The Prof
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1. Mrs Alaska is not the only one "going rogue."
2. On Thursday, at London's Institute for Strategic Studies, Obama's hand-picked commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, spoke with unanticipated candor, saying that suggestions to "scale down" his campaign in the region, proposed most notably last Sunday by VP Biden, would lead to "Chaos-istan."
3. It has been known since September 21, when Bob Woodward leaked McChrystal's secret assessment describing our lack of progress in the theater, that the general is adamant in his recommendation for an entirely new strategy, emphasizing counter-insurgency over counter-terrorism, as well as an infusion of 40,000 additional troops.
4. Of course, the day prior to Woodward's release, the president blitzed FIVE Sunday talk shows to dissemble that he had not yet been briefed about the battleground, that he had not yet been asked for reinforcements,
5. And then, a week later, last Sunday, Biden revealed the White House's probable preference for a "middle ground" approach, employing drones and special forces in the Mountains on the Moon.
6. McChrystal apparently did not appreciate the Veep's posturing, going public with his opinions as he did, the general, that is, in London.
7. When asked if he could support a "scaling back" in Afghanistan, McChrystal kicked back, "the short answer is: no."
8. Thus, today the president summoned his renegade general to Copenhagen, where the pair enjoyed their first personal meeting on AF1, the commander in camouflage fatigues.
9. One wonders just which of the two felt as if he'd been called to the woodshed.
10. Last Sunday nite, McChrystal told 60 Minutes he had spoken only once with Obama since being appointed last Summer to replace David McKiernan to put in place the president's particular policies.
11. President Bush, in contrast, spoke with his Iraqi commanders via videolink "as often as once a week."
12. Who leaked the August 30 assessment to Woodward?
13. Why?
14. Why has the prez been sitting on McChrystal's synopsis for over a month?
15. Is it so he could have time to visit Letterman and fly to Copenhagen?
16. How do YOU think the general feels?
17. Why have so many British commanders quit in recent months?
18. Just yesterday, Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser Mark Lippert resigned.
19. The US situation in Afghanistan, by all accounts, is worrisomely worsening, with record numbers of soldiers killed each of the last two months.
20. Speaking tactfully, the general insisted that he has not been pressured by his civilian bosses to revise his reports.
21. He also claimed in London that he endorses Obama's taking his time to get things right.
22. But it's the worst kept secret in Washington that the general has requested 40,000 reinforcements and that he's declared defeat cannot be avoided without them.
23. McChrystal and his overseer, David Petraeus, are in accord with the president's "comprehensive, new strategy" for the region announced on March 27.
24. It's the president who's backpedaling.
25. While comparisons between the McChrystal-Obama relationship to MacArthur-Truman may, today, be "far fetched," the very fact that Harry's rogue is being mentioned in this discussion is fatefully foreboding.
26. But, either way, reading between the lines, one thing is McChrystal clear: Obama's select commander in Moon Mountains is irreconcilably resolute in his conviction that more troops and a revamped approach are required as part of any recipe for success.
27. If he doesn't get from the president what he's asked for, what's McChrystal supposed to do, stay there and pursue an operation he feels is doomed?
28. McChrystal is both setting up the president and forcing his hand.
29. If Obama goes the Biden route, clearly favored by the White House and the base of the president's party, McChrystal will have no choice but to quit.
30. The camouflage clad commander is on record.
31. Afghanistan is KILLING this president, along with about 50 brave American fighters a month.
32. Soldiers die while our do-nothing president dithers and delays, and his lead commander in the field declaratively disapproves.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/world/asia/02general.html?_r=1&hp
The Prof
2. On Thursday, at London's Institute for Strategic Studies, Obama's hand-picked commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, spoke with unanticipated candor, saying that suggestions to "scale down" his campaign in the region, proposed most notably last Sunday by VP Biden, would lead to "Chaos-istan."
3. It has been known since September 21, when Bob Woodward leaked McChrystal's secret assessment describing our lack of progress in the theater, that the general is adamant in his recommendation for an entirely new strategy, emphasizing counter-insurgency over counter-terrorism, as well as an infusion of 40,000 additional troops.
4. Of course, the day prior to Woodward's release, the president blitzed FIVE Sunday talk shows to dissemble that he had not yet been briefed about the battleground, that he had not yet been asked for reinforcements,
5. And then, a week later, last Sunday, Biden revealed the White House's probable preference for a "middle ground" approach, employing drones and special forces in the Mountains on the Moon.
6. McChrystal apparently did not appreciate the Veep's posturing, going public with his opinions as he did, the general, that is, in London.
7. When asked if he could support a "scaling back" in Afghanistan, McChrystal kicked back, "the short answer is: no."
8. Thus, today the president summoned his renegade general to Copenhagen, where the pair enjoyed their first personal meeting on AF1, the commander in camouflage fatigues.
9. One wonders just which of the two felt as if he'd been called to the woodshed.
10. Last Sunday nite, McChrystal told 60 Minutes he had spoken only once with Obama since being appointed last Summer to replace David McKiernan to put in place the president's particular policies.
11. President Bush, in contrast, spoke with his Iraqi commanders via videolink "as often as once a week."
12. Who leaked the August 30 assessment to Woodward?
13. Why?
14. Why has the prez been sitting on McChrystal's synopsis for over a month?
15. Is it so he could have time to visit Letterman and fly to Copenhagen?
16. How do YOU think the general feels?
17. Why have so many British commanders quit in recent months?
18. Just yesterday, Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser Mark Lippert resigned.
19. The US situation in Afghanistan, by all accounts, is worrisomely worsening, with record numbers of soldiers killed each of the last two months.
20. Speaking tactfully, the general insisted that he has not been pressured by his civilian bosses to revise his reports.
21. He also claimed in London that he endorses Obama's taking his time to get things right.
22. But it's the worst kept secret in Washington that the general has requested 40,000 reinforcements and that he's declared defeat cannot be avoided without them.
23. McChrystal and his overseer, David Petraeus, are in accord with the president's "comprehensive, new strategy" for the region announced on March 27.
24. It's the president who's backpedaling.
25. While comparisons between the McChrystal-Obama relationship to MacArthur-Truman may, today, be "far fetched," the very fact that Harry's rogue is being mentioned in this discussion is fatefully foreboding.
26. But, either way, reading between the lines, one thing is McChrystal clear: Obama's select commander in Moon Mountains is irreconcilably resolute in his conviction that more troops and a revamped approach are required as part of any recipe for success.
27. If he doesn't get from the president what he's asked for, what's McChrystal supposed to do, stay there and pursue an operation he feels is doomed?
28. McChrystal is both setting up the president and forcing his hand.
29. If Obama goes the Biden route, clearly favored by the White House and the base of the president's party, McChrystal will have no choice but to quit.
30. The camouflage clad commander is on record.
31. Afghanistan is KILLING this president, along with about 50 brave American fighters a month.
32. Soldiers die while our do-nothing president dithers and delays, and his lead commander in the field declaratively disapproves.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/world/asia/02general.html?_r=1&hp
The Prof
