Gen. McChrystal Called In to Explain His Anti-Administration Comments

Originally posted by LittleIndianJr.
Im pretty sure that is still legal to say what you want in this country, but honestly who would know beter about a flawed admin. than a high ranking general?

This is getting really really really tiresome. He was not arrested for anything he said, was he?

Freedom of speech does not equate with job security!!!!!!!

This has nothing to do with freedom of speech. Until he is arrested for what he said, this is about speaking out of turn. Please go to work tomorrow and tell your boss in the most inflammatory terms you feel comfortable with how inept he or she is. You will have more than enough time to brush up on the difference between being arrested and being relieved of duty on the unemployment line.

Military code of conduct.
I don't think anyone is suggesting that his freedom of speech should be limited, he can say what he thinks in private, but to say it on record to a reporter during war time is careless, if not stupid IMO.

reply to post by Seraphina


It was supposedly his aids who said all of those things, not the general. It wouldn't surprise me at all if it wasn't even his aids, rather Obama's political enemies in an effort to make Obama look bad. Rolling Stones was citing anonymous aids in their article. If that is the case, mission accomplished as this looks terrible for the President. However, it is it was his aids, it wasn't him saying these things to the magazine, but rather in private to his friends and coworkers.

--airspoon

reply to post by airspoon


Why did he resign without so much as an explanation that those are not his words?

Just curious

reply to post by K J Gunderson


Any argument would be futile on his part. All it would do is make him look bad, most likely. Also, he is a military man, to where there are no excuses, ever. You take whatever is thrown at you and you run with it.

Also, I'm not saying that these weren't his words, only that I wouldn't be surprised if his aids weren't the anonymous sources cited in the Rolling Stone magazine. Why would his aids commit career suicide for something so stupid? In order to become an aid to a cammander of that stature, you need to be on top of your game, most likely West Point grads with promissing military careers. The general would most likely be your friend as well. It ALMOST doesn't make sense to me that his aids would do this, though anything is possible.

--airspoon

reply to post by K J Gunderson


It would not matter if they were or weren't. The damage was done and a bill has to be paid. That is what the military does no matter how ugly it gets.

If indeed his aides did say those things, that is when the General made the mistake of fostering that type of command climate.

I find it incredibly hard to believe those things were said by those close to the General. The General is on record of liking Obama and he voted for him for whatever it is worth.

Is it possible this is nothing more than a contrived fabrication to sack a dissenter? Well after Petraeus' demotion from CENTCOM to fill McChrystal's shoes, it sure looks that way.

It wasn't in the news over here until it was announced he was sacked.

From the reports I heard so far, the General shot his mouth off in public (to a news reporter), and lost his job over it.

Obama must be fairly sure he did say something like that to go and sack one of the highest ranking officials during a war, pull him out of a war zone, and move someone else in.

Originally posted by ABNARTY
reply to post by K J Gunderson

 

Is it possible this is nothing more than a contrived fabrication to sack a dissenter? Well after Petraeus' demotion from CENTCOM to fill McChrystal's shoes, it sure looks that way.

The 101st Airborne Division is the group slated to be deployed to Afghanistan. Many of the guys have left already. This would not be Petraeus' first time commanding the group as he has previously done so in OIF. He may have asked for it. As for McChrystal being some kind of dissenter, he wrote the plans and Obama gave him what he wanted. If he had issues with those plans he should have kicked own ass.

reply to post by mirageofdeceit


That's not the case. What had happened, was that Rolling Stone magazine did an article where they cited anonymous aids to Gen McChrystal quoting the general as saying embarrassing things about Obama and Biden. I find the "anonymous aids" part to be quite suspicious.

--airspoon

reply to post by airspoon


The General didn't claim any of it was fake or misquoted. I'm not sure what else there is to say about it. I do think it's rather puzzling a 4-star general would allow someone that kind of access to his aides though. It's either really poor judgement or he did it intending to cause a stink. I'm going with the "He's gonna run for office" angle.

reply to post by antonia


There would be no point in denying it, even if he didn't say those things. It would most likely make him look bad even if he tried to deny. Besides, those hard-core military old guys aren't the type to make excuses, rather just roll with the punches.

Also, I'm not saying that the general didn't make those comments, only that it seems suspicious that his aids would have said that to the reporters. What if his phones were tapped or someone overheard what he was saying, either through ear-shot or internal memos and emails. Look, I'm not even saying that his aids didn't do it, only that it would seem unlikely. Three possibilities here, one being that he did say it and his aids ratted him out to reporters; he did say it and someone overheard it, thus allowing Obama's political enemies to make Obama look bad or the last possibility being that he didn't say it and neither did his aids, rather it was all an attempt to hurt Obama.

Whatever the case, Obama sure got mud on his face because of it.

--airspoon

reply to post by airspoon


Indeed he does have mud on his face. I don't think it's entirely fair but, that's life. We can't know the general's intent until he get's some distance from the White House. I think it will become evident what his intent was if we see him hanging out with certain Republicans.

Then again this might not be a conspiracy at all. If you remember before the troop surge McChrystal was accused of leaking his plans and bullying the White House. This is not new behavior from him. He might just be that dumb.

Of course, it remains to be seen if this will all turn out bad for Obama. A lot of people here would like that, but I think it's gonna be up to the new command. If they can pull off an end to this war then this whole flap is going to be forgotten rather quickly.

Funny how when military brass spoke out about Bush/Cheney's ineptitude, the Right called the Traitors. Now, they call them heroes.

partisan funny, that.

What i think is interesting about this is the General's comments are being taken grossly out of context by the media. Yes, he said these things, but he said them in passing, as part of a larger context. The media is isolating small bits of quotes and making it look as if they were direct comments meant to be taken a specific way. They werent.

This is much ado about nothing by those who have ill will towards the administration.

Originally posted by justadood
Funny how when military brass spoke out about Bush/Cheney's ineptitude, the Right called the Traitors. Now, they call them heroes.

partisan funny, that.

Funny how you choose to single out republicans when democrats are just as big hypocrites.

Don't ever attempt to claim something applies to one side and not the other, both parties are snakes and hypocrites.

At least with Bush in office there were no terrorist attacks after 9/11 there has been 3 since Obama took office, do the math.

I hated Bush but felt a need to point this out.

[edit on 23-6-2010 by Gakus]

reply to post by Gakus


Na, he just lied and got us in a war that killed thousands of soldiers. Thank goodness there were no terror attacks though

you know this reminds me exactly what was going on in iraq when I was there. this was back in 2006 and I remember a tank being fired at from a mosk. they asked permission over the radio (while being shot at) if they could fire back....they were denied. IMO they should have leveled it without asking as the codes of war cleary states it loses protected status. a LT COL. denied permission to defend ourselves...so what does he do? tell them to get their interpreter out there with a megaphone and try to talk them down. THATS WHAT THE LT COL SAID!!! the one who was in charge of our entire area!! when they informed him on the radio they were still being engaged, he instructed them to return to base....there is something seriously wrong. now thats just one incident while im there. iv seen alot of F***ED up political BULLCRAP!

[edit on 24-6-2010 by ALlENATlON]

reply to post by Gakus


Just so we are clear, what were the 3 terrorist attacks that took place under President Obama?

McChrystal has been made into a scapegoat perhaps the WH was still stinging from being forced into that surge we are clearly talking about egos here and it got out of hand in this case.Now that untapped natural resources have been found they need a general who will protect those intrests.