Who Will Obama Sack Next? -- BBC
McChrystal's gone: who's next?
In his speech announcing the general's departure, President Barack Obama also gave other senior colleagues a dressing-down:
"I've just told my national security team that now is the time for all of us to come together. Doing so is not an option, but an obligation."
Of course some of Gen Stanley McChrystal's talkative team will go. But what about those civilians who had so annoyed the general? There's the notably abrasive special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. And his former military boss, retired Gen Karl Eikenberry, the US ambassador to Afghanistan.
Read more ....
Update: Lawmakers, Pundits Call for Obama to Oust Eikenberry, Holbrooke -- CBS News
My Comment: President Obama will not fire anyone else .... to do so would only validate General McChrystal's remarks that many in his government are incompetent and ill suited to be in the positions that they are in.
However .... even though President Obama and all the pundits are saying that the Afghan policy will not change, I do expect changes, and it will be General Petraeus who will be the instigator of these changes .... both in personnel and in policy. As to what exactly will be those changes .... that is the million dollar question, and one that we will probably learn in the months ahead.
But if I was to put my "prediction hat" .... I predict that the first big change will be the July, 2011 withdrawal date. This is not sustainable, and it only emboldens our enemies to continue the fight while discouraging our allies who now believe that we will cut and run. In the next month or two General Petraeus will make a statement that we will withdraw when the conditions on the ground makes it possible for us to withdraw .... nothing less and nothing more.
Update: Surprise, or no surprise .... Gen. David Petraeus nod reopens issue of withdrawal deadline .... or .... Gen. David Petraeus committed to troop deadline.