General Stanley McChrystal exit Strategy

Michael Hasting writes an article about a counterinsurgency crew that at times did not abide by the rules from the White House while leading the charge in the War in Afghanistan. In his article the Runaway General, Hasting tells the story through flippant comments made by General Stanley McChrystal and his sidekicks about a war that needs more support for its military might more so than the talking points uttered by those holding lightweight United States political and diplomatic positions.

Highlighting General McChrystal's, a star among the counterinsurgency elites of the Pentagon commitment to high tech violence against the enemy. But not so much to the other parts of COIN requiring the flossing to politicians, Stroking economy interests or the social swagging. The target enemy seems his sole interest, which has relocated to Pakistan, can be gleaned from the article. And McChrystal disdain for hobnobbing with countries in order to engage them in helping the U.S. occupy Afghanistan just to bring over some fast food chain. Soldiers is what the General needs, committed to a war, especially with the fact, that American soldiers are dying at an alarming rate. These are soldiers committed to winning a war for the United States not the politicians, Hasting points out in the articles.

The story told by Hasting is not pretty. But, the story found in the magazine the Rolling Stone has attracted folks who probably would have never picked up a newspaper or magazine to read about war. Could this have been the reason for General McChrystal and crews sully mocking comments in the magazine? We do know that the White House was taken aback as the General was recently summoned to the White House about the article. Shortly after meeting with President Barack Obama, General McChrystal walked away from the mission to resettle thousands of soldiers. It seems the warring country is not impressed by the billions dollars spent by the United States to put "lights" in their country nor a country interested in new footprints planted in their country by the talking heads in Washington.

Hasting in his articles uses General McChrystal words and its not about President Obama:


Back in Afghanistan, less than a month after the White House meeting with Karzai and all the talk of "progress," McChrystal is hit by the biggest blow to his vision of counterinsurgency. Since last year, the Pentagon had been planning to launch a major military operation this summer in Kandahar, the country's second-largest city and the Taliban's original home base. It was supposed to be a decisive turning point in the war – the primary reason for the troop surge that McChrystal wrested from Obama late last year. But on June 10th, acknowledging that the military still needs to lay more groundwork, the general announced that he is postponing the offensive until the fall. Rather than one big battle, like Fallujah or Ramadi, U.S. troops will implement what McChrystal calls a "rising tide of security." The Afghan police and army will enter Kandahar to attempt to seize control of neighborhoods, while the U.S. pours $90 million of aid into the city to win over the civilian population.


In essence, the world is watching a war in Afghanistan being solely fought by United States soldiers. And these soldiers are losing their lives while General McChrystal attacks Vice President Joseph Biden and others about knowing little or nothing about fighting a war. Hasting attacks General McChrystal strategy as marshalled by the Pentagon as on par with those who simply take photo ops during hard times and a war that is costing billions of dollars and United States lives. A war that offers a no-win situation not unlike Vietnam A war that is going to need more than a McDonald to emerge on the corner of the fifth poorest country in the World.