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Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Lincoln was a Democrat???? I don't think so, and he famously had enormous troubles with his generals, especially McClellan.

I prefer Eugene Robinson's view on this matter:

"McChrystal's view -- that a strategy employing fewer resources, in pursuit of more limited goals, would be "short-sighted" -- is something the White House needs to hear. He is, after all, the man Obama put in charge in Afghanistan, and it would be absurd not to take his analysis of the situation into account. But McChrystal is out of line in trying to sell his position publicly, as he did last week in a speech in London.

National security adviser James L. Jones, a retired Marine Corps general, was right to lay down the law. Jones said Sunday on CNN that "Ideally, it's better for military advice to come up through the chain of command." I believe that's Pentagon-speak for: "Put a sock in it, Stan." "

Obama does need to hear a range of opinions on the way forward. The place for him to hear these options is in private conversations. If McChrystal wants to set policy, he should resign and run for public office. Policy is set by politicians. Generals should say, "Yes, Mr. President."

MacArthur was wrong to try to set policy in his day; McChrystal is wrong today.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/10/05/generals_need_to_shut_up_and_salute_98583.html