Wednesday, June 23, 2010

MY THOUGHTS E-X-A-A-A-C-T-L-Y

“What on earth was McChrystal thinking, one wonders,” wrote Boot, “when he decided to grant so much access to an anti-war reporter from an anti-war magazine . . . ?"





Twinkle, Twinkle, Three Star General


He WASN'T thinking - THAT'S THE PROBLEM

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7 comments:

  1. Sean,
    I just heard that this Rolling Stoner met with Mcchrystal in France, stayed with him for a week, then flew back to Afghanistan with Big Mac's staff were he hung out for a month with all staff personnel. AWHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

    This had to be more than "just" a major faux pas. What is it about "the need to know your audiance" does a four star general NOT understand?

    Could Big Mac have wanted to be fired?

    Hmmmmmm.........jd

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  2. OR, MAYBE, HE WAS THINKING.

    Even if he was recalled and forced to retire right now, he'd have a better life than most people ever could imagine.

    Most people don't get stars on accident.

    I wouldn't chalk it up to lack of thought.

    A General Douglas, who said he would return and did, had some rather interesting conversations about how to handle Koreans/Chinese with his CINC, and even "lost his job" over his forceful opinions and actions in that theatre. He didn't shed a tear over it.

    Friend of mine, while on duty, had to meet the current POOT-US.

    He said "I've never in my life met any politician with such an active contempt for the military", back when POOT was only an aspirational member of a state legislature.

    I wouldn't assume a person doing a Rolling Stone magazine interview who was a General Officer did not know what he was doing when he spoke to them.

    Think they got him high on some primo weed and then were doing beer bongs first? I'd rather doubt that.

    Something to think about. I'm an officer's kid. He got fired from some postings over politics. He always knew what he was saying. Even the ones that canceled postings.

    It shall be more interesting to see how this plays out in the long run than to think the fellow at the point of the spear didn't know what he was saying to a hippy reporter...

    Might be a strategy here that you are missing that Stan wasn't, as he's living the job? Many gambits are used in games of chess, some work. But it's helpful to know what somebody's goals were before you say they picked the wrong gambit.

    --Not at all anonymous. AND REMEMBER, KIDDOS: You don't make it up to the "land of stars" if you are a loose cannon.

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  3. Thanks for all ur insight. This is the place I come for all things military.

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  4. Tom, I agree. Mac knew what he was doing every step of the way. It's a common debating tactic and is used in courtrooms all over. It gets the message across:

    "so, Louie, in keeping with your degenerate sex habits and drug use, you beat poor Mabel to death with a toilet plunger?

    "OBJECTION!"

    "Sorry your honor, withdrawn"

    And the jury will always see poor Louie as the sex fiend.

    Everyone who heard or reads what McCrystal said will never forget it no matter how much he appears to apologize.

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  5. That kind of was my thought...Rolling Stone is faaaar to the left and have always presented OIF and OEF negatively *shrugs*.

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  6. If President Telepromter was inteligent and not such an Egotist he would realise you keep your friends,council,& Generals close and your Enemies closer! I think Mac knows what he is doing and Obambi may just let slip the Dog of War!

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  7. He knew exactly what he was doing. The failed political policies of Vietnam were not wasted on Gen. Mac. All he did was plan and execute his mission to avoid being Westmorelanded.

    A. S. Layman

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