General McChrystal made a huge mistake when he and his staff spoke plainly to a reporter from Rolling Stone. Rich Galen has covered that turf in his usual brilliance, but that is not the point here. The point is the unfolding disaster in Afghanistan and how hurt feelings and, yes, poor judgement might get more soldiers killed than need be and the loss of Afghanistan.
President Obama seems to have less interest in Afghanistan than he displayed in his boring and horrible speech concerning the gulf oil spill. In Afghanistan Obama has flailed and misdirected military and diplomatic efforts aimed at victory. Worse, he has hindered them.
Now we are about to engage in major efforts to pin down and kill the Taliban. Now is not the time to have McChrystal engaged in political bloodletting in Washington even though McChrystal brought it on himself. One doesn't settle scores with a general who has obvious contempt for this administration when it abets our enemy in killing our troops and possibly brings our defeat in Afghanistan.
Congressmen like David Obey and Harry Reid have their panties in a twist, but when don't they? They want to bring this soldier down Truman style. I really don't give a damn what they feel. I do care that both of them and their ilk in Congress don't want our victory in Afghanistan. Or, at least they don't care whether we win or not. They just want the war budget back in their hands to squander at will.
I say fire Obey, Reid and others like them and send McChrystal back to Afghanistan to do his job.
