Gen. David Petraeus is going to replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal as the new U.S. commander within the Afghanistan war. After a profile of McChrystal in Rolling Stone portrayed him as contemptuous of President Obama and of the key members of his national security team, McChrystal offered his resignation and Obama accepted it. Opinion has been universal so far that to preserve America’s civilian control over the military, McChrystal needed to go and that Petraeus is the best choice to take over in Afghanistan.
Gen. David Petraeus, who heads U.S. Central Command, took what looked like certain failure in Iraq and brought the U.S. war there toward a suitable outcome. David Ignatius of the Washington Post said that if the Taliban sold any of the stock, its price would surely have fallen after Wednesday’s announcement that Petraeus would assume control in Afghanistan. Ignatius also explained that Petraeus is probably the most deft political figure he’s seen in uniform who always remembered that he worked for civilian leadership.
Petraeus a ‘win-win’ for Obama
Appointing Gen. Petraeus after McChrystal’s challenge to his leadership is a win-win for Obama, as it is reported by the Christian Science Monitor. Obama gains a top commander back within the field, and he also reasserts his role as civilian commander in chief. After insulting comments that were made by Gen. McChrystal and his staff to a reporter from Rolling Stone, Obama easily summoned the general from Afghanistan to Washington and he won’t be going back.
Gen. McChrystal’s apology no help
Gen. McChrystal apologized for the article on Tuesday but didn’t say he was misrepresented by it. CNN reports that a source close to McChrystal said that during the 30-minute meeting that happened between Obama and McChrystal on Tuesday, McChrystal briefly explained the Rolling Stone article that derailed his career, took responsibility and then offered his resignation. The president “had no intention of keeping him,” the source said. McChrystal’s personal belongings will be shipped home from Afghanistan.
New boss exact same as old boss
Gen. Petraeus represents a change in style but not of any kind of substance as outlined by Michael Hastings, the freelance writer of the Rolling Stone article at the center of the controversy. On rollingstone.com June 23, Hastings explained to readers that when Obama changed McChrystal with Petraeus the president said it was a change in personnel, not policy, and policy has been the problem all along. Hastings said that Obama picked Petraeus because he is a master at telling Americans what they want to hear. It can be Petraeus’ job to spin Afghanistan from a defeat into a face-saving draw after having spent billions of dollars and thousands of lives that won’t make us any safer from terrorists.
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Washington Post
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/23/AR2010062304005.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
Christian Science Monitor
csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0623/In-replacing-McChrystal-with-Gen.-David-Petraeus-Obama-reasserts-authority
CNN
edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/23/general.mcchrystal.obama.apology/?hpt=T1&imw=Y&fbid=w2XX2duDWrt
