Barack Obama Furious At General Stanley McChrystal Speech On Afghanistan -- The Telegraph
The relationship between President Barack Obama and the commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan has been put under severe strain by Gen Stanley McChrystal's comments on strategy for the war.
According to sources close to the administration, Gen McChrystal shocked and angered presidential advisers with the bluntness of a speech given in London last week.
The next day he was summoned to an awkward 25-minute face-to-face meeting on board Air Force One on the tarmac in Copenhagen, where the president had arrived to tout Chicago's unsuccessful Olympic bid.
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My Comment: It is interesting that this news was broken by a British paper, not an American paper. Is the American press AWOL? .... or is there something else involved.
As to President Obama's "anger" at General McChrystal .... this all started when 60 Minutes revealed that President Obama had not spoken to Gen. McChrystal (Chief Commander of the Afghan campaign) for the past 70 days. This caused acute embarrassment on every level of the White House .... starting with the President.
The leak of Gen. McChrystal's Afghanistan assessment report, plus his speech in London on U.S. strategy in Afghanistan (probably not vetted by this White House) .... all of this has combined to give the White House multiple reasons to sour on the General.
Will they fire him .... I doubt it. The political firestorm that will result will severely damage the Presidency, and it will put the entir
According to sources close to the administration, Gen McChrystal shocked and angered presidential advisers with the bluntness of a speech given in London last week.
The next day he was summoned to an awkward 25-minute face-to-face meeting on board Air Force One on the tarmac in Copenhagen, where the president had arrived to tout Chicago's unsuccessful Olympic bid.
Read more ....
My Comment: It is interesting that this news was broken by a British paper, not an American paper. Is the American press AWOL? .... or is there something else involved.
As to President Obama's "anger" at General McChrystal .... this all started when 60 Minutes revealed that President Obama had not spoken to Gen. McChrystal (Chief Commander of the Afghan campaign) for the past 70 days. This caused acute embarrassment on every level of the White House .... starting with the President.
The leak of Gen. McChrystal's Afghanistan assessment report, plus his speech in London on U.S. strategy in Afghanistan (probably not vetted by this White House) .... all of this has combined to give the White House multiple reasons to sour on the General.
Will they fire him .... I doubt it. The political firestorm that will result will severely damage the Presidency, and it will put the entir
My Comment: It is interesting that this news was broken by a British paper, not an American paper. Is the American press AWOL? .... or is there something else involved.
As to President Obama's "anger" at General McChrystal .... this all started when 60 Minutes revealed that President Obama had not spoken to Gen. McChrystal (Chief Commander of the Afghan campaign) for the past 70 days. This caused acute embarrassment on every level of the White House .... starting with the President.
The leak of Gen. McChrystal's Afghanistan assessment report, plus his speech in London on U.S. strategy in Afghanistan (probably not vetted by this White House) .... all of this has combined to give the White House multiple reasons to sour on the General.
Will they fire him .... I doubt it. The political firestorm that will result will severely damage the Presidency, and it will put the entire Afghan strategy into doubt. But if this continues .... General McChrystal will be retired regardless of the consequences.
My Comment #2: Last week .... when the story broke out that President Obama had met Gen. McChrystal aboard Air Force One at Copenhagen .... I asked a question on who did most of the talking. If the above Telegraph story is valid, it appears that it was President Obama who did most of the talking .... and it was not to receive a strategy session from General McChrystal.
As to President Obama's "anger" at General McChrystal .... this all started when 60 Minutes revealed that President Obama had not spoken to Gen. McChrystal (Chief Commander of the Afghan campaign) for the past 70 days. This caused acute embarrassment on every level of the White House .... starting with the President.
The leak of Gen. McChrystal's Afghanistan assessment report, plus his speech in London on U.S. strategy in Afghanistan (probably not vetted by this White House) .... all of this has combined to give the White House multiple reasons to sour on the General.
Will they fire him .... I doubt it. The political firestorm that will result will severely damage the Presidency, and it will put the entire Afghan strategy into doubt. But if this continues .... General McChrystal will be retired regardless of the consequences.
My Comment #2: Last week .... when the story broke out that President Obama had met Gen. McChrystal aboard Air Force One at Copenhagen .... I asked a question on who did most of the talking. If the above Telegraph story is valid, it appears that it was President Obama who did most of the talking .... and it was not to receive a strategy session from General McChrystal.