
We are fucked.
Gibbs is now saying the president questions whether or not McChrystal is "mature" enough and has good enough judgment for his job. ???????? Are we still allowed to make pot, kettle, black comments in this situation?
Firing McChrystal for saying what 95% of the troops know to be accurate will not lower troop moral. These men are professionals. It will stoke their fires like little else can and even the bleeders who voted for Oblowhard will turn to another candidate in 2012.
McChrystal is one of the few Generals who can execute this war in this theater. His background knowledge and savvy are irreplaceable.
Both rule through fear.
He expected professionalism, not circling sharks wearing sown their prey.
wow…off topic… The judge RULED against Ofumble's moratorium on drilling !! Just on Fox news.
I know the Pentagon thinks what we all think on here.
Latest Obama Rolling Stone Cover (parody): http://optoons.blogspot.com/
McChrystal SAID he voted for Obama…maybe he didn't actually do it..
Well, the fact he voted for Obama is so far thing I've seen that makes me most question his judgment.
Resigning is wimpy. McChrystal has positioned himself well. Being fired by Obama for knowing how to fight a war is a badge of honor and the General need not run from his statements. He is an respected professional, not a scheming politician.
McCrystal is a bold man. He is what the metrosexuals WISH they could be. Thanks General, for standing up for reality.
Yes, that's probably his biggest character flaw. But I can forgive that one.
Yes they do,IMHO
As a marine veteran, I took an oath to protect and defend my constitution and my country. NOTHING I put my hand on that bible for said ANYTHING about protecting illegetimate politician. I say BRAVO to General McChrystlye for having the fortitude to stand up and say hes had enough. And dont forget, Stanley McChrystlye is not the first. Remember that General McTiernan also had some less than nice things to say about the illegal alien Moslem Commie?
I just heard- A REAGAN appointed judge no less-at least we know that Reagan appointed folks with common sense.
What we really need is for the likes of Petraeus,McCristal and Gen Mathis of the 1st Marine division to go into DC and Remove THESE SCUMBAGS FROM OFFICE, as there oath is to defend the country, not who the president happens to be.
No, the trolls will not make sense of it. In their fantasy world, we are always wrong. In our reality world, they are most assuredly dead wrong. Go figure.
Keep in mind that all the allies are progressives, the coin will always land facing up, regardless of the face. I would look at this as being a plot to keep the progressive agenda on track, more than an orchestration of replacing Obama with Hillary. Obama and Hillary could easily be in this together and not as opponents. After all they are both Alinsky disciples, Hillary wrote her college thesis on Alensky. I think Obama is just a pawn of the movement and we are being further duped by the wizard behind the curtain of Crime Inc. Obama has said he isn't in this for a second term.
Really? I think it shows real like of judgment and hmm…penetration?
Unless, of course, you yourself are a convert.
Judge Feldman but now the WH has repsonded: will lodge appeal.
Good for Stan McChrystal. I hope this is the BOMB that will backfire this administrator down the proverbial hole – like the one in the Gulf.
Much as he has done with the allies of the US, BHO is alienating the very people he needs to be effective. McCrystal is the canary in the coal mine regarding the military and BHO. I spent a good part of my life as an Air Force officer. Nobody respected Clinton, but the disdain the military has for the current CINC can't be overstated. You can despise the military, as the current administration does, but there will be a reaction. At some point, competence is required. At no point has BHO shown any of that.
The obvious problem is that we are trying "nation-building" not true counter-insurgency. Good take on this – the general decided to take one for the team and put the cards on the table at his own expense. Sure, he'll take the hit, be fired or whatever… but the White House and the public now have to deal with the real situation in Afganistan.
Our own CIA says there are at most 100 Al Qaida left in Afghanistan. The rest split a long time ago. All we're doing is spinning our wheels, trying to create a centralized government where it clearly isn't wanted. A far better idea would be to leave Afghanistan and send small groups of covert ops after the Al Qaida leadership (Remember? The A-holes who actually attacked us on 9/11?).
The apparent problem, though, is that kind of strategy isn't "grand enough" thinking for the folks in Washington. They'd rather fail spectacularly trying to set up a new government in Afghanistan than succeed quietly by taking the legs out from under international terrorism. When it comes to our government's various misadventures, big and expensive will always trump small and cheap.
» General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview ……
I found your entry interesting do I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog
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Hurrah for Gen. McChrystal! He is showing what a TRUE leader is, protecting his troops, exposing the TRUTH and not backing down…..General, you got LOTS of SUPPORT! Keep it up!
McChrystal knows that a 2011 deadline on his mission is a predetermined admission of failure. That being the case, why not pull our troops out right now and save countless lives? What is so important about 2011 that we can't leave before then or can't stay after then?
The General knows that the White House's "strategy" will lead to mission failure. That has to leave a bad taste in any 4 star general's mouth. It appears that this has prompted the good general to "go off the reservation".
Obama has got real problems. His Generals
thinkknow he's a clueless idiot and AZ Sen. Kyl is openly calling him a liar. Meanwhile, the Gulf continues to hemorrhage oil unabated and all his domestic policy agendas are being roadblocked by his own party in Congress. The man is an unmitigated disaster in his own right. Can anyone really blame McChrystal for stating the obvious? I don't.That would make him a liar then, wouldn't it? You're not helping his credibility with that argument.
» General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview ……
I found your entry interesting do I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog
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I guess he shouldn't have pissed off the SCOTUS at his SOTU Address! Payback is a bitch. I'm appalled that it wasn't a unanimous decision. It should have been. It just shows how politics has infected the Judicial Branch.
Abso-effin-lutely! Let the idiots whine and moan. It makes them happy!
It was just a posit..albeit a very weak one, I'll admit, but my point is that there's GOT to be a reason for this lapse. My belief is that the General just got sick and tired of President Man-Child's Socialistic idealism. The General's far too smart to have unintentionally lapsed this way.
[...] » General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview … [...]
Respect for any office is, and should be, directly proportionate to the person occupying it. We can not allow blind respect for titles to become an excuse for tolerating malfeasance and criminality.
Agreed copper, it will be very interesting to see what barry does, kinda has his back up against the wall I think –
Can you imagine how much of this sh** goes on everyday?!
Can somebody tell me exactly what barry's plan is with Afganistan??
It may look that way from the outside, but my sense is that both Orszag (a true blue dumb ass dem) and rahm are just being reshuffled – they will both resurface as czars doing even more damage to our great nation -
You're not allowed to say "black" when disparaging something.
The MSM story will be McChrystal and not the intent of the Obama gang to destroy the military. These people are not incompetent. They are very intelligent and very dedicated. They are totally intent upon destroying the country and are well on their way to succeeding. The military is just another target for their goal of ending the success of our country.
In less than a year and a half they have taken over 50 %of our economy and will soon have the financial sector totally under bureaucratic control. They are trying to destroy the energy sector. They will destroy the privet sector through cap and trade if they can. If any of these plans fail, they are guaranteeing future tax rates that make paupers of the middle class by their spending.
These people think long term and for whatever reason have decided it is in their best interest to destroy our country.
Amen!
Don't worry- the Holder DOJ and the Obama admin never tire of being publicly WRONG, so they'll appeal, and they'll sue AZ, and they may even try to disprove Newton's law!
Fine. It's like the egg calling the milk white.
Go to war to win and completely demolish the enemy or not at all. This nation building crap has to stop.
\”The General's far too smart to have unintentionally lapsed this way.\”
Everyone makes mistakes occasionally, but I think you're exactly right in this case. This seems to be an intentional strategic move by the General. The question remains: Will Odumbo take the bait? Time will tell, but I'm sure McChrystal saw this move as a win-win scenario or he most likely would never embarked on this course of action to begin with.
Oh well – I can dream…..
I'm guessing you are alluding to hill the pills close friendship with scumbag soros – and HE is pulling strings and I wish to he** people would do the reading on this pos and learn what is really going on!
How many commies are running the White House now?
Anyone who admires Thomas Sowell should read his latest over at Drudge – we are on our way to tyranny and those who choose to close their eyes and ears, I wish they would get the he** out of the way!
[...] See more here: » General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview … [...]
How many balls can barry juggle at once?! lol
My Lord, it just never ends!
[...] Read the original here: » General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview … [...]
lol, not sure the sissys even think of being real MEN – it's easier for them to be pansies and blame everyone else for every damn thing – odd isn't it, right now the administration is made up of men who are women and women who are men!
NEWS FLASH – Mexico is suing Arizona over the immigration law! wtf????
I thought I was replying to the link below your comment, but it is just a link. , sorry about the clumsy posting, but you got the point regardless.
You got it EG, it's so obvious a grade school kid can figure it out!
Who is going to overtake us, moooslims or the chinese? And yet, I wonder!
Hillary is supporting him, isnt that interesting, he voted for Obama?
I thought he was supposed to be intelligent, he could not tell this guy was a marxist fool and and incomptent weakling?
I am going to get bashed for this but my opinion Mc just went down two notches.
This is what you get for speaking the truth.
I picked up the local paper today to see a second local military hero was killed in Afghanistan in as many months, and I think of the poseur in the White House and the commitment and courage of Gen. McChrystal in his efforts to expose this administration's treasonous "war effort"
what a laugh. "mature"
I wonder why any military person would vote for a Democrat, let alone the General…I
would think they would be more aware of the disdain most Demon-rats have for the
military…Remember Hillary wouldn't allow them to wear their uniforms at her parties!
I hope General McChrystal doesn't grovel before Obumble!!….
From who? Obama?
Bravo. Well said, sir.
Let's not forget those animals think in terms of hundreds of years to fulfill prophecy. Cutting funding to all countries who support violence against America and our allies should be a priority. Rainbow Six tactics sound pretty damn good to me.
[...] » General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview? – Big Government [...]
[...] by Rolling Stone magazine is a losing war. The military complains that the rules of engagement imposGen Mcchrystal – The context for the gripes by Afghanistan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his staff [...]
yep, until they implement the thought police! lol
[...] by Rolling Stone magazine is a losing war. The military complains that the rules of engagement imposGen Mcchrystal – The context for the gripes by Afghanistan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his staff [...]
Sigh. Yeah, I know.
[...] by Rolling Stone magazine is a losing war. The military complains that the rules of engagement imposGen Mcchrystal – The context for the gripes by Afghanistan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his staff [...]
I keep asking the same question…
[...] by Rolling Stone magazine is a losing war. The military complains that the rules of engagement imposGen Mcchrystal – The context for the gripes by Afghanistan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his staff [...]
It did not take much to turn Afghanistan into rubble. To destroy their will to fight is another story. These tribesmen having been fighting amongst themselves and against the greatest powers the world has known since Alexander the Great.
WWPD – What would PATTON do?
WWMD – What would MacArthur do?
Apologize. I think not. Act like a MAN and a SOLDIER. Stand up to the Socialist in Chief.
You throw in a lot of terms that are confusing. A conventional plan usually means the abandonment of a counter-insurgency strategy – not the other way around. We are dealing with an old-fashioned frontier environment that has little to do with WWII. The problem is that many in the U.S. military want to fight WWII all over again so they pay no attention to the lessons learned on the frontier, in Cuba and the Philippines, and in the CBI.
YE-E-E-SSSS!
damn…I was fine until you said "Newton's law"…then my old keyboard was a goner LOL (and thank you- I'm naming my next puppy after you now- Don't Tread On Me, call name- Reagan!)
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