Michael Hastings Says Troops Are Happy That General Was Ousted

[cal04]

Michael Hastings, Rolling Stone's McChrystal Profiler, Says Troops Are Happy That General Was Ousted
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/25/michael-hastings-rolling_n_625261.html

The Rolling Stone correspondent whose profile of Gen. Stanley McChrystal upended America's Afghan war leadership says that soldiers on the ground are happy that the brash and sometimes reckless general was ousted by President Obama.

Michael Hastings tells Huffington Post in a phone interview: "Over here, soldiers were happy that he got fired. I've had a number of people come up to me, I got an email from a Marine this morning (Thursday): 'Hey man, you did great work. All the guys in my company think it's good McChrystal is not there because he was putting or lives at risk."

Hastings adds he was "very surprised" by the resignation, assuming that McChrystal was unfireable. Taking note of the general's "tense relationship" with the president, Hastings says that Obama had to push out McChrystal to "prove that he was in control" and not a weak leader.

Hastings, who remains embedded with forces in Afghanistan, also paints a grim picture of the major U.S. offensive in Kandahar. "I think it's in trouble, in serious trouble," he says. "The fighting is really, really heavy and they've postponed the heaviest fighting till the fall. But it's going to be nasty."

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I hope that the change makes a difference...for the better.

[tekisui]

5. I think the opposite. The chief McChrystal complaint from the troops

were his limitations on Rules of Engagement. It is being reported from right-wing sources that the first change Petraeus will bring is a changing RoE to 'make it easier fro US troops to engage the enemy'.

It is going to get bloodier and deadlier.

[BrklynLiberal]

12. oh shit......................

[BeFree]

2. Hey soldiers

We are happy too. The only thing that can make us happier, and I presume you too, is to be back in the states. C'mon home.

[Fuzz]

3. The rules of engagement will change. There will be more killing now.

The soldiers were not allowed to fire in many situations, so I'm sure the troops are happy.

But, not sure that's a good thing.

Getting out of Afghanistan is the only solution.

[DirkGently]

6. My thought exactly

On one hand, Mcrystal was a black ops toughguy, but on the other, he was "handcuffing" actions that might have high civilian casualties. I think there was some reference in the article to soldiers wanting "to get their gun on." Seriously.

Is there really no way to fix the Pentagon's damaged thinking? It's not like we haven't failed exactly this way before.

HOW TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL ENDS BY MILITARY MEANS. bY the u.S. mIlitaRy bosSes:

1) Try superior technology. With robots and helicopters, how can impoverished guerilla fighters possibly beat us (again)?

2) Hearts and Minds. Oooooh. We need to not kill so many civilians. Give out candy to children. Now they'll love us and understand we're only blowing up their country for "freedom."

3) Well, that didn't work. Let's get nasty again. Where 'r those nukes?



Seriously, though -- is there some way we can maybe pay Pentagon leaders on the basis of how quickly they END a conflict? Because all I see is a relentless push for more and bigger war in every case. And why not -- the bigger the war, the bigger the budget, and the greater the importance and influence of military leaders. No one talks to them in peacetime.

[Hawkowl]

10. Pattern repeated since the "Indian Wars"

This has been the military's approach since the genocidal wars against Native Americans. The reason it no longer works, as in Vietnam, is genocides are no longer acceptable.

Your three steps are as American as apple pie--actually they are more American as I'm sure it pre-dates apple pie.

[DirkGently]

14. Good point. And the genocide WILL start to creep in

eventually. It was when we started getting frustrated in Vietnam that tactics took a turn toward indiscriminate killing.

I hadn't thought about the Indian wars, but that would be the grandaddy of this notion of trying to kill people into liking us, wouldn't it?

[GeorgeGist]

15. Nature has proven ...

that Greed is not a valid survival strategy.

Genocide has proven that Greed is a death sentence.

[tekisui]

7. It is going to get much worse.

More civilians will be killed. More NATO/US troops will be killed.

The cycles of violence will escalate and expand.

[jotsy]

4. Love the troops

Hate the war(s).

K and R

Thanks cal04, didn't get back to that other thread last night so I wanted to say :hi:

[cal04]

8. hi jotsy

:hi:
hate the wars too. I'm glad he's gone if he was putting their lives in more danger

[jotsy]

9. Karpinski and Taguba are the only generals I have ever trusted.

I have and continue to expect this kind of shenanigans ever since Seymour Hersh said Cheney left behind booby traps and saboteurs.

[SpiralHawk]

11. One fewer right-wing Republicon FAIL idologue for the world to suffer

All good.

[formernaderite]

13. picking Betrayus does not make me happy

This is reverting to an aggressive outcome.

[Vinnie From Indy]

16. The Kandahar offensive will ultimately accomplish nothing

The war is madness and it should be ended. It is folly to think that we can build lasting stability and peace in Afghanistan by killing Afghanis.