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October 09, 2009
General's D.C. Trip Put Off as Strategy Talks Drag On
The White House has told the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan to delay a planned trip here Friday to brief President Obama and his senior advisers on his recommendation for a major troop increase.
Officials had hoped to have Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal and what national security adviser James L. Jones called "all the key players" speak to Obama in person by the end of this week, leading to final deliberations over a forward strategy.
But "we're not finished," Jones said Thursday, and meetings may extend beyond next week. When the White House is ready, he said, McChrystal -- along with the U.S. ambassadors to Afghanistan and Pakistan -- will fly to Washington so that the three "can meet with the president before a decision is made."
~ Snipet ~
Senior Republican lawmakers who support McChrystal's request for more troops began demanding weeks ago that Obama bring the commander back to testify before Congress -- as Petraeus did in explaining why President George W. Bush's decision to "surge" thousands more troops into Iraq was the right one.
McChrystal initially planned to arrive in Washington in time for the meeting, "but he was told it would be best if he stayed in Afghanistan" for the time being, a senior military official in Kabul said. The message, which originated with Jones, was conveyed by Gates.
Although officials in Washington insisted that the decision to delay the trip reflected only the timing of White House deliberations, this military official said that it was equally a reflection of the desire of both Gates and Mullen to take the lead military role in the discussions. Gates, he said, has worked hard to forge a close relationship with Obama and believes he can effectively represent the Pentagon's positions.
Mullen is determined to fulfill his responsibility to represent the views of all the service chiefs in a way he believes was circumvented under Bush, a Pentagon official said. "Our perspective," he said, "is that [Obama] prefers to use the chain of command and that he wants to hear what the chiefs think."
Here is video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the Charlie Rose Show slamming Gen. Stanley McChrystal "with all due respect." Pelosi praised the proposed strategy for Afghanistan being put forward by Vice-President Joe Biden as one that "has currency" among the American people and members of Congress.
She then said Gen. McChrystal should be giving advice to the President "through the chain of command," not "in press conferences." She was slamming comments made by McChrystal during a Q & A session in London following a speech he gave there last week. McChrystal never mentioned Biden's name, but was asked by a participant if he favored a strategy that would use fewer boots on the ground in Afghanistan, but concentrate efforts only on attacking Al-Qaeda. This strategy would essentially allow the Taliban to retake control of the country.
Olilie North with our troops in Afghanistan to show support and let them know how much we love them all and support them back home.
American troops in Afghanistan losing heart, say army chaplains
American soldiers serving in Afghanistan are depressed and deeply disillusioned, according to the chaplains of two US battalions that have spent nine months on the front line in the war against the Taleban.
Many feel that they are risking their lives — and that colleagues have died — for a futile mission and an Afghan population that does nothing to help them, the chaplains told The Times in their makeshift chapel on this fortress-like base in a dusty, brown valley southwest of Kabul.
“The many soldiers who come to see us have a sense of futility and anger about being here. They are really in a state of depression and despair and just want to get back to their families,” said Captain Jeff Masengale, of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2-87 Infantry Battalion.
“They feel they are risking their lives for progress that’s hard to discern,” said Captain Sam Rico, of the Division’s 4-25 Field Artillery Battalion. “They are tired, strained, confused and just want to get through.” The chaplains said that they were speaking out because the men could not.
The base is not, it has to be said, obviously downcast, and many troops do not share the chaplains’ assessment. The soldiers are, by nature and training, upbeat, driven by a strong sense of duty, and they do their jobs as best they can. Re-enlistment rates are surprisingly good for the 2-87, though poor for the 4-25. Several men approached by The Times, however, readily admitted that their morale had slumped.
“We’re lost — that’s how I feel. I’m not exactly sure why we’re here,” said Specialist Raquime Mercer, 20, whose closest friend was shot dead by a renegade Afghan policeman last Friday. “I need a clear-cut purpose if I’m going to get hurt out here or if I’m going to die.”
Sergeant Christopher Hughes, 37, from Detroit, has lost six colleagues and survived two roadside bombs. Asked if
the mission was worthwhile, he replied: “If I knew exactly what the mission was, probably so, but I don’t.”
The only soldiers who thought it was going well “work in an office, not on the ground”. In his opinion “the whole country is going to s***”.
The battalion’s 1,500 soldiers are nine months in to a year-long deployment that has proved extraordinarily tough. Their goal was to secure the mountainous Wardak province and then to win the people’s allegiance through development and good governance. They have, instead, found themselves locked in an increasingly vicious battle with the Taleban.
CLICK HERE for the complete article.
Wild Thing's comment.........
Obama appointed General McChrystal's and he can't stand to be in his presence. He doesn't even really want input from him, that is so obvious.
Regarding what Obama is doing to our troops , I shake from anger when I am typing this I am so angry.
Praying hard for our troops!!! And DAMN Obama to the worst place in HELL whatever that would be.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at October 9, 2009 02:49 AM
Comments
Simple strategy #1: Kill the Taliban. Go after them with great vigor. Win the fight. Come home.
Simple strategy #2: Impeach the POTUS and the Vice-POTUS. Get someone with balls...THEN enact strategy #1. (Crap...we'd have to get rid of most of Congress...Pelosi is just as bad...oh well.)
Posted by: PeteSuj at October 9, 2009 08:11 AM
Hey! Isn't that Fidel Castro's son standing behind the General?
Posted by: SSgt Steve, USMC(PS) at October 9, 2009 10:26 AM
obama does not know what he is doing. Let's pull all the troops out of Afghanistan and send obama and his Nobel prize. Send Pelosi too. She would look much better in a burka.
Posted by: TomR at October 9, 2009 11:07 AM
THIS SITUATION MAKES ME SO ANGRY, I CAN HARDLY THINK STRAIGHT.
PELOSI, OBAMA AND THE REST OF THOSE CHICKEN S__TS,ARE PLAYING POLITICS WITH PEOPLES LIVES AND ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY THE LIKES OF THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA.
MEN LIKE GENERAL MC CHRYSTAL, WHO ARE ON THE LINE AND KNOW THE SITUATION, ARE TOLD TO SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP.
PRAY FOR THE TROOPS, THAT'S ABOUT ALL THEY HAVE GOING FOR THEM NOW.
MEANWHILE, THEIR CIC HAS LEFT THE ROOM TO ACCEPT THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. BULL S__T!!!
Posted by: SEAN. at October 9, 2009 11:43 AM
“They feel they are risking their lives for progress that’s hard to discern,” said Captain Sam Rico, of the Division’s 4-25 Field Artillery Battalion. “
When the goal is NOT victory any goal is hard to discern. Obama also said he would capture Bin laden. What ever happened to that ?
There seems to be confusion in the press why the troops are depressed. Not a tough item to figure out. When the Rules of Engagement favor the enemy the troops figure that out real quick.
When you call for air support or Arty and it's denied because the brass fear there might be flak from the top, or because this is part of the new rules of engagment and you watch your friends and buddies slaughtered all for the lack of s few artillery rounds, you learn real quick.
Impeachment is too good for this son of a bitch.
Posted by: Mark at October 9, 2009 12:11 PM
Amen Mark.
We had men who bent the ROE's to save our brothers, many unsung heroes were just as courageous as the Cav's Captain Ed Freeman and MAJ Bruce P. Crandall, who went in when Dustoff refused to enter a hot LZ at Ia Drang, far too many men like them died trying.
A4 pilots from the 3rd MAF (vmf 311) flying through their own bomb flak to protect the ground troops, I hauled ordinance and personally helped the Marine ground crew load one A4 with bombs that was 'unflyable', they needed as fast a turnaround as we could give them, he was grounded after 3 more runs when their old man got word that his wing was nearly blown off, beyond the call and beyond self. Our troops in Afghanistan are being sacrificed due to PC stupidity.
Now they'll be expected to identify Al Qaeda from the Taliban then ask for permission to engage directly from from Pervez Musharraf and Hamid Karzai. Obama as CIC means Communist In Capitulation.
Posted by: Jack at October 9, 2009 01:54 PM
Pete, ((( APPLAUSE )))))
Sounds good to me.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2009 07:23 PM
SSgt Steve, USMC(PS), LOL it does look
a little like him.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2009 07:25 PM
TOM, Yesssss let's send them instead.
Camel breath obama and pelosi in a burka.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2009 07:28 PM
SEAN, DITTO all you said and how you feel.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2009 07:29 PM
Mark, I agree so much to everything
you said.
And a HUGE Ditto for this too. I can think of
what I would like to happen.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2009 07:34 PM
