Petraeus to Replace McChrystal (Updated)
Today I accepted General Stanley McChrystal’s resignation as commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. I did so with considerable regret, but also with certainty that it is the right thing for our mission in Afghanistan, for our military and for our country.
I’m also pleased to nominate General David Petraeus to take command in Afghanistan, which will allow us to maintain the momentum and leadership that we need to succeed.
I don’t make this decision based on any difference in policy with General McChrystal, as we are in full agreement — (audio break) — strategy, nor do make this decision out of any sense of personal insult. Stan McChrystal has always shown great courtesy and carried out my orders faithfully. I’ve got great admiration for him and for his long record of service in uniform. Over the last nine years, with America fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he has earned a reputation as one of our nation’s finest soldiers. That reputation is founded upon his extraordinary dedication, his deep intelligence and his love of country. I relied on his service, particularly in helping to design and lead our new strategy in Afghanistan. So all Americans should be grateful for General McChrystal’s remarkable career in uniform.
But war is bigger than any one man or woman, whether a private, a general or a president…
— President Obama – New York Times Transcript
This morning the President accepted my resignation as Commander of U.S. and NATO Coalition Forces in Afghanistan. I strongly support the President’s strategy in Afghanistan and am deeply committed to our coalition forces, our partner nations, and the Afghan people. It was out of respect for this commitment — and a desire to see the mission succeed — that I tendered my resignation.
It has been my privilege and honor to lead our nation’s finest.
— General McChrystal – New York Times Transcript
President Obama removed Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal as commander of American forces in Afghanistan on Wednesday, and tapped as his replacement the general’s boss, Gen. David H. Petraeus, the architect of the 2007 surge in Iraq.
Mr. Obama, standing with General Petraeus and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in the White House Rose Garden to underline the continuity and solidity of his Afghan policy, said that he had regretfully accepted General McChrystal’s resignation.
He said he had done so not out of personal insult, but because a magazine article featuring contemptuous quotes from the general and his staff about senior administration officials had not meet standards of behavior for a commanding general, and threatened to undermine civilian control of the military.
“War is bigger than any one man or woman, whether a private, a general or president,” Mr. Obama said. “As difficult as it is to lose General McChrystal, I believe it is the right decision for national security.”
“I welcome debate among my team,” he said, “but I won’t tolerate division.”
To replace an Afghan war commander brought down by his own impolitic comments, President Barack Obama chose one of the military’s most gifted politicians.
In Gen. David Petraeus, Mr. Obama picked a general who he hopes will provide a relatively seamless transition in the combat zone. But he also chose a man who has proven his ability to persuade lawmakers and the public that he can produce results, at a time when confidence in the war effort is fading and a White House-imposed deadline for success approaches.
Gen. Petraeus “has an unparalleled ability to explain counterinsurgency, to explain what interests are at stake and to explain the possibility of success and the costs of failure to the American people,” said former Lt. Col. John Nagl, who helped Gen. Petraeus draft the Army’s counterinsurgency manual.
In early 2007, amid widespread criticism of the handling of the Iraq war, President George W. Bush picked Gen. Petraeus to lead a troop “surge.” The gamble, combined with an about-face by Sunni leaders in Iraq, was credited with reducing violence in the country, although Iraq remains in a fragile state.
In late 2008, shortly after he had helped pull Iraq back from the brink of catastrophe, Gen. David H. Petraeus prepared to turn to that other American war.
“I’ve always said that Afghanistan would be the tougher fight,” General Petraeus said at the time.
Now the burden falls to him, at perhaps the decisive moment in President Obama’s campaign to reverse the deteriorating situation on the ground here and regain the momentum in this nine-year-old war. In many ways, General Petraeus is being summoned to Afghanistan at a moment similar to the one he faced three years ago in Iraq, when the situation seemed hopeless to a growing number of Americans and their elected representatives as well.
But there is a crucial difference: In Iraq, General Petraeus was called in to reverse a failed strategy put in place by previous commanders. In Afghanistan, General Petraeus was instrumental in developing and executing the strategy in partnership with Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who carried it out on the ground. Now General Petraeus will be directly responsible for its success or failure, risking the reputation he built in Iraq.
News
President Obama’s Remarks on Gen. McChrystal – Transcript via NYT
Statement by Gen. Stanley McChrystal – Transcript via AP
Obama Fires U.S. Commander in Afghanistan – Voice of America
Obama Accepts McChrystal’s Resignation, Nominates Petraeus – AFPS
McChrystal Relieved of Duty; Petraeus to Replace – Washington Post
Gen. McChrystal Is Relieved of Command – New York Times
Petraeus to Replace McChrystal – Wall Street Journal
Obama Relieves McChrystal of Command – Los Angeles Times
McChrystal Resigns Afghan Command – Washington Times
Petraeus Takes over for Ousted McChrystal – Stars and Stripes
Obama Sacks General McChrystal, Appoints Petraeus – The Australian
McChrystal Out, Petraeus In as Afghan Commander – Associated Press
Obama Fires U.S. Afghan Commander – BBC News
With McChrystal Out, Difficult Afghan Mission Gets Harder – Washington Post
Petraeus Is Now Taking Control of a ‘Tougher Fight’ – New York Times
Petraeus Could Provide Calming Influence – Washington Post
Selection of Petraeus Means Afghan Strategy Survives – Stars and Stripes
Obama Says Afghan Policy Won’t Change After Dismissal – New York Times
From Iraq to a Hard Place – Wall Street Journal
Strategy Remains the Same – Voice of America
NATO Chief Says Strategy Unchanged – Reuters
White House: Petraeus will Shed CENTCOM Post – Army Times
The End of Team McChrystal – BBC News
Obama Reasserts Authority – Christian Science Monitor
McChrystal Statement Expresses Support for Policy – AFPS
Sacked McChrystal Once Thought Indispensible – Stars and Stripes
Parties Support Obama’s Decision to Replace McChrystal – Washington Post
Obama Likely to Win Quick Senate Confirmation for Petraeus – USA Today
Petraeus Pick Wins Approval on Capitol Hill – CBS News
U.S. Allies Hope for Continuity After McChrystal – Associated Press
U.K. Committed to Afghan Strategy after McChrystal Sacking – Reuters
Germany Regrets McChrystal Afghanistan Departure – Reuters
Afghanistan Disappointed, But Optimistic About Petraeus – Washington Post
Afghans Relieved at Choice of Gen. Petraeus – Associated Press
Karzai Says Firing McChrystal Not Helpful to Military Efforts – Voice of America
Kabul to Miss Respected McChrystal – BBC News
U.K. Says Brit General Taking Charge in Kabul – Associated Press
Gen. David Petraeus Returns to Battle in Afghanistan – ABC News
David Petraeus Brings Experience to the Job – CBS News
Will it Make a Difference? – Christian Science Monitor
U.S. Troops Split on Controversy Surrounding McChrystal – Washington Post
Military Men Divided on McChrystal Ouster – Time
McChrystal’s ex-SAS Man Likely to Leave with Him – Guardian
Some Worry Gaffe Will End Embed Program – US News & World Report
A Flurry of White House Activity – Washington Post
Rapid-fire Chain of Events Led to Gen. McChrystal’s Fall – Los Angeles Times
Short, Tense Deliberation, Then a General Is Gone – New York Times
Life and Near-Death Experiences of Obama’s Warrior – CBS News
McChrystal’s Lack of Political Skills Led to Downfall – Washington Post
The BBC Looks at the Career of Dismissed U.S. General – BBC News
Obama on McChrystal, Truman on MacArthur – Associated Press
Gen. David Petraeus didn’t sign on as the new Afghanistan commander because he expects to lose.
That’s the boldest aspect of President Obama’s decision: He has put a troubled Afghanistan campaign in the hands of a man who bent what looked like failure in Iraq toward an acceptable measure of success. Obama has doubled down on his bet, much as President Bush did with his risky surge of troops in Baghdad under Petraeus’s command.
Here’s a simple way to think about the change of command: If the Taliban sold stock, its price would surely have fallen after Wednesday’s announcement. It’s hard to see how Petraeus can rejigger the pieces of this puzzle, but as I’ve heard him say: “The thing about winners is that they know how to win.”
“As difficult as it is to lose General McChrystal, I believe it’s the right one,” the President just said. “The conduct represented in the recently-published article … undermines the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our democratic system. And it erodes the trust that’s necessary for our team to work together to achieve our objectives in Afghanistan.”
No general could’ve taken Obama seriously, after getting dissed so publicly by McChrystal’s crew. No captain or sergeant could’ve been expected to shut up and salute when his superior officer gave an order. The guy at the top didn’t respect his commander; why should he?
— Wired
Opinion
Time for Sweeping Afghan Policy Review – Council on Foreign Relations
Afghanistan, After McChrystal – New York Times
Change of Command – Washington Post
Lose a General, Win a War – New York Times
The War Within – Washington Post
A Fool’s Errand – Washington Post
Fixing Afghanistan – Washington Post
Taking Command in Afghanistan – Los Angeles Times
McChrystal’s Final Agony – Washington Times
Petraeus: The Right Commander for Afghanistan – Washington Post
Gen. David Petraeus’ 3 Keys to Victory – New York Daily News
Petraeus Spares Obama Another Disaster – The Australian
McChrystalizing Failure – Washington Times
Why Obama Had to Fire McChrystal – Wired (Danger Room)
The Firing of McChrystal – The Atlantic
Can Petraeus Win the War? – Rolling Stone
Obama Makes the Right Call on McChrystal – Baltimore Sun
Obama Couldn’t Give McChrystal a Pass – Associated Press
Firing Allows Obama to Reassert Leadership – Washington Post
Petraeus is the Only Man Who Can Save the Surge Strategy – Daily Telegraph
Obama’s Choice of Petraeus a ‘Masterstroke’ – CNN News
White House Picks Safe Ally for Afghan Strategy – Stars and Stripes
McChrystalizing Failure – Washington Times
McChrystal’s Ouster Unfortunate but Necessary – Dallas Morning News
McChrystal’s Sacking Shows Obama is Boss – Daily Telegraph
So What Now? – Small Wars Journal
Petraeus Gets Another Tough Job – Small Wars Journal
Dave’s Back – Foreign Policy (Best Defense)
Who Is to Replace Petraeus? – Commentary
Out with the New, In with the Old – The Economist
Changing Generals Changes Nothing in Afghanistan – Salon
Obama Handles McChrystal Affair With Grace – FOX News
Democrats and the McChrystal Fiasco – Wall Street Journal
Obama on McChrystal: Nothing Personal – Wall Street Journal
McChrystal’s Tragedy – Works and Days
Rolling Stone Article’s True Focus: Counterinsurgency – New York Times
