Traveling

Cool judo. I wonder if this was coordinated with RS...nah, they hate him now too much. Lemme see...we've gotten the Gulf spill off the TV finally and shifted the debate, we can now blame the Army for losing the unwinnable, and eliminate two potential 2012 rivals (not that they wanted it). We also demote and degrade General Betray-Us, which is sure to get Bammy snicker points with his base over at Soros.Org. Who won't forgive King Dave anyway. Not in the Left's nature.

But remember, we're subordinate. Or you are, I'm out 2 years.

This would have never passed the Article 32 part of the purported Article 88 offense. Bar talk.

Comment by Rabi'a al-Adiwyya on June 23, 2010 - 2:36pm

WCOG. Petraeus is the best

WCOG.
Petraeus is the best choice.
McChrystals light footprint counter-terrorism strat is FAIL.
That is gobsmakingly obvious.
McC was trying to hold Obama up for an extension, like he held O up for troop numbers by leaking last year.
I think he honestly believes he could deliver a win except for the pragmatists and realists like Biden and Eikenberry.
...and he jus' needed a lil more time.

Petraeus can hopefully deliver a sort of Iraq-style non-win win WITHIN THE TIMELINE so we can gtfo.
You see......COIN doesn't work because of the Dragon's Teeth Axiom....pretty quick that is going to become obviouso in Iraq.
Obama doesn't believe COIN can work in the Graveyard of Empires....even with more time and/or more resources.
That is my take-away.

Comment by Rabi'a al-Adiwyya on June 23, 2010 - 2:40pm

theres at least 20

theres at least 20 undisplayed comments on the last thread.
lawl.

Comment by Fnord on June 23, 2010 - 3:00pm

Elf: Lol, I feel proud to be

Elf: Lol, I feel proud to be a part of the enormous lefto-fascist conspiracy on a day such as this. Get ready for the gulags.

Comment by Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 5:38pm

The Bush administration

The Bush administration never experienced that sort of open criticism from the brass that was delivered by McChrystal.
That may be an indication of the low trust that the present leader of the nation enjoys from his armed forces.
May the good God let Obama be a one term guy only.

Comment by Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 5:52pm

The Bush administration

The Bush administration never experienced that sort of open insult from the brass that McChrystal delivered Obama.
McChrystals statements may be indications of an overall low confidence of the U.S. Armed Forces with government leaders.
That in turn signals that the good God should let Obama be a one-term-guy only

Comment by Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 6:05pm

"...the most mature and

"...the most mature and incisive comments on this blog in quite some time."

"Rolling Stone.... ROOOOLLING STOOONE!!!"

I'm glad that my participation was appreciated. :D

Comment by Rick on June 23, 2010 - 6:06pm

Andrew, could you try to

Andrew, could you try to move the entire MSM discussion forward, by distinguishing between COIN and the Afpak situation? The Rolling Stone article (besides serving to amplify McChrystal's foot-in-mouth) made 2 important points about COIN:

(1) COIN is long-term. That requires a stably-committed U.S. civilian "Center of Gravity". Yet Rolling Stone quotes "a senior adviser to McChrystal" as saying: "If Americans pulled back and started paying attention to this war, it would become even less popular." Granted, telling that particular truth to an American reporter was not good professional judgement. But it echoes the warning in FM 3-24 subtitled, "A POLITICAL VACUUM", that our COIN

"doctrine is a [military] moon without a [civilian] planet to orbit."

(page xl of Introduction to the U. Chicago edition)

(2) A Rolling Stone "Team of Rivals" graphic mentions that Admiral Mullen, "even recommended it [COIN] as a way to fight drugs in Mexico." Unless the U.S. civilian COG has an exit strategy to withdraw from North America, it seems we are stably-committed to working with Mexico, unlike Afghanistan. If anybody at CNAS wants to ensure COIN doesn't get thrown out with McChrystal's dirty Afghan bathwater, why not talk about Mexico?

Comment by Rick on June 23, 2010 - 6:24pm

Andrew, could you try to

Andrew, could you try to move the entire MSM discussion forward, by distinguishing between COIN and the Afpak situation? The Rolling Stone article (besides serving to amplify McChrystal's foot-in-mouth) made 2 important points about COIN:

(1) COIN is long-term. That requires a stably-committed U.S. civilian "Center of Gravity". Yet Rolling Stone quotes "a senior adviser to McChrystal" as saying: "If Americans pulled back and started paying attention to this war, it would become even less popular." Granted, telling that particular truth to an American reporter was not good professional judgement. But it echoes the warning in FM 3-24 subtitled, "A POLITICAL VACUUM", that our COIN

"doctrine is a [military] moon without a [civilian] planet to orbit."

(page xl of Introduction to the U. Chicago edition)

(2) A Rolling Stone "Team of Rivals" graphic mentions that Admiral Mullen, "even recommended it [COIN] as a way to fight drugs in Mexico." Unless the U.S. civilian COG has an exit strategy to withdraw from North America, it seems we are stably-committed to working with Mexico, unlike Afghanistan.
If anybody at CNAS wants to ensure COIN doesn't get thrown out with McChrystal's dirty Afghan bathwater, why not talk about Mexico?

Comment by Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 7:14pm

"The Bush administration

"The Bush administration never experienced that sort of open criticism from the brass that was delivered by McChrystal."

The Bush administration never experienced that sort of open criticism from the brass that was delivered by the rolling stone. as i recall their were a slew of top brass who criticized bush and some even wrote books about it later.

Comment by Rabi'a al-Adiwyya on June 23, 2010 - 7:14pm

Rick. COIN simply cannot

Rick.
COIN simply cannot work. The underlying SNT (social network theory) that creates the ability to build trusted networks simultaneously creates the ability for the spontaneous formation of an exponential number of enemy trusted networks sparked by drone strikes and afghani deaths, by troop action or subcontractor action...and those networks are dedicated to kinship network/social network revenge.
That is the Dragon's Teeth Axiom.
More "enemy" trusted networks will be created with the current admin policy than "friendly" trusted networks.
Exponentially more, as long as we use drones.
Schoolbuilding does not balance out revenge killing obligations, and every net node that gets terminated engenders kinship/social blood revenge reaction.

Comment by Mencius Moldbug on June 23, 2010 - 8:00pm

Rabi'a, I'd enjoy hearing

Rabi'a,

I'd enjoy hearing you explain why your "Dragon's Teeth Axiom" doesn't operate when the Taliban hang a 7-year-old boy.

How many dragon's teeth have the Taliban sown? Or, for that matter, the Viet Cong? Why is it, then, that neither lost the war immediately?

I hope it's not because they're wogs, and we're not - so we have to be better than them. Or that it's their land and not ours, because of the eternal bond of blood and soil. Or anything like that. Not that a bad argument can discredit a good hypothesis. But it would be nice to hear a non-bad argument. You know. For a change.

(Also, it's nice hearing this thinking distilled so clearly and ferociously, as so many imbibe milder versions of it. PC-COIN is really not much more than a watered-down version of this doctrine, which is basically that of Frantz Fanon. Or, as Bill Ayers spells it, "Franz Fanon.")

Comment by Marja-centric on June 23, 2010 - 8:32pm

Traveling? How convenient.

Traveling? How convenient. It's more like hiding. Your world is coming apart at the seams, Exum. You availed yourself poorly in the whole Obama-McCrystal fiasco. It won't cover your behind. Prepare for uncertainty.

I'd be sympathetic, if you weren't such a poser. You had it coming.

There's something to be said for substance vs glitter.

Comment by USMC owns Afghanistan on June 23, 2010 - 8:37pm

I think Marja-centric is

I think Marja-centric is Gen. McChrystal. Please take some time off, Sir. Don't take it out on Mr. Exum. You should've kicked the POTUS' ass, but you didn't. So take a chill pill or smoke out or visit CCR, or something.

Comment by Rabi'a al-Adiwyya on June 23, 2010 - 8:44pm

Men, Dragon's Teeth Axiom

Men,
Dragon's Teeth Axiom applies to the Talis too, but they don't have drones.
their kill capacity is way below ours, so they have less of an exponential creation of networks.
the Talis network creation is linear, not logrithmic or exponential.

Comment by Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 9:19pm

You know, the people who've

You know, the people who've been saying that this is the time for the USMC to take over Afghanistan are right. First, though, the USMC need to follow through on their earlier politically savy idea of banning married men from enlisting. Then, with DADT out of the way, they, along with all of the UK's kilt-wearing regiments, can out g-spot the G in a winner-takes-all contest for the love of the locals.

Comment by LCpl Harry Nutz on June 23, 2010 - 9:37pm

Are you saying that the

Are you saying that the Marines will out butt fuck the Taliban in Afghanistan?

Comment by Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 9:44pm

Here's a picture of Marines

Here's a picture of Marines in Afghanistan watching a popular local past time called Bacha Bazi:

http://www.captainsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/strange_counterinsurge...

Comment by Random_Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 9:59pm

Did anyone see "The Gay

Did anyone see "The Gay Marine"? According to NPR, it was a great film. Had drill that weekend, and missed its opening at the Castro. So, not sure if it would attract or repel the locals...

Comment by Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 10:11pm

Visitor 9.44; Oy, you have

Visitor 9.44; Oy, you have the strangest fetish I have seen in a while. Whats with the gay hang up?

Comment by Random_Visitor on June 23, 2010 - 10:23pm

Uh... That French minister

Uh... That French minister in Paris? Or maybe the local AFG human terrain? Confusing...

Comment by Visitor on June 24, 2010 - 12:15am

Gen. McChrystal should have

Gen. McChrystal should have sodomized the POTUS on his way out, SOCOM style.

Comment by Visitor on June 24, 2010 - 12:38am

Someone should butt fuck Mr.

Someone should butt fuck Mr. Hastings at Rolling Stones.

Comment by Visitor on June 24, 2010 - 3:34am

something tells me Mama

something tells me Mama Muqawama will not be reporting from East Tennessee we were the most mature and incisive commenters on this blog in quite some time.

Comment by Visitor on June 24, 2010 - 6:26am

DCIS, Army CID or DoD

DCIS, Army CID or DoD Pentagon Police should pull General McCrystal's Security Clearance, DoD Access ID's, but allow him to keep his Official DoD ID Card for Commissary privileges and identification. I'm guessing he may have already had this done, perhaps he's been confined to quarters while they process his retirement papers, but this guy could get very angry / McCrystal has access to tons of TS/SCI Information, firearms and many other dangerous things. Security / safety measures should be taken now to protect DoD personnel, classified information and civilians.

Let's hope McCrystal keeps a level head during these hard times in his life. We don't need some loon rogue General trying to perform a coup d'état in Washington D.C..

Comment by Elf on June 24, 2010 - 7:04am

Gee Visitor, the same way

Gee Visitor, the same way they pulled your ID card, privileges? CM'd were we? Wow. You really have to fuck up to get a full CM you know.

@ Fnord - you don't understand our politics. Kindly go spend your oil money raped from Gaia and leave out of family quarrels. Have a nice day.

Comment by Fly on the Wall on June 24, 2010 - 7:04am

(@visitor 6:26 AM: Janet

(@visitor 6:26 AM: Janet Napolitano's worst nightmare come true, radicalized patriots returning from war! ) I believe Gen. McCrystal had a "level head" and orchestrated this whole overhaul for the sake of his troops and to initiate a "growth spurt" in his narcissistic, naive COS. If my kid were wearing boots on the ground in Afghanistan I'd be thanking General McCrystal for exploiting liberal Rolling Stone to deliver a wake-up call to its audience. When Gen. P. informs the COS on what's required (i.e. sane ROE's, adequate numbers of troops, Holbrook and Eikenberry's replacements) the COS will respond. Gen McC has generated an "awakening" reminiscent of the chant, "The whole world is watching". It's about time. Thank you for taking one for the team, General McCrystal.

Comment by Rabi'a al-Adiwyya on June 24, 2010 - 9:45am

also, Men.... the Talis are

also, Men....
the Talis are embedded.
we are invaders.

Comment by Visitor on June 24, 2010 - 10:20am

Elf, are you going rogue or

Elf, are you going rogue or becoming a separatist? Perhaps they have a cell in Leavenworth for you as well.

With the General out of sight of the public, it's going to be a very embarrassing next few months for him. I'm assuming he and his entire staff will be investigated by DCIS and Army CID for allowing an unvetted member of the media/press to have close / personal access to his staff for an entire week. That alone will get McCrystal and all his peeps to lose their clearances alone... What were they thinking?

Comment by matt22 on July 2, 2011 - 12:53am

Suprised they had it in East

Suprised they had it in East Tennessee. I think some of the comments made where wrong i think some people in the service are tried after 10 years of doing same thing that never worked before. Some are just in it for the payday while others hope it has produced some dividend of some kind after all this time and savings put into it. It would be a shame if everthing goes back to the way it was before.

Comment by Hermes Kelly Bag on July 4, 2011 - 10:13pm