Flat Stanley McChrystal got lucky....

[Green_Lantern]

According to Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice:

"Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."


He could easily have been court-martialled.

[BeFree]

1. He should be court-martialled

But Obama is gonna let him slide. Just like he's letting bushco slide.

[Sherman A1]

5. The General was relieved of his command

in a very public manner and the resulting rebuke which it entails, directly due to the incident of the RS article, that is hardly "letting him slide".

Should there have been a court martial? Perhaps, but what purpose does it serve?

The General is done, the President has spoken and is going to carry on with what he believes best for the mission (whether that is right or wrong is another discussion).

[Green_Lantern]

7. well McChrystal is gone mainly because he showed doubt

About his own counterinsurgency plan that the Obama administration supports.

[BeFree]

9. Yep

And what he did was undermine the troops.

IOW, Mc considered himself more important than the grunts. Screw Mc, put him in jail.

[Green_Lantern]

11. No...I actually think that McChrystal was fired for accidental honesty..

He presented a true picture of how the counterinsurgency wasn't working. This is a policy the Obama admn. foolishly implemented so.

I doubt he was removed for insulting the President, that's a convenient cover for the real reason.

[WinkyDink]

13. They amount to the same thing.

[Green_Lantern]

17. maybe...but it's maybe foolish Obama's part to fire people

For reporting facts on the ground. This is the same thing Bush did.

[shraby]

20. Those weren't "facts on the ground" the general and

his people were spouting. They were derogatory comments against the president, the civilians in charge of their own part of this war and against our allies.
You can call it what you will, but it was insubordination all the way around on his and his staff's part.

[Green_Lantern]

30. actually yes the article had quoted them saying the counterinsurgency

Wasn't working...Obama's chosen war policy isn't working.

[BeFree]

15. Really

If Mc didn't like it, he should have resigned a long time ago.

How many soldiers have paid the ultimate sacrifice as Mc sat back and make fun of the president?

[Green_Lantern]

18. oh, I agree...McChrystal is the one cheerleading for counterinsurgency

But the President is CiC.

[BrklynLiberal]

27. Wasn't it McChrystal who talked the administration into this plan???

[Green_Lantern]

31. yes he did but in the article he was basically saying it wasn't

Working...But the buck stops at the President.

[WinkyDink]

12. He's gone because of insubordination. I'm sure he was aware of that, but DARED his CiC.

He found the Holy Grail: The line which Obama would not compromise on.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. His only saving grace was that the quotes were from his aides, and not directly from him...

Perhaps one cannot get court-martialed on second hand info.

[northernlights]

8. "Joe Bite Me" was not from his aides

a number of quotes were directly from him. Or from his aides to him, which he permitted. Not in private, but to a journalist. On the record.

As to whether he is court martialed, nothing says that he won't be. President Obama fired him immediately because he could and it was called for. I suspect it is the military that will decide whether or not he is court martialed, demoted or "decides to retire so he can spend more time with his family."

[Green_Lantern]

14. his removal wasn't for the insuts...it's a convenient cover..

He was fired because he presented the ineffective results of the foolish counterinsurgency policy.

[northernlights]

29. he was fired 100% because of the Rolling Stone article

it wasn't just insults. He and his aides violated military code. He could be court martialed for it.

[dgibby]

10. According to the reporter,

McChrystal was in the room with them when they were saying that stuff.

[BrklynLiberal]

25. ooohhhhhh........

[Obamanaut]

3. In the RS article, nothing was contemptuous toward any of those entities.

Off color and/or rude maybe.

In any event, there have been no charges that any UCMJ articles were violated, so perhaps it is time to let go of the Article 88 meme.

[BeFree]

4. What about

Aiding and abetting the enemy by disgracing the CiC?

What do you think the enemy is saying about the US campaign?

[Obamanaut]

28. One person cannot disgrace another. Also, what do you think WE are

saying about the US campaign?

If it is true what so many say that these military actions are simply the result of fabrications - exactly who is this 'enemy' of whom you type?

[Green_Lantern]

32. the "enemy" is being emboldened by The Bush and Obama war

Policies that haven't worked.

[Green_Lantern]

6. it'd be a different story if the President was more right-wing..

McChrystal would be in a brig by now.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. No he would not

you show me any four star general that will send a fellow four star general to Leavenworth... it would have to be something so egregious that I can barely fathom it.


You are familiar with the procedure.

While in theory there are many reasons to prosecute, and not just Article 88... you want to pull every four star in the US military off the field to try a fellow four star? A jury of his peers, and we don't have that many four stars.

He will be strongly encouraged, counseled, to retire. He has not served as a four star long enough to draw his retainer pay as a four star or retire as a four star. In the army's eyes, and JAG, which is WHO files charges, not the POTUS, that is probably enough. There is this intangible of getting relieved of command, that to most civilians means squat, but to military men and women makes Stan radioactive. Hell, I guess he is having a hell of a time finding an office WITH a window in the Pentagon, where they will send him until final separation. And that office will probably include a lot of solitaire playing at this point.

[Gaedel]

19. The GCM Convening Authority

prepares the charges with the technical advice and assistance of the JAG. In this case, the convening authority would be the Chief of Staff of the Army.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. My point is that it is not POTUS who filles

and yes it would be the General Staff. I am sure Mullen, (one of the officers to be called to serve in this General Court Martial) has a few more pressing issues... and let's be honest... at that level... you and I know you would have to do pretty egregious stuff. I mean this was, but getting publicly rebuked and fired is more than enough.

If Stan was a Junior Officer, hell even midgrade or senior Field... then yes... we'd see and mostly not hear as civilians, of the General Court Martial... but at that level... the only way I can think one would be held is if there was actual provable treason involved, and I mean the full technical definition of it.

[Gaedel]

23. Once I worked for a colonel

He always referred to the pres as "Tricky Dicky" and the VP as "Spiro Abscess" and nothing ever happened to him. In 1972, the Democratic candidate was insulted and disrespected with great frequency.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. My BIL heard a commander

do something similar with Clinton, the commander did not advance... and soon ahem, left the service.

I guess it truly depends on the command... and here, nothing would have happened if Stan did not blab his mouth to the press...

I mean it is almost expected from spec ops types.

Oh and I did not capitalize the tittle on purpose.

:-)

[BrklynLiberal]

26. If anything like this had happened under pres shit-for-brains..the people

involved would have been "disappeared"...and that is ONLY IF the article ever saw the light of day...

[Green_Lantern]

33. Obama is doing the EXACT THING Bush did..

Firing generals who say their war policy wasn't working and then put Petreaus in charge.

[shraby]

21. Off color and/or rude is not the kinds of remarks about

the higher chain of command they had any business making. It shows disrespect and contempt for the president and his people. A really really big no-no in the military code of conduct..especially from an officer.
A person might expect grumbling from the rank and file against their commanders, but if they are caught at it, they are in deep trouble with the officers above them.
We should expect no less from those in charge of generals..which is the President.