General McChrystal and the Painful Truth

Wow! Who-da-thunk it? Is President Obama really so upset as to fire General McChrystal? Or is this part of a bigger surrender strategy?

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Franklin Roosevelt engaged in a great give and take with his Generals. He forgave General MacArthur his ego as long as "Big Mac" kept on winning. General George Patton's quips and antics likely bothered Generals Marshall, Bradley and Eisenhower far more than they did FDR. Generals require the confidence of their Commander in Chief and vice versa. Maybe that is what is missing here. I can't imagine Obama having that same give and take. His personality dictates a "stand-up-one-way" form of communication to his subordinates, lest they see his emptiness. Observers writing in "Politico," "UK Telegraph" and others believe that President Obama is going to make General McChrystal take a long walk off of a short plank. First, never mind that General McChrystal voted for Obama. [Gulp! ... I have a hard time accepting that scenario. But then the impetuous Brevet General Custer and the plodding General McClellan were Democrats too. Go figure.] Perhaps we can count on this General to mend his ways, again, and never, never do this again ... again. I frankly like McChrystal style. I'd wager that his soldiers admire this man's leadership. He is a warrior, not a politician. He is no "Perfumed Prince of the Pentagon [as the late Colonel David Hackworth used to describe certain "political" officers in the Pentagon] Second, I think Joe Biden has a larger, more affable persona than Obama. He possibly laughed off the "Biden ... Bite-me" quip. Biden did in essence say the equivalent of "Bite Me" regarding McChrystal's plans, time-tables, manpower, and costs in time and materiel. But then, Biden isn't even taken seriously by the Obama crowd. Third, respect is as respect does. Obama-in-Charge has tried to put his "boot on the neck" of his military commanders since day one. It it not a matter that this incompetent narcissist hasn't a clue about military operations and strategy. He had to look tough for his sycophants on the Left. Remember that High School smart # who would always pop-off with some "tough guy" comment and then look, smirking, to his cronies for approval? I think that you have the picture.

Sliding into tyranny

[BTW: Has anyone else noted the increased usage of the term "Commander-in-Chief" by the media when speaking of "Il Duce"? See Thomas Sowell's article asking whether we are sliding into tyranny.... and see if this fits the behavior] Fourth, I wish that the "David Brock-style-pretend-conservative-imitator," Joe Scarborough, would just shut up! He has had one caffeine-laden cup NBC Kool-aid too many. Being older makes most people wiser. Joe: Comeback to the Panhandle and spout some of your neo-Liberal garbage to your former 1st District Florida supporters and see if they will help get you into re-hab. Fifth, General McChrystal is perhaps no General MacArthur, and President Obama is certainly no President Truman. But, firing McChrystal would be a grave blow to NATO Operations in Afghanistan. Still, firing McChrystal provides Obama with precisely the scapegoat he needs to retreat from Afghanistan without so much as a "by your leave." Finally, let us not forget that the Afghan front was Obama's "Good War." He was going to show Pakistan and Bush a thing or two and bring home Osama Bin Laden's head on a Platter. This was the real war, this was the real success story. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. When the going gets tough for Il Duce, President Obama finds the nearest scapegoat, and the nearest exit. If fired, I wonder what General Stanley McChrystal is going to do with all of his free time? I hear that the GOP and the Tea Party are looking for a straight talking leader with some cahones. We like winners on this side of the spectrum General McChrystal; and you Sir, are a winner. Isn't Free Speech a wonderful thing America? Better use it while you still have it. See Also: Is President Obama acting with foolish inconsistency?

A MacArthur Moment?

By William R. Mann Tuesday, October 6, 2009 Consider the following: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen, and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. … Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said today.” Ralph Waldo Emerson More...