Comments on: Gen. McChrystal and the Losing War

By: Tom the Redhunter

Tom the Redhunter — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:19:35 +0000

“Gen. David Petraeus “surge” strategy in Iraq amounted to putting 100,000 Sunni fighters on the payroll of the American army.Rather than continue random acts of terror against the Shi’ite majority, Iraq’s Sunni minority accepted Petraeus’ money and stockpiled weapons for the inevitable civil war that would ensue upon America’s eventual withdrawal.

Well, no. It’s only, you know, just slightly more complicated than that. But then, I take it you’ve read Field Manual 3-24 so know what I’m talking about.

By: David Goldman

David Goldman — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:37:46 +0000

You can’t beat the Taliban when Pakistani intelligence continues to support them covertly. The US can’t bribe or bully Pakistan sufficiently to dissuade it from stirring the pot. The best solution would be to get India involved in a big way, which would intimidate Pakistan.
See
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/KL24Ag02.html

By: J.W. Cox

J.W. Cox — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:40:38 +0000

I’m a bit unclear about this. Your assertion is that the war in Afghanistan is a losing war.

From what I understand, the strategy and tactics being followed there are those recommended, and urged, by McCrystal.

Can you elaborate how the “incompetents” for whom he works – presumably Holdren, Eickenberry, and Obama — are affecting 1) the military execution of the Afghan war and 2) the political context of that war and its affect on the military?

By: Stones Cry Out - If they keep silent… » Things Heard: e124v3

Stones Cry Out - If they keep silent… » Things Heard: e124v3 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:37:56 +0000

[...] Mr McChrystal, here and here. [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 23:14:32 +0000

And this should make us feel better about Israel’s chances how? It seems that Mr. Goldman has made a good case against U.S. intervention in predominantly Muslim West Asian nations in general.

By: MarcH

MarcH — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 22:37:11 +0000

LTG Dayton is not a suboridante of GEN Petraeus and CENTCOM. He heads the United States Security Coordinators Team (USSC) in Israel and the Palestinian territories. USSC is a US Department of State entity. Similar police training missions are conducted by the U.S. at other spots around the world, most notably, the former Yugoslavia.

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-505

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=265173

By: Robert Bové

Robert Bové — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:57:39 +0000

If the Obama administration’s abandonment of the Gulf of Mexico is any indication, we might be looking at the run up to abandoning two American armies, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan.

It wouldn’t be the first time a Western tyrant fled costly wars in the East. Consider Napoleon in Egypt. Or Alexander retreating from the Indus, from the hard-won territory, from the city which was later was named for him, Kandahar. The Romans even lost an emperor or two. They, however, led their own armies.

That is how bloody far the cult of personality can direct us, and we are damned close right now.

By: Krakow

Krakow — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:43:47 +0000

So, no war with Iran?

By: Brian Dunbar

Brian Dunbar — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:16:33 +0000

“Not during the worst periods of the Vietnam War did serving officers heap the sort of insults on the politicians that McChrystal and his staff uttered in the presence of a Rolling Stone reporter ”

Perhaps. I wonder what – in an era that lacked twitter, blogs, IM, and cell phones – went unheard or unreported in briefing rooms, offices and command posts in the 1960s and early 70s.

By: Assistant Village Idiot

Assistant Village Idiot — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:23:27 +0000

Assertion is not evidence. I don’t reject your assessment, but it is uncommon enough that it would require some support to accept it.