Bring Back General Stanley McCrystal

Let the Generals Fight the Wars

Written in June 25th 2010 by Michael  

Following his dismissal of General Stanley McCrystal on June 23, 2010, President Barack Obama assured the nation that, “this is a change in personnel but it is not a change in policy.” McCrystal’s resignation was accepted on the basis of comments published in Rolling Stone magazine. President Obama stated, “I welcome debate among my team, but I won’t tolerate division.” Editorials and stories published in the Afghan presses, however, allude to other reasons for the removal of McCrystal.

 

Stanley McCrystal’s Rapport with the Afghan People

 

Voice of America (VOA-News, Islamabad, June 25, 2010) comments that, “Analysts have credited McCrystal for reinvigorating the NATO mission in the country, by focusing it on the Afghan people and seeking to limit civilian casualties.” Since his appointment as commander in Afghanistan following the removal of General David McKiernan, civilian deaths have dropped and there has been a more concerted effort to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people.

 

The Afghan Online Press (June 24, 2010), however, claims that, “…the dismissal of [the] commander was over leaking information…” The article cites the head of Press TV in Kabul, Mohammad Ruhi, blaming McCrystal’s dismissal on intelligence leaks and his, “growing friendship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai…” According to the piece, the alleged intelligence leaks involved Britain and, “In retaliation, London is believed to have released confidential statements by McCrystal to White House officials…”

 

Can the Afghan People be Won Over?

 

A forum comment in the June 20, 2010 Kabul Press states, “You must be truly naïve if you believe that NATO troops are in Afghanistan to help its people. They are there to feed America’s and Europe’s military-industrial complex…” The comment was a response to an article detailing the awarding of a $120 million contract to an Xe (formerly Blackwater) subsidiary by the U.S. State Department for the protection of new U.S. consulate offices.

 

Afghans, much like Iraqis, are very sensitive to the many mercenary troops operating in their provinces. An Inter Press Service (June 23, 2010) item, for example, disclosed that private security firms are paying Afghan warlords to allow truck convoys through their territory. The article quotes Congressman John Tierney, who chaired a six-month investigation into the practice, saying, “U.S. taxpayer dollars are feeding a protection racket in Afghanistan that would make Tony Soprano proud.” The fear is that some of this money is going to the Taliban.

 

War Strategy in Afghanistan Under New Leadership

 

Speaking on June 23, 2010, President Obama stated that McCrystal’s dismissal will not change strategy in the war: “General Petraeus…supported and helped design the strategy that we have in place.” Germany, which has the third largest troop contingent in Afghanistan, expressed some reservations, however.

 

German Defense Minister Karl Theo zu Guttenberg told Spiegel magazine (June 24, 2010), “McCrystal was a very reliable partner. I regret not being able to work with him any longer.” The Financial Times Deutschland (June 24, 2010) noted that, “With the exit of Commander McCrystal…the outlook for Afghanistan has worsened.”

 

McCrystal’s departure may also impact President Obama’s exit plans from Afghanistan. The President alluded to this when asked about the July 2011 date signaling the reduction of U.S. troops: “We didn’t say we’d be switching off the lights and closing the door behind us.” (CBS News, June 24, 2010).

 

The Taliban, through spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi, however, vows to keep fighting. According to Ahmadi, “[Obama] wants to save his and his party’s face, but Obama will never be successful as the change of Generals will not work.” (Quoted in Middle East Media Research Institute, June 25, 2010)

 

 

The War Without McCrystal

 

General McCrystal’s long and distinguished military career culminated with his bold strategies and rapport with Afghan political leaders and common people. This has been attested to by almost everyone commenting on his dismissal in the media. The connections he made as commanding general of the Joint Special Operations Command, beginning in 2003, allowed him to make many contacts in the global effort to fight terrorism. There is no reason to believe that that the policies he implemented will not be followed.

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