McChrystal Has Some 'Splainin' to Do....

[Scott]

CNN television just reported that he's done. Waiting on Obama to speak

 

[The Bread Guy]

INITIAL REPORTS ONLY - UNCONFIRMED
Two MSNBC folks say McC's gone (one directly, the other quoting a colleague):

General McChrystal has been fired, according to US sources.

NBC's Jim Miklaszewski: President Obama has relieved Gen. McChrystal of his command. #MSNBC

Replaced by St. Peter?
@RAGreeneCNN BREAKING: Obama sacks McChrystal, puts Petraeus in charge - top national security source to CNN's John King

 

[Gunner98]

CNN reported at 1:23pm EST that Stan was relieved and Petraeus will take over.

 

[observor 69]

The New York Times

More at LINK


President Obama’s Remarks on Gen. McChrystal
By ROBERT MACKEY
Update | 2:09 p.m. Here is a full transcript of President Obama’s remarks at the White House this afternoon, as he explained his decision to replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal with Gen. David Petraeus as America’s top commander in Afghanistan.

Good afternoon.

Today I accepted Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s resignation as commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. I did so with considerable regret, but also with certainty that it is the right thing for our mission in Afghanistan, for our military and for our country.

I’m also pleased to nominate Gen. David Petraeus to take command in Afghanistan, which will allow us to maintain the momentum and leadership that we need to succeed.

 

[MarkOttawa]

A post at Unambiguously Ambidextrous, with further links:

He seems to have saved Bush’s Iraq war
http://unambig.com/he-seems-to-have-saved-bushs-iraq-war/

What can he do for Obama’s one in Afstan?..

Mark
Ottawa

 

[SeanNewman]

Most important follow-up question: Does this mean Burger King can come back now?

 

[ModlrMike]

Strangely reminiscent of MacArthur and Patton. Although I admit that they were different Generals, and these are different times.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Most important follow-up question: Does this mean Burger King can come back now?

I was pondering the same thing on my drive home.  Put the fair back into warfare. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

This from McChrystal ....:

Shortly after President Barack Obama announced today that he had accepted Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s resignation as the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, the departing general released a written statement expressing his support for the president’s Afghanistan policy.

McChrystal stepped down after remarks criticizing administration officials were attributed to him and members of his staff in a Rolling Stone magazine article.

“This morning the president accepted my resignation as commander of U.S. and NATO coalition forces in Afghanistan,” McChrystal said in his statement. “I strongly support the president’s strategy in Afghanistan and am deeply committed to our coalition forces, our partner nations and the Afghan people. It was out of respect for this commitment and the desire to see the mission succeed that I tendered my resignation.” ....

....and this from NATO's Sec-Gen:

I have taken note that General McChrystal is stepping down as Commander of the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan.

I thank General McChrystal for his service to NATO, and for the enormous effort he has put into leading the ISAF mission.

While he will no longer be the commander, the approach he helped put in place is the right one.  The strategy continues to have NATO's support, and our forces will continue to carry it out.

Our operations in Afghanistan are continuing today, and they will not miss a beat. We have a strong military team in Afghanistan. My Senior Civilian Representative, Mark Sedwill will continue to direct our effort on the political side.  And soon, a new Commander of ISAF will take up his position.

The Afghan people should have no doubt that we will continue to carry out our mission in partnership with them. We will continue working to protect the Afghan population and to build the Afghan security forces, and we will stay for as long as it takes to do our job.

 

[Gunner98]

Maybe there is a conspiracy there - Rolling Stone is hired by Burger King to pour the sauce into Stan until the reporter gets enough sound bites to make him (and his staff) regret screwing with BK in A'stan.

 

[OldSolduer]

Maybe there is a conspiracy there - Rolling Stone is hired by Burger King to pour the sauce into Stan until the reporter gets enough sound bites to make him (and his staff) regret screwing with BK in A'stan.

I think you've got it!! >

 

[The Bread Guy]

Minister's statement:

“The Government of Canada and the Department of National Defence welcomes President Obama’s nomination of General David Petraeus as Commander of the International Security Assistance Force.

General Petraeus brings to the Afghan mission a wealth of experience commanding a multi-national force in a theatre of operations. This change of personnel will have no impact on Canadian Forces operations in Afghanistan.

Canada looks forward to continuing our close relationship with American, Afghan and international allies in our military mission in Afghanistan with General Patraeus in command.”

CDS's statement:

General Petraeus is a highly experienced commander and I look forward to his leadership of the 2,800 Canadian Forces men and women serving in Afghanistan.

I have served alongside General Petraeus on operations and he has been an instrumental part of the leadership team overseeing the mission in Afghanistan. He will lead NATO forces with great skill, courage and determination.

He is a soldier's soldier and I have the utmost confidence and respect in him as a commander.

Canadian Forces operations have continued and will continue without issue throughout this transition period.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

The Washington Post editorial cartoon:

 

[tomahawk6]

All of this is a distraction from the other news in Afghanistan - namely the US has been paying off the taliban to allow convoys to pass.

 

[FastEddy]

All of this is a distraction from the other news in Afghanistan - namely the US has been paying off the taliban to allow convoys to pass.

From your viewpoint, is that a good or bad thing.

Cheers.

 

[The Bread Guy]

All of this is a distraction from the other news in Afghanistan - namely the US has been paying off the taliban to allow convoys to pass.

That, to a certain extent, has been a story for the past few years, no?  Or is it a case of "another reporter finds it out without checking the old clips, therefore it MUST be new"?

Maybe there is a conspiracy there - Rolling Stone is hired by Burger King to pour the sauce into Stan until the reporter gets enough sound bites to make him (and his staff) regret screwing with BK in A'stan.

Good one!

 

[tomahawk6]

Its never a good thing to fund your enemy. Maybe we have been paying for the iED's that are killing our people ?

 

[old medic]

Bildt defends embattled US General McChrystal
Published: 23 Jun 10 17:51 CET
http://www.thelocal.se/27416/20100623/

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has defended embattled US General Stanley McChrystal on Wednesday amid the ongoing fallout over inflammatory remarks allegedly made in a Rolling Stone interview.

US President Barack Obama met McChrystal, the country's top commander in Afghanistan, for half-hour one-on-one talks Wednesday in Washington  amid speculation that the four-star US general might be fired for disparaging remarks in the article.

"In order to be successful in our operations in Afghanistan, we need
long-term stability and strategic patience in what we do," Bildt told a news
conference.

In Rolling Stone's profile, titled "The Runaway General," McChrystal aides
mocked US Vice President Joe Biden, dismissed Obama's national security
adviser as "a clown" and revealed that McChrystal was "disappointed" by his
first meeting with Obama.

On his blog, Bildt said that the possibility the general would be fired was
"clearly disappointing" and downplayed the comments as "not well
thought out."

"I have read the article mentioned and the only quote of General
McChrystal I've noticed, is that he notices he gets 'another e-mail' from
Richard Holbrooke," Bildt told reporters, referring to the US special envoy to
the region.

"The rest is said by other people. Let's say that I have myself worked with
Mr. Holbrooke through the years, so I understand the sentiment expressed," he added ironically. "I'm not the American authorities, but I wouldn't bother too much."

Sweden has contributed 500 soldiers to the international force in
Afghanistan.

 

[57Chevy]

Thanks to this little FF, I'm never buying another Rolling Stone magazine  :yellow:

 

[Old Sweat]

The general and his entourage forget the first two rules of relations with the media:

a. a journalist is not your friend; and

b. never say anything to a journalist you wouldn't want to see in the 24-hour news cycle.