The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

Cindy's Corner

Discussion

June 22, 2010

General overstepped in characterizing his boss

By Cindy Allen, Managing Editor CNHI

ENID —



While many may agree with the depiction of the Obama administration by Gen. Stanley McChrystal in an explosive Rolling Stone article that publishes later this week, there just can simply be no tolerance of this by the president.

McChrystal gave a stunning interview to Rolling Stone in which he explicitly made his reservations about his boss (the commander-in-chief) known.

This is an expressed and serious no-no for any military troop member, especially the one charged with the nation’s military strategy in a war zone.

Generals have gone “rouge” before. The most well-known time was when esteemed General Douglas MacArthur made contrary statements to the press regarding the official position of Washington in negotiations during the Korean War. President Harry Truman fired him.

In the United States, we have a very direct and explicit chain of command we expect our military and their civilian bosses to operate under. It doesn’t matter what a military person’s personal feelings are regarding a particular president or administration, verbalizing those feelings can cause serious harm to the overall strategy of an operation.

McChrystal is no dummy. He had to know that his comments would be seen as insubordination and could possibly get him dismissed. Once the proverbial poo hit the fan, he started issuing apologies for what he said.

My thought is, either he meant what he said or he didn’t. I think he knew what he was saying and said it anyway, probably because he believes it in his heart.

The problem is, if he believes it in his heart and is willing to say it in an interview, he shouldn’t be the one tasked with carrying out the Obama administration’s war strategy.

McChrystal will appear before the president tomorrow, and I expect him to either resign or be fired. And even though in this age where everything can be politicized, I think even the most ardent Republican Congress members would agree that McChrystal overstepped his bounds.

Text Only
Cindy's Corner
Featured Ads
AP Video
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel? Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
NDN Video
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Beyonce Is Pregnant! SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion Woman tricked into taking abortion pill Emma Watson Goes Pantless IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes
Poll
House Ads
Facebook