War in Pakistan

vimothy

vimothy

yurp
Gates just fired his top general in Afghanistan, David McKiernan, and replaced him with Stanley A. McChrystal, former commander of JSOC. Pretty controversial, and not only because McKiernan was fired -- McChrystal was responsible for some shocking shit at Camp Nama in Iraq...
 
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polystyle

Well-known member
Aha, definitely haven't heard anything to make McCrystal sound like a good choice,
thanks Vim.

And the Pakistani Gov's reversal of Swat agreement one day after meeting Obama doesn't
seem 'real' , but they just may have the fear now ...
 
vimothy

vimothy

yurp
I've certainly heard some very positive stuff about McCrystal, but tempered by the Tilman and Nama issues, and his seeming overly kinetic focus doesn't exactly bode well for a pop-centric COIN campaign.
 
padraig (u.s.)

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
polystyle desu said:
Aha, definitely haven't heard anything to make McCrystal sound like a good choice
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I mean, specifically what? other than Nama & Tillman coverup? both of which, well not reflecting positively on his character, don't really say anything about his competency or lack thereof as a commander.

vimothy said:
and his seeming overly kinetic focus doesn't exactly bode well for a pop-centric COIN campaign.
Click to expand...

Right, I know we're both caught up in the whole Abu M/COIN sweep & it seems like best approach but I really have no idea if it actually is. Also I'm not sure if you can predict what he'll do based on the JSOC command, which it seems was a very specific thing.

Wait & see, I'd think.
 
padraig (u.s.)

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
re: ascetic

I do find it kindof amusing how much he's made out to be some kind of cryptic warrior monk. seems like just the kind of romantic BS that that journalists love.

[McChrystal] eats just one meal a day, usually in the evening, to avoid sluggishness...
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padraig (u.s.)

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
yeah I mean I'm sure I'm just reading the same stuff you are.

all I mean is - rather wait & see what he does.

at least initially it's more interesting w/r/t Obama I reckon.
 
vimothy

vimothy

yurp
Well, sure. I do think that Afghanistan is basically not winnable now, although I would be very happy to be proved wrong.
 
padraig (u.s.)

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
I think that depends entirely on what one means by "winnable". As in, what would "winning" be? I don't really know, tho I also suspect that many policymakers don't really know either.

either way I agree that unless he's Superman I doubt a change of command will, by itself, turn anything around.
 
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