The Problem Is Not General McChrystal. The Problem Is Afghanistan

Obama's Real McChrystal Problem: Afghanistan Plan In Trouble -- Politico

Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s MacArthur Moment was more than an embarrassment for the White House — it was a reminder of just how badly Barack Obama’s “good war” in Afghanistan is going.

The challenge facing Obama in responding to his loose-lipped Afghan commander has an obvious parallel in Harry Truman’s firing of Douglas MacArthur at the height of the Korean War.

But it may actually be more comparable to a more chronic presidential leadership crisis — Abraham Lincoln’s dilemma during the Civil War, when he was forced to repeatedly reshuffle his general staff in the face of vacillating public opinion, insubordination and, above all else, uncertainty about how best to win a bloody war he couldn’t afford to lose.

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My Comment: What we are seeing now is all theater. The problem is Afghanistan and a strategy that is not .... and will not .... work in subduing the insurgency that is there. The chattering class is calling for the firing of General McChrystal .... but even if General McChrystal is fired, this will do next to nothing in changing the dynamics in Afghanistan .... in fact .... it will probably get worse.

The sad fact is that most of Afghanistan is either indifferent that we are there, or they are openly hostile and are active in supporting the insurgency against us. Our Afghan allies are warlords and a few corrupt families who are prospering from the aid that we give .... and the only thing that is left for everyone else are a few roads, a water well here and there, a temporary job, and a few schools (that the Taliban have not yet destroyed).

I personally do not think that President Obama will fire General McChrystal, but even if he is fired .... I will not be surprised. The disconnect of what is happening in Washington and what is happening in Afghanistan is incredible to watch .... and sadly .... I can now easily predict what the end result will be .... the eventual withdrawal of Nato and U.S. soldiers followed by the eventual return of the Taliban to power with their Al Qaeda allies.