NYT: Fascinating timeline of Obama's decision on McChrystal

[quiet.american]

Short, Tense Deliberation, Then a General Is Gone
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/us/politics/24decide.html?ref=politics

During the 36 frenetic hours since he had been handed an article from the coming issue of Rolling Stone ominously headlined “The Runaway General,” the president weighed the consequences of cashiering Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, whose contemptuous comments about senior officials had ignited a firestorm....

The press secretary, Robert Gibbs, walked a copy of it to the president in the private quarters. After scanning the first few paragraphs — a sarcastic, profanity-laced description of General McChrystal’s disgust at having to dine with a French minister to brief him about the war — Mr. Obama had read enough, a senior administration official said. He ordered his political and national security aides to convene immediately in the Oval Office.

It was already clear then, this official said, that General McChrystal might not survive. Mr. Obama was leaning toward dismissing him, another administration official said, though he said the president was willing to wait until the general explained his actions, and those of his aides.

At the Oval Office meeting on Monday, Mr. Obama asked that General McChrystal be summoned home from Kabul. Before leaving Afghanistan, the general held an already scheduled meeting with Susan E. Rice, the United Nations ambassador, who was visiting with other United Nations diplomats.

In a one-on-one meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Gates, who had pushed to make General McChrystal the commander in Afghanistan, pleaded with Mr. Obama to hear him out, an official said....

Entire Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/us/politics/24decide.html?ref=politics

------------------------

There's been some talk amongst the punditry that they "didn't think Obama had it in him." When I hear comments like that, I have to think, it's good they're not in a position where underestimating the man would cost them the farm, so to speak. Quiet, implacable strength is just as powerful, if not more powerful, than "guns-ablazing" macho.

[goclark]

1. Mr. President, we love you!

:fistbump:

[treestar]

2. He always does hear both sides

And gets information before making decisions. Odd that in our culture, impulsive immediate reaction is so lauded, so long as it "looks decisive."

[quiet.american]

3. Right! -- What has happened to the country that we went from being "grownups" to two-year-olds...

[Cha]

4. Ha! The US punditry would be fresh out of

farms!

I've been incommunicado for the last 6 and a 1/2 days..the only thing political I saw was when I was watching the weather on the local Syacuse station and on came the blurb about McChrystal writing an article mocking Biden and saying the Admin didn't understand what was needed in Afghanistan and then on came the President with VP Biden standing a little behind to the side with Obama talking about the need to work together(civilians and the military)..I don't remember all he said but it was an eloquent way, imv, to let it be known that General Stanley McChrystal had finally found enough rope.

Thanks for the article, QA..I shall read it tonight.