Chuck Todd interview with JK up now at MSNBC

[beachmom]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/06/22/4544021-kerry-on-mcchrystals-poor-judgment

The talk about climate/energy legislation, but I guess the big story is about Gen. McChrystal and his aides mouthing off against everyone, including Kerry. So Kerry had to respond to some questions on that as well.

I don't know what to think of the McChrystal situation. I just think Afghanistan is not going well, but because of other big stories, the American people have not been focussed on it. And this has led to frustrations which we are now seeing. I think we need to scale back in Afghanistan, not because that's a great option, but because the mission has clearly failed.

Edit: Rolling Stone article up now:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/119236

A Kerry statement from here:

http://washingtonindependent.com/87950/kerry-on-mcchrystal-stop-the-feeding-frenzy

When General McChrystal called me this morning, I emphasized that my concern is our policy in Afghanistan and what it will take to be successful there. I respect General McChrystal as a soldier and always have. What’s most important is the 94,000 American troops serving in harm’s way in Afghanistan. Their safety and their mission should be the priority we stay focused on above all else. The Commander in Chief and his national security team, including his top commander on the ground, must have confidence in each other and confidence in the path forward in Afghanistan. It would be a grave mistake to allow this unfolding news drama to distract anyone from the mission at hand. Now is not the time for Washington to be sidetracked by chatter. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and give the President and his national security team the space to decide what is in the best interest of our mission, and to have their face-to-face discussion tomorrow without a premature Washington feeding frenzy.

[Mass]

1. Kerry had a statement where he asks people to cool off and let Obama

make decisions on Afghanistan.

http://washingtonindependent.com/87950/kerry-on-mcchrystal-stop-the-feeding-frenzy

When General McChrystal called me this morning, I emphasized that my concern is our policy in Afghanistan and what it will take to be successful there. I respect General McChrystal as a soldier and always have. What’s most important is the 94,000 American troops serving in harm’s way in Afghanistan. Their safety and their mission should be the priority we stay focused on above all else. The Commander in Chief and his national security team, including his top commander on the ground, must have confidence in each other and confidence in the path forward in Afghanistan. It would be a grave mistake to allow this unfolding news drama to distract anyone from the mission at hand. Now is not the time for Washington to be sidetracked by chatter. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and give the President and his national security team the space to decide what is in the best interest of our mission, and to have their face-to-face discussion tomorrow without a premature Washington feeding frenzy.

Of course, he is already insulted on GD because he did not call to fire McCrystal and leave Afghanistan, but I agree with Ackerman's interpretation that

You could read that either way, but it’s certainly a statement that Obama needs to decide not just what McChrystal’s future is, but what the future of Afghanistan strategy is.

[JI7]

4. it's the same one as always

based on what that one posted it made it seem as if Kerry was supporting McChrystal. but reading this is shows Kerry is saying it's up to the President and we should support the President on what he wants to do.

[Inuca]

2. I heard the interview while driving to work

(thank you XM radio for now carrying MSNBC :-)). Thoughtful and loyal, standard Kerry. Todd kept pushing him "should McChrystal be fired?" and Kerry kept saying that this is up to the president and his national security team. Basically what is in the statement quoted above, with some of the wording being almost identical.

[karynnj]

3. Thanks to all three of you

As Incuna said, standard, loyal and thoughtful Kerry. This really is Obama's decision - or rather decisions - and the decision on the way to go in Afghanistan is the more important of the two.

One thing consider is why all these soldiers felt comfortable saying all these things before reporters. The timing is interesting - did Rolling Stone want to spark a more public question on the future in Afghanistan. (Is this a way for McChystal to leave and then blame Obama when his policy fails?)

[wisteria]

5. The comments from an aide to Mc Chrystal about Senator Kerry are ignorant.

Senator Kerry did much more in Afghanistan than just meet with Karazi.And, the praise for Clinton is ridiculous. She has had very little to do with the decisions and state matters regarding Afghanistan.

[karynnj]

6. I think who he and his clique like depends on who always agrees with him

As Kerry pointed out, his efforts helped McChrystal have a more legitimate leader to partner with. What their REAL problem likely was was that Kerry was (with Biden and Reed) unwilling to immediately buy into the 40,000 increase that McChrystal wanted. In addition, the reason Kerry was leery of that big an increase was on target.

The hearings Kerry had came to a conclusion that we needed to have Afghan "good enough" governance and security to immediately take over areas after we eliminated the Taliban there. That is precisely what did NOT happen in Marjah. At this point, there are stories that the Taliban is resurgent there and is brutally murdering anyone who they saw as cooperating with us. This will make the next province harder as fewer people will be willing to side with us. This is Vietnam all over.

So, of course he prefers Hillary, who agrees with him.

[wisteria]

8. Oh, I agree with you about criticizing anyone who doesn't agree with them.

But, I still do not understand how smart men could speak out like this and show such disrespect. People in positions of power like know better.

I had read the article and not listened to the Kerry interview before I posted. I wanted to take it all in before saying anything. And, certainly, his words and those of his assistants are highly disrespectful and ignorant, but I don't know if anything is really gained by firing him, although he certainly deserves to be. Maybe, President Obama needs to be more engaged with him, sort of like what he decided to do with Clinton, bring him into the fold and allow him to express his opinions in private.

[karynnj]

10. From some TV comments, these comments were made while they were at hotels

grounded in Europe grounded by the volcano's ash. I suspect that it was a combination of boredom, alcohol, and unusual familiarity that came from being together for a longer time than typical.

I should have done waht you did. I commented after reading Raw story and hearing Kerry. (I couldn't find the RS article) The article is far worse than the summaries. RS knew they had dynamite here. I suspect that the WH was facing a re-examination of their Afghanistan program because it is clearer that what they are doing has not worked as planned. (Tay Tay explained this - and the difficult choices really well down thread.)

I think the "disengaged" comment says more of McChrystal than of Obama. I would NOT take McChrsytal's comment as "reliable". The fact is that Obama chaired weeks of an Afghanistan review. Notice that the Pentagon is not even low level backing McChrystal. (Joe Scarborough this morning just said that everyone he knows in the military is saying that Obama should fire him. Note that he attacks, not just Obama, but our allies (the jr high comment of "how gay" connected to the French minister). He also is bi-partisan in his disregard for Congress - mentioning both Kerry and McCain. (McCain has come closer to doing what the aide accused both of doing - as did the lesser MA Senator.) What it really shows is that he is a pretty intolerant and arrogant and that he has very little respect for the President, Congress, our allies. The RS author and Joe Scarborough spoke of a culture of cowboys surrounding McChrystal that has been his norm for years.

[MBS]

9. I watched the Stuff about McChrystal + rolling stone on cable news last night. .

. . and noted the comments that HRC was the only Obama player that didn't come in for criticism by McChrystal. And I thought the same thoughts as you and karynnj.

[TayTay]

7. I think Sen. Kerry responded as a grown-up

I think responding as a grown-up is regarded as such a rare occurence lately that some find it remarkable. How sad.

Gen. McCrystal can't just "leave" Afghanistan. There has to be a process. We have troops dying in the field there. We have a moral responsibility to sanely and calmly and rationally think this through. (Said as the TV notes that one more American from MA DIED in Afghanistan yesterday. That is, after all, what it is about.)

There is a lot going on around this issue. McCrystal was a late convert to the whole COIN strategy and then became a zealot. I am not sure that the President is a zealot on COIN. He certainly seems enamored of the drones and seems to favor more of an air war via drones than ground troops. I know VP Biden wants more of a Drone War as well. Ah, I have some severe misgivings on all sides here.

COIN is the way to go, BUT, it's a massive, long-term commitment. We may have blown the chance to do that. It may be best now to let NGO's do that. I suspect that is why the recent emphasis on the mineral resource riches of Afghanistan leaked recently. We are going to change emphasis there, again. I think the COIN folks are going to lose, McCrystal knows it and is understandably frustrated. (I am not sure of the morality of using remote-control mass death machines, which drones are. Very bad stuff.)