Let’s hope Obama backs Petraeus (June 26)
By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune
If asked, most of us probably would say President Obama made the right decision when he fired Gen. Stanley McChrystal as commander in Afghanistan. And, most of us probably would say the president was right to appoint Gen. David Petraeus to replace McChrystal. But those decisions were obvious.
The subtleties are less so.
First, we have to remember that McChrystal had a long string of successes in Af-ghanistan, even though he achieved these under a considerable hindrance. That stone in his shoe was Obama’s promise to the world that U.S. troops would start pulling out of Afghanistan in July 2011 — a year from now.
McChrystal’s apparent concern over the president’s policies, reflected but not actually stated in an interview published in Rolling Stone, may have seemed insubordinate. But most people with any military experience would have understood those doubts.
If after invading Normandy and gaining a foothold on the beaches, President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill had announced the troops would pull out the next year, Hitler would have known he could win just by biding his time.
The Taliban in Afghanistan seem to be reacting just that way, increasing their attacks, then pulling back, taking ground, then melting into the mountains if they themselves are attacked. But McChrystal, even with Obama’s promise facing him every day, was making progress by working with Afghanistan leaders on the ground — work that was opposed by Obama’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, who also was opposed to working with Afghan leaders himself. He has been less an ambassador than a political commissar. Maybe he should get the boot next.
Also, we have to remember Obama backers campaigned against Petraeus during the 2008 election — calling him “General Betray-us” in national ads. That was because Petraeus had suggested the surge — which worked.
Let’s hope Obama doesn’t betray Gen. Petraeus.
