http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/22/obama-general-stanley-mccrystal-afghanistanWhat McChrystal said
The Rolling Stone article is a broad assessment of General Stanley McChrystal's strategy in Afghanistan and hisan assessment of his critics.It describes how, even though the general voted for Barack Obama, the two failed to connect. McChrystal thought Obama looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by the roomful of military brass at their first meeting. A second, one-onto-one encounter at the White House did not go much better.
"Obama clearly didn't know anything about him, who he was. Here's the guy who's going to run hising war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The boss was pretty disappointed," an aide to McChrystal told the magazine.
Later, McChrystal objected to going to an official Nato dinner in Paris: "I'd rather have my ass kicked by a roomful of people than go out to this dinner." One of the aides was asked by Rolling Stone who the dinner was with. "Some French minister," he replied. "It's
The article describes the behaviour of McChrystal and his aides, who call themselves Team America, at an Irish bar in Parisare were reportedly drunk, while two officers did an Irish jig, mixed with steps from a traditional Afghan wedding dance. They were singing a slurred song about Afghanistan. McChrystal said: "I'd die for them. And they'd die for me."
An unnamed British officer is quoted as saying: "The
The article relates the story of a 25-year-old staff sergeant, Israel Arroyo, who sent an email to McChrystal from the front line in Afghanistan: "I am writing because it was said you don't care about the troops and have made it harder to defend ourselves".
The general replied within hours: "I'm saddened by accusations that I don't care about soldiers, as it is something I suspect any soldier takes both personally and professionally – at least I do. But I know perceptions depend upon your perspective at the time, and I respect that every soldier's view is his own".
McChrystal then turned up at Arroyo's base and went on foot patrol with him in an attempt to understand what the soldier meant.
During a later visit to the same forward base after a soldier is killed, another soldier said to McChrystal: "Sir, some of the guys here, sir, think we're losing, sir."
The general tried to explain his counter-insurgency strategy but afterwards said he did not think it had been been persuasive.
"This is the philosophical part that works with thinktanks. But it doesn't get the same reception from infantry companies," he said.
A senior aide to McChrystal said that the war would be even more unpopular with Americans if they thought about it: "If Americans pulled back and started paying attention to this war, it would become even less popular."
Thoughts? Should McChrystal be fired, or should he stay?
If I didn't know better I'd think this "aide" was an adolescent boy.
