Fired?
So, Gen Stanly McChrystal is out. Fired. Well, not really fired. He resigned. Personally I’d wager that he walked into that meeting yesterday with the President, saluted the man and handed him an envelope with his resignation inside. This act was never in doubt. I heard a lot of blathering on the radio, NPR, about whether McChrystal would be fired, if the President could fire him, if the President should fire him, etc etc. The simple fact really is that the only way the President would have to fire him would be if he basically rebelled against all military tradition of the US. When an officer screws up like that resignations come out fast. On rare occasions they are of accepted, but this was too public and too personal.
I confess that I am shocked that the General and his senior staff, who live and breathe OPSEC, would let it all fall apart like this. Opinions like these are acceptable (and fairly common) but only on the inside. NO one outside the circle should be invited to hear them. I rather suspect there was some agreement of “off the record” that the Rolling Stone reported blew off to make a better story. He wouldn’t be the first. But even if there was, these guys screwed up. And all of them will pay the piper. The one who set up the interview has already thrown himself on his sword, I suspect the remainder of that senior staff will in the future quietly resign, or be transferred out to command some training base or dept somewhere where they will waste all of their experience. I will be seriously surprised if any of them make the next promotion cycle. There is a possibility that they may, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. The Army is not famous for second chances.
As an aside I hope that reported enjoyed this because I seriously doubt he will EVER sit down and chat with a senior officer in anything but the most formal of sessions.
P.S. I have read some peoples speculation that he did this deliberately to make his opinions of the President clear and get out before things went south in Afghanistan. I do not believe this. If he were going to do that he would probably have called a press conference and done it on the up and up. But all things are possible. IF he did use this drunk party talk as a way to express his opinions and bail, my respect for the man is gone. That would be pathetic.
I confess that I am shocked that the General and his senior staff, who live and breathe OPSEC, would let it all fall apart like this. Opinions like these are acceptable (and fairly common) but only on the inside. NO one outside the circle should be invited to hear them. I rather suspect there was some agreement of “off the record” that the Rolling Stone reported blew off to make a better story. He wouldn’t be the first. But even if there was, these guys screwed up. And all of them will pay the piper. The one who set up the interview has already thrown himself on his sword, I suspect the remainder of that senior staff will in the future quietly resign, or be transferred out to command some training base or dept somewhere where they will waste all of their experience. I will be seriously surprised if any of them make the next promotion cycle. There is a possibility that they may, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. The Army is not famous for second chances.
As an aside I hope that reported enjoyed this because I seriously doubt he will EVER sit down and chat with a senior officer in anything but the most formal of sessions.
P.S. I have read some peoples speculation that he did this deliberately to make his opinions of the President clear and get out before things went south in Afghanistan. I do not believe this. If he were going to do that he would probably have called a press conference and done it on the up and up. But all things are possible. IF he did use this drunk party talk as a way to express his opinions and bail, my respect for the man is gone. That would be pathetic.
posted by exMI | 07:38
4 Comments:
I had some thoughts on that myself and linked a few articles. The CNN quip is one I thought you might note as more 'loose lips'...this time from the other direction.
http://opitslinkfest.blogspot.com/2010/06/24-june-morning-politics-amid-calamity.html
I had seen interesting notes on Iranian missiles that 'jinked' on their way to a target so as to avoid intercepting fire : coupled with supersonic speeds. I'm reasonably sure that was at Global Research.ca But this article reminded me of all the naval power sitting around the Persian Gulf...being a 'Sitting Duck' ? Best check quickly. The site is closing http://www.exile.ru/print.php?ARTICLE_ID=6779&IBLOCK_ID=35
I read that link. It was interesting but nothing new. That war game he is discussing took place in 2002. The military has long known of the risks posed by low tech high number opponents. That was a great concern in Gulf War 1. (It didn't play out then either)
If things kick off against Iran the major carrier groups will be sitting out in the Indian ocean. Not sitting in a bucket.
I loved the mention of China. It has long been discussed that the Chinese have more small missile boats than we have missiles to sink them. The secret of course is to not get close tot he Coast. Force projection defeats the low tech threat to large targets.
Now that's not something I'm likely to pick up too many places. Thanks.
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