June 23, 2010 NYT – There has been vigorous debate within the administration about how to proceed in Afghanistan, but General McChrystal and his aides did not overtly criticize administration policy.Rather, the differences were personal, and publicly aired.
Huh!?
Some pundits are spinning the story by arguing that MacChrystal’s public display of discrespect for our Presidency and the senior officers of the administration is less egregious than an actual policy difference! It seems to me that if you want to debeate a policy, there are ways to do that, but if you show disrespect for those you disagree with, it’s game over.
MacChrystal’s disrespect for the U. S. Commander in Chief speaks volumes. His school-bully “warrior” arrogance strongly suggests that he also is disrespectful of his adversaries on the battlefield. This error of judgement is universally regarded as a cardinal sin in the art of war.
