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The thing is, I don't think there is any real "winning" in Afghanistan to do. Win against what?

[quote]
As one commentator on Fox News put it, "For General McChrystal to go down like this because of a weasel like Hastings is disgusting." [/quote]

If I made those kinds of comments about my regular ol' low-profile civilan job and, one way or another, they made it into print attributed to me, it would probably get me fired too. Especially if my staff had gone out drinking with the reporter and made additional embarrassing comments.

Here's a tip: when talking to a reporter, you may very well be quoted. So watch what you say.

But remember General McChrystal was only able to get Obama to meet with him last time using popular pressure triggered by talking to the media. He might have accepted the Rolling Stone b/c virtually no other media will directly report anything that shows Obama in a bad light; for instance, everyone is angry at Obama's staggeringly incompetent response to the Gulf oil disaster, yet we almost never hear the shocking details in the media.

oh, John, chill out...speaking of which, my house isn't air-conditioned, like your office is (by the way, why should I care what Lara Logan thinks or says? She's just another shill, kissing up.)

As for heroes, yes they are out there, performing for the military-industrial complex, and I admire them for their skill, talent, training, and devotion to duty, but they are not protecting me from anything. That is a myth.

And I never called Bush a war criminal, I called him a puppet. And it appears that Obama is too, at least on the "nationals security" issue.

[quote="OLD1953"]Have you considered that McChrystal may have wanted to get out? He knows the strategy isn't working. Nobody wants a major failure on their record.[/quote]

Yes, I speculated on this in the first article I wrote about the firing. And I still
think that it's quite possible.

John

Dear David,

[quote="shoshin"]
> oh, John, you are brilliant, but have a big blind spot - the
> so-called "loony left." As for Hastings, the only betrayal he made
> was to the ass-kissing media, who pal up with the pols so they can
> get "access." And you know where that leads (can you say "Judith
> Miller"?)[/quote]

Lara Logan said that what you're saying is "insulting and arrogant."

[quote="shoshin"]
> And I know this will get me in trouble, but how are McChrystal and
> Petraeus "American heroes"? They fought in 2 useless wars, leading
> to thousands of Americans killed and maimed (not to mention 10s of
> thousands of civilians). For a more reasoned description of the
> problem, see Bacevich's essay.[/quote]

Why do liberals always blame the soldiers for political policies?
Don't liberals know the difference? I've said that the war can't
succeed, but I don't blame the soldiers for it.

These soldiers are heroes because they're serving their country in
sweltering conditions, risking life and limb, while you and I sit
safe and sound and comfortable in our air-conditioned offices.

If you object to the Afghanistan war, and you object to Obama's
massive escalation of that war, then why don't you call Obama a
"Hitler" and a "genocidal killer" and a "war criminal," as liberals
used to (and still) call Bush?

Go ahead, David, I'm daring you. Let's see if you have any principled
beliefs.

John

oh, John, you are brilliant, but have a big blind spot - the so-called "loony left." As for Hastings, the only betrayal he made was to the ass-kissing media, who pal up with the pols so they can get "access." And you know where that leads (can you say "Judith Miller"?)

And I know this will get me in trouble, but how are McChrystal and Petraeus "American heroes"? They fought in 2 useless wars, leading to thousands of Americans killed and maimed (not to mention 10s of thousands of civilians). For a more reasoned description of the problem, see Bacevich's essay.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/25/AR2010062502160_pf.html

Have you considered that McChrystal may have wanted to get out? He knows the strategy isn't working. Nobody wants a major failure on their record.

As for Petraeus, nothing succedes like success.

Incidentally, Stars and Stripes reported that many in Afghanistan were cheering and smoking cigars to celebrate getting rid of McChrystal.

28-Jun-10 News -- Military tensions increase in South China Sea

[i][url=http://www.generationaldynamics.com/cgi-bin/D.PL?xct=gd.e100628#e100628]** 28-Jun-10 News -- Military tensions increase in South China Sea[/url]
** [url]http://www.generationaldynamics.com/cgi-bin/D.PL?xct=gd.e100628#e100628[/url][/i]


Contents:
"China escalates its military demands in the South China Sea"
"China sends a military message"
"Problems grow in the war in Afghanistan"
"The firing of General Stanley McChrystal"
"President Obama's 'brilliant' move"
"Additional links"
Little or no violence marred Kyrgyzstan referendum
Europe claimed victory in G20 meeting
Russian president Medvedev 'alarmed' over Iran's uranium
Iran will still send 'aid' ship to Gaza
Star Trek fans have a humanist philosophy