Gen. McChrystal, Grim Reaper: Obama's New Afghan Commander Will Send Death Toll Soaring

[Orwellian_Ghost]

Yes, Stanley McChrystal is the general from the dark side (and proud of it). So the recent sacking of Afghan commander General David McKiernan after less than a year in the field and McChrystal's appointment as the man to run the Afghan War seems to signal that the Obama administration is going for broke. It's heading straight into what, in the Vietnam era, was known as "the big muddy."

General McChrystal comes from a world where killing by any means is the norm and a blanket of secrecy provides the necessary protection. For five years he commanded the Pentagon's super-secret Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which, among other things, ran what Seymour Hersh has described as an "executive assassination wing" out of Vice President Cheney's office. (Cheney just returned the favor by giving the newly appointed general a ringing endorsement: "I think you'd be hard put to find anyone better than Stan McChrystal.")

McChrystal gained a certain renown when President Bush outed him as the man responsible for tracking down and eliminating al-Qaeda-in-Mesopotamia leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The secret force of "manhunters" he commanded had its own secret detention and interrogation center near Baghdad, Camp Nama, where bad things happened regularly, and the unit there, Task Force 6-26, had its own slogan: "If you don't make them bleed, they can't prosecute for it." Since some of the task force's men were, in the end, prosecuted, the bleeding evidently wasn't avoided.

In the Bush years, McChrystal was reputedly extremely close to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The super-secret force he commanded was, in fact, part of Rumsfeld's effort to seize control of, and Pentagonize, the covert, on-the-ground activities that were once the purview of the CIA.

Behind McChrystal lies a string of targeted executions that may run into the hundreds, as well as accusations of torture and abuse by troops under his command (and a role in the cover-up of the circumstances surrounding the death of Army Ranger and former National Football League player Pat Tillman). The general has reportedly long thought of Afghanistan and Pakistan as a single battlefield, which means that he was a premature adherent to the idea of an Af-Pak -- that is, expanded -- war. While in Afghanistan in 2008, the New York Times reported, he was a "key advocate... of a plan, ultimately approved by President George W. Bush, to use American commandos to strike at Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan."

<snip>

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175074/the_pressure_of_an_expanding_war

[Captain Hilts]

1. Let's wait and see. He will probably be a different guy in charge and circumstances are diff. nt

[Orwellian_Ghost]

5. Wait and see?

That is a sentiment that is the antithesis of a healthy democracy. Do you realize that?

Sit on our hands while a known thug of the lowest order is appointed head of an entire region of the globe with his hands on the trigger?

That is an unbelievable sentiment and part and parcel of an obedient and docile populace which leads straight to authoritarian rule. Of course that is right where we are which is why our feckless leaders know they can constantly get away with this kind of crap.

[atreides1]

6. Not based on his past history

He has been in charge, just because this a larger command, won't change his personality.

Let's hope that he doesn't do for the Taliban, what the Russians did for their predecessors.

Motivated them to win!!!!

[Captain Hilts]

12. I understand your concern, but the military hierarchy is a complicated one. nt

[noamnety]

16. You are off base here.

His personal history is committing fraud and instigating the covering up of gross errors on the part of the army, as well as overseeing openly sadistic prisons.

I've served. There are people who serve with integrity (as much as circumstances allow), and those who have none. A change in their leadership doesn't change that, and by the time they are generals, they have enough authority to stop the folks below them from openly engaging in torture and glorifying it. They may still have some troops who engage in that behavior secretly without the commander condoning it, but that wasn't the situation where he was in charge.

[msongs]

2. yeah but will he make everybody worship a bible including all afghanis? nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Changing generals to save face in a lost war.

The echoes of Vietnam are ringing.

[Better Believe It]

4. New Afghanistan Commander, General McChrystal was Cheney's Chief Assassin.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8414204

[ControlledDemolition]

9. Was he Ollie North's protégé? n/t

[Mari333]

7. Vietnam Take Two: this is Obama's occupation now

whatever happens will be his administration's doing now. I will , of course, continue protesting the warmongers like I have for so so long. it never ends, does it.

[arcadian]

8. The expansion into Pakistan is reminiscent of the expansion into Laos/Cambodia

We keep falling for this shit. Ultimately they know that most people can't even point out Pakistan on a map let alone give to rat fucks about it. So they just do what they want, always have.

[flyarm]

17. Absolutely!!!!!!! And who's nickname was "THE BUTCHER OF CAMBODIA"? KISSINGER..

and shortly after taking office ..who did Obama send to Russia ? Kissinger..why???????

And who worked for Kissinger after college for 3 years??????? Giethner.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/06/nuclear-disarmament-russia-us

Barack Obama is reported to have quietly sent Henry Kissinger, the former secretary of state and security policy guru, to Moscow last month to test the waters.

BLOOMBERG: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aj_...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x434226

Kissinger Leads ‘Wise Men’ to Russia as Obama Seeks Better Ties By Lucian Kim

March 18 (Bloomberg) -- Henry Kissinger and James Baker, two former U.S. secretaries of state, will fly to Moscow for talks with Russian officials after President Barack Obama pledged to “reset” relations with Russia.

Kissinger, who met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in December, is scheduled to return later this week, according to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Baker, traveling separately, will hold talks with American investors and address a conference on developing Caspian Sea energy resources.

“These guys are building the bridge from the real diplomacy of the Bush Sr. administration to Obama,” said Nina Khrushcheva, an international affairs professor at the New School in New York. “Diplomatically inclined Republicans can make a better opening line because they come from successful relations in the past.”

Obama, a Democrat, is seeking to strengthen ties to Russia and win Kremlin support for his policies on Afghanistan, Iran and nuclear arms reduction. Vice President Joe Biden said in February it was time to “reset” relations after they reached a post-Cold War low under former President George W. Bush.

Kissinger is among a group of U.S. “wise men,” including former Secretary of State George Shultz, ex-Defense Secretary William Perry and former Senator Sam Nunn, who will see Medvedev on March 20, the Kommersant newspaper reported today. They will also meet with Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov and ex-Chief of General Staff Yury Baluyevsky, Kommersant said.

MORE...

BLOOMBERG: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aj_...

[Mari333]

18. brown people! brown people with headwear and guns!

brown people over there somewhere who arent christian!

[Raksha]

10. McChrystal is obviously a psychopath.

I've read several articles about him in the past few weeks, and the more I find out about him the more alarmed I get. Above all, I wonder what the mission in Afghanistan really is, because as far as I'm concerned the man defines the mission. For whatever reason, the only mission consistent with appointing a torturer and assassin as commander is one of conquest and subjugation.

I seem to recall that the Soviet Union tried that a few years back, and it didn't end all that well for them.

[Triana]

13. Bingo! n/t

[Raksha]

11. K & R, bookmarked

[flyarm]

14. Tillman's parents want general's record reviewed Source: AP:

Tillman's parents want general's record reviewed Source: AP:


WASHINGTON – The parents of slain Army Ranger and NFL star Pat Tillman voiced concerns Tuesday that the general who played a role in mischaracterizing his death could be put in charge of military operations in Afghanistan.

In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Pat Tillman Sr. accused Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal of covering up the circumstances of the 2004 slaying.

"I do believe that guy participated in a falsified homicide investigation," Pat Tillman Sr. said.

Separately, Mary Tillman called it "imperative" that McChrystal's record be carefully considered before he is confirmed.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090513/ap_on_go_ot/us_afgh...

[Triana]

15. Gates (whom I wish Obama had not retained) recommended McChrystal but..

...has Obama approved of his nomination? Are there confirmation hearings or is this solely Gates' decision?

These pieces are written as if all has been decided. Has it? I'm asking out of ignorance (not about McChrystal - I KNOW he's a monster) about the procedure for appointing him.

[Raksha]

22. I believe the nomination has to be confirmed by the Senate,

but I don't think that has happened yet.

[Triana]

23. OK - thanks. n/t

[LooseWilly]

19. The Horror. The Horror.

The end of the river...

[Hanse]

20. If he becomes commander the hockey team's going to fall through the ice.

And then WWIII will happen.

[leftstreet]

21. K&R