The Obligatory Obama – McChrystal Story
30 September 2009 9:20 am by Taylor Marsh
Well, this was predictable. …and right on cue.
It doesn’t matter to Obama’s critics that he gets weekly briefings from SecDef Gates, which obviously would include Afghanistan.
The second “60 Minutes” aired Gen. Stanley McChrystal answering that he’d only met with Pres. Obama once since he’d taken over his Afghan command it was clear what the soundbite of the week was going to be. Those on the right jumped on it, with everyone else following behind. So, it’s not a coincidence that Pres. Obama will be speaking with his national security team later today, which will include McChrystal via secure video. The New York Times was quick to spin the normal chain of command into a rift, complete with breathless postulating.
When President Obama looks at the screen in the Situation Room on Wednesday, he will find a face he has not seen lately except in newspapers. There, via secure video from Kabul, will be Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, his commander in Afghanistan, explaining directly to the president for the first time why more troops are needed.
… General McChrystal has denied any rift with the White House, though his request for up to 40,000 more troops has created a political problem for a president whose liberal base is increasingly speaking out against the war. In an interview last week, General McChrystal emphasized that he had been given complete freedom to conduct his strategic review and troop request.
Also using the newly scheduled meetings to gather the usual suspects, with Michael O’Hanlon offering criticism on Pres. Obama for utilizing his SecDef as his point man on Afghanistan, instead of the commander on the ground.
Still, questions arose again after the general, responding to a reporter’s question, said on the CBS program “60 Minutes” on Sunday that he had talked with the president once since assuming command in June.
Some supporters said Mr. Obama had made a mistake not to consult more directly with his commander.
“I don’t think I can defend him for being out of touch with his commander,” said Michael E. O’Hanlon of the Brookings Institution. “He has other people who advise him. But there’s no one else with the feel on the ground that McChrystal has.”
Can a “surprise” visit from Obama to Afghanistan be far behind?
