A bruised ego.
Nothing else moves him to urgency. Nothing seems to compel him to act.
Freezing in the south last year? Nope.
Do anything about the oil spill? Nope
Meet with head of BP? Uh-uh
Even mention the oil spill? No.
Visit the Gulf coast? Nope.
Meet with the Governor of Arizona? Nah.
Secure the borders? Not a chance.
But if you insult Obama? Instant reaction.
You really have to hand it to Gen. Stanley McChrystal. He can do something the worst ecological disaster in recent history could not do.
Get a prompt reaction out of Obama.
The guy who took ten days to even mention the oil spill and more than 12 days to make his first visit to the region was moved to summon General Stanley McChrystal to the White House within 24 hours of a story appearing in Rolling Stone. It took Obama until October of 2009 to even meet with McChrystal for the first time– eight months after taking office- but the blink of an eye to call him on the carpet for embarassing Obama.
It’s all about priorities.
Reports that McChrystal has submitted his resignation are popping up. The hard fact is that McChrystal has to go. He crossed a line and his behavior is not acceptable in a United States military leader, but the cloud around his downward spiral ought not be ignored.
The Rolling Stone interview painted a picture of self-confident man often bordering on arrogance but it could not have been easy for McChrystal to serve a President and Vice President who would have had the US defeated in Iraq as both opposed the surge. But reports are that the war in Afghanistan is not going well and Barack Obama has to pay attention. McChrystal suggests that Karl Eikenberry, current ambassador to Afghanistan, was more concerned about his own butt that suceeding in the war and there does appear to be something to it.
On one hand one wonders why a military man of McChrystal’s record would take into confidence a writer from Rolling Stone who could never be expected to keep to himself snide remarks about the US leadership. On the other hand one wonders whether McChrystal confided in and allowed his aides to confide in Hastings knowing in advance that the remarks would be made public and knowing full well the consequences. The question is- with two incompetent bosses, does he want out?
History would remember McChrystal more kindly if he appeared that he “acted stupidly” (to coin a phrase) and without thought than if he simply resigned in frustration, believing that the war was going to be lost.
Obama could possibly retain McChrystal as McChrystal was Obama’s personal choice to replace Gen. McKiernan.
This might prove to be one pretty slick scheme.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.