General Sees Obama, Then Leaves Before War Meeting

[quiet.american]

General Sees Obama, Then Leaves Before War Meeting
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/us/politics/24mcchrystal.html?hp

The article in Rolling Stone magazine quoted General McChrystal and his aides speaking critically of nearly every member of the president’s national security team, saying President Obama appeared “uncomfortable and intimidated” during his first meeting with the general, and dismissing Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. as “Bite Me.”

The firestorm was fueled by increasing doubts — even in the military — that Afghanistan can be won and by crumbling public support for the nine-year war as American casualties rise. And the remarks also laid bare the disarray and enmity in a foreign policy team that is struggling with the war.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, the general’s biggest supporter, released a statement Tuesday criticizing General McChrystal for “a significant mistake” while Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was described by a senior aide as “deeply disappointed” by the comments. But Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, and his powerful half brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, mounted a full-throated defense of General McChrystal on Wednesday.

Regardless of whether the general remains at the helm of the Afghan war effort, Mr. Obama will try to use Wednesday’s meeting to urge his fractious Afghanistan staff to pull together, said his press secretary, Robert Gibbs. The president, Mr. Gibbs said, will say that “it is time for everyone involved to put away their petty disagreements, put aside egos and get to the job at hand.”

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I seriously can't decide wtf was going through McChrystal's mind. Were he and his aides stone-cold drunk? Does McChrystal want out of his own strategy for Afghanistan? Why would a GENERAL weaken/endanger his own mission and do it via a very public insubordination in Rolling Stone magazine -- I wonder if McChrystal's motives will ever become clear. Add to that, in all the time Obama was running for president, in all his meetings with world leaders, generals, commanders, etc., can you recall him ever looking "uncomfortable and intimidated"? Not saying it's not possible, but it seems unlikely. Even as a Senator, Obama had met several times with high-ranking military; Colin Powell and Obama talked regularly during his campaign; why in the world would Obama be "intimidated" by McChrystal?

[goclark]

1. ? Rolling Stone ?"

Funny choice

[quiet.american]

2. Hello! nt

[goclark]

3. Pretty odd choice

I wonder why ~ planting a story?

Selecting a "librtal" source so that Liberals would think their message would go over well there?
Strange

[POAS]

4. Dress for success....

Take a look at McChrystal from that photo first meeting with Obama in the WH and look at the one above. I'm pretty sure the picture I refer to was from that first meeting.

In that first meeting he was basically in camo and boots, today in dress uniform.

I won't speculate on the whys of those two choices but I will opine that neither was anything if not well thought out.