UPDATE FROM HUFFINGTON POST:
GEN. MC CHRYSTAL OFFERS TO RESIGN.
General Stanley McChrystal has offered his resignation, an unnamed source has told Time magazine. CNN tweeted a report of the resignation. More details to follow.
As an officer in the armed forces of the United States of America, General McChrystal took an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. He has violated that oath for the second time by disrespecting the chain of command and the president as Commander in Chief. In addition to President Obama, McChrystal denigrated the Secretary of Defense, Vice President Joe Biden, the National Security Advisory, General Jones, and Afghan Ambassador Eichenberry, who was a military officer himself. All of his superiors were trashed in an "on the record" interview with Rolling Stone Magazine. General McChrystal's media press aide, Duncan Boothby, knew enough to resign after this egregious insubordination. McChrystal needs to do the same. This is the second time McChrystal has been insubordinate to his Commander in Chief.
Joe Scarborough, former Republican Congressman from Florida and a member of the Military Affairs Committee, stated this morning that McChrystal has, by his actions, endangered the troops under his command by providing aid and comfort to the enemy
Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the top U.S. general in Afghanistan made "a significant mistake" and used poor judgment in remarks to a magazine reporter
Three members of the Senate Armed Services Committee issued a joint statement saying they had the “highest respect” for McChrystal’s military service but that his comments were disrespectful. “General McChrystal’s comments, as reported in Rolling Stone, are inappropriate and inconsistent with the traditional relationship between Commander-in-Chief and the military,” said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the committee’s ranking Republican, Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “The decision concerning General McChrystal’s future is a decision to be made by the President of the United States.”
This behavior by McChrystal is in direct contradiction to the US Constitution. Just a reminder to those on the Right who will jump on this and defend the indefensible. McChrystal betrayed his oath of office.
h/t Huffington Post
NOTE: "McChrystal was instrumental in the Pat Tillman cover-up. Shortly after Tillman's death, he wrote a memo recommending against divulging the findings of internal investigations that showed Tillman's death was due to friendly fire. Why? Because, as Rolling Stone printed, those findings would cause "public embarrassment" for Bush. As RS also notes, "Nine days after Tillman's death, McChrystal was promoted to Major General."
13 comments:
Over at Mal's blog, one commentator said we needed a General like MacArthur.
Apparently lost was that President Truman fired MacArthur for essentially the same type of churlish behavior toward civilian leadership of the armed forces.
But I am not saying our current General should resign.
President Obama should assert his leadership and fire him.
It is what sometimes leaders must do, but I suspect, that as we have seen in the past, Obama will not be the type of President who will choose that route, for better, or worse.
Perhaps you're right, Dave.
Mr. Obama should have fired him the first time.
The people over at that blog are long on ranting and very short on facts or history.
It's disgraceful and he should be fired! Why would McChrystal talk to Rolling Stone anyway?? Don't we have any loyalty in our government, to blatantly bash President Obama and Biden, it's dispicable! Do the right thing Mr. President!
Shaw, hold me back from going to Mals!! :-)
I just finished the piece at Rolling Stone.
Adios General.
You won't be missed.
On the other hand it's entirely possible Obama won't have the gumption to do what needs doing.
That's happened before.
Calmate Sue... Arthur, I hope you are right...
Stai calme,* Sue.
*"Stay calm" in Italian.
Agreed, Arthurstone.
First off, why does a general have a staff, that includes a public relations advisor who scheduled an interview with Rolling Stone?
Why is a general, in the middle of a war, giving fluff interviews to Rolling Stone?
As far as the comparsions to MacArthur goes....hmmm, McCrystal's record doesn't quite measure up; no matter what he may think.
That goes for his staff also...
Last time I checked they were not storming the beaches nor were they rolling through the countryside...
He needs to resign and live up to his own stupidity. If he had an ounce of the character that he says he has he would never have allowed that interview to turn into some locker room bullshit contest...
If he doesn't resign then he needs to be fired.
Its that simple.
McChrystal needs to be fired. Now.
I hope Obama does it soon.
Suggestion from a dailykos commenter:
"I still think senior military adviser to the Speaker of the House would be apropos. Let Madam Speaker put him in his place. Nancy rules - literally and figuratively."
One can only hope!
Well, here is a big endorsement of McChrystal:
“He is the first good thing to happen to Afghanistan,” said Karzai’s half brother Ahmad Wali Karzai, considered the most powerful figure in Kandahar. “He is active. He is honest. He does a good job, a lot of positive things have happened since he has come.”
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gpxqRHnw1q4mAcBswkognlE4skLAD9GGGAK01
I mean if McChrystal is OK by Karzai’s drug dealing half brother that should be good enough for anyone.
Shaw - you are wasting your time over at that dim-witted fool's childish blog. He doesn't want critical thinking and certainly doesn't welcome dissenting views.
Dave - I give you credit for having patience for that schmuck. You supply valid arguments and point out gaping holes in Ralphie's "logic" but he's never replied with even a hint of a valid retort.
He copies mindless rants from others, throws in some "socialist" accusations, and then takes credit for the material. It's like the dumbest kid in the class copying off of the second dumbest kid in the class and passing it off as his own.
There, let's see if he reads this and wants to come over to my blog and get blasted (and shamed) like he knows he will...just like he stays off of the "moron with the dog"'s blog.
The J Mopper
J Mopper,
I'm done with that blog.
malcontent called me dishonorable because I voted for Obama.
Apparently he can't form a cogent argument based on evidence or data, so he relies on calling people names.
He did that when he used to come here and comment, and he's continuing that tradition over at his blog, where he copies, cuts, and pastes other people's work and passes it off as his own. His readers believe his posts are great, and he isn't honest enough to tell them that they're not his work.
This is the same guy who said I have no honor because I voted for a man he doesn't like.
Sometimes I think his blog is a parody of a wingnut's blog, it is so unhinged.
great pics!!!! very country side effect, love your outfit so chic and lovely!!!
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