George Rebane
President Obama fired General McChrystal this morning for allowing his staff to be frank with at least one Rolling Stone reporter embedded in McChrystal’s headquarters in Kabul. Apparently it was also no secret that the general did not think highly of Obama’s civilian national security team, nor Obama’s leadership of the entire military effort. All of this was most certainly adequate grounds for the general’s dismissal, and it’s difficult to conceive how after this our middle east policy could have gone forward with McChrystal and his staff still in Afghanistan.
But in the middle of all the hubbub surrounding this historic act and how the Afghanistan war will now be managed, very little is being said about the substantive aspects of McChrystal’s criticisms. McChrystal’s points were sufficiently detailed and came from an experienced and highly respected military leader so as to demand examination on their own merits. The entire episode again shines a light on Obama’s competency to handle the post into which he was emoted with absolutely no credentials beyond looks and elocution.
We should all be keeping an eye on how the various media handle this momentous event. I predict the lame stream media will not touch it, and Fox News will have difficulty in getting their arms around it. But not to worry, the blogosphere will no doubt continue to cover the competency controversy, and some of it may even escape out into the airwaves.


Leave a comment