There is outrage in the world of politics tonight. Outrage in the world of media as well. Who could imagine that the first few paragraphs of an article in the current issue of Rolling Stone Magazine would/could change the face of a war. That is the decision that weighs hard and heavy on President Barak Obama as he prepares to meet with his head man in Afghanastan, General Stanley McChrystal. The main topic of discussion: The public dissing of the Commander-In-Chief in newsprint, saying that he found Obama "uncomfortable and intimidated" upon first meeting with McChrystal and a bevy of military hard-hitters. In addition, a reference to Vice President Joe Biden as Joe "bite me" by the General's chief-of-staff, referring to having dinner in Paris with a French minister as "fucking gay", and an overall disdain for all things authoritative and dignified unless created by said General.
The schrapnel that is the Rolling Stone piece has already caused some serious collateral damage. The future of the direction of the war will be decided tomorrow should the President decide to accept or not accept the General's resignation. Counterinsurgency, a.k.a. COIN has McChrystal's mark all over it in Afghanastan in the same fashion as a dog marking a tree.
Should Obama can the General does he also can the COIN? Is it worth it to virtually scrap current policy in this greatly fractured region of the world and start from scratch AGAIN?Is the criticism from both the left and the right worth it just to save face? Can the American taxpayer stand to watch as Congress allots additional billions and trillions of dollars to a war that seems to have no direction, not to mention a definitive plan for an outcome?
Should Obama keep the General in charge, what might the collateral damage be then? The President perceived to be weak, thus confirming McChrystal's "intimidated" theory? The pundits to speculate openly about who is really in charge of this war? The left and the right pointing fingers at each other? All of the above and more?
This is what I suggest the President and all Americans do: Read the article ("The Runaway General"). Read the whole thing, not just the infalmmatory parts pertaining to the Administration. Pay attention to what the reporter, Michael Hastings learns, observes, and reports. Pay attention to how America is going about fighting this war, how our allies are throwing up their hands in disgust, how our fighting men have become frustrated and angry over how this current doctrine forces them to do battle with one hand virtually tied behind their backs in order to minimize casualties. Pay attention to the loss of life incurred by our troops because of said doctrine.
General McChrystal is no angel, but he's not the devil either. This is war and war is hell. The rules of engagement have changed, but it is war nontheless. Tomorrow the world will find out just how much our President can stomach. Tomorrow may be the day that changes the face of a war. And the shape of a presidency.
Read the whole thing before you form an opinion.
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