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In a decision he said was necessary to sustain "unity of effort" and meet the objectives in a country where American troops have been battling for nine years, President Obama nominated Gen. David Petraeus to lead the war effort in Afghanistan.
Petraeus, currently commander of U.S. Central Command and formerly the commander of the coalition effort in Iraq, replaces Gen. Stanley McChrystal, just one day after a Rolling Stone Magazine profile created a firestorm by quoting McChrystal and his aides criticizing and mocking high level administration officials like Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, National Security Adviser Gen. Jim Jones and others.
"All Americans should be grateful for Gen. McChrystal's remarkable career in uniform," the president told reporters gathered in the Rose Garden. "But war is bigger than any one man or woman, whether a private, a general or a president. As difficult as it is to lose Gen. McChrystal, I believe it is a the right decision for our national security."
Obama was joined at the announcement by Petraeus, Biden, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen.
Calling it his duty to "ensure that no diversion complicates the vital mission" in Afghanistan, the president said McChrystal's conduct had not met the standard that should be set by a commanding general, undermined the civilian control of the military at the core of America's democratic system and had eroded the trust necessary for the team to achieve its objectives in the country. Obama said replacing McChrystal with Petraeus would allow the U.S.-led effort to "maintain the momentum and leadership that we need to succeed."
Obama met with McChrystal for 30 minutes in the Oval Office this morning, before holding a larger meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Situation Room with his entire national security team. McChrystal had been called back from Kabul to speak directly to the president. He had been included on the list of expected attendees at the larger meeting, but he was seen departing the White House shortly after his conversation with the president ended.
The president said McChrystal was someone he had come to respect and admire and that he accepted the general's resignation with "considerable regret." He also made a point of saying the change in personnel was not a done "out of any sense of personal insult."
At a time when coalition forces in Afghanistan are struggling to win over the hearts and minds of locals who've suffered under some three decades of war and U.S. and allied troops are trying to solidify hard-fought gains in one Taliban stronghold and preparing for extensive operations in another, the president reaffirmed the nation's mission in the country.
"I just told my national security team that now is the time for all of us to come together, doing so is not an option, but an obligation," Obama said, adding that while he welcomes debate on his team, he will not tolerate division. "Make no mistake, we have a clear goal: we are going to break the Taliban's momentum, we are going to build Afghan capacity, we are going to relentlessly apply pressure on Al Qaeda and its leadership, strengthening the ability of both Afghanistan and Pakistan to do the same."
The president said he was "extraordinarily grateful" that Petraeus had agreed to serve and noted that he supported and helped design the strategy now in place in Afghanistan.
"I say to the American people, this is a change in personnel, but it is not a change in policy," Obama said. "He has worked closely with the Afghan and Pakistan governments and with all our partners in the region. He has my full confidence and I am urging the Senate to confirm him for this new assignment as swiftly as possible."
After his roughly eight minutes of remarks, the president left the podium, ignoring a shouted question about whether the war in Afghanistan could be won, a question war critics have been raising since before Obama's December announcement of a surge of some 30,000 troops into the country.
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Let's wish him luck, he certainly could use some...
It's interesting to note that Petraeus has to take a demotion and work for a new boss in his former job. That's the kind of situation to which most self-respecting people would say "Thanks, I think I'll be leaving now".
This selfless move will probably get him the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or Secretary of Defense down the road if that is where he would like to go.
My guess is that Petraeus voluntered. If he can get Afghanistan somewhat under control after doing the job in Iraq, he could have any job he wants including President. In any case, it was great that Obama was able to pick hi for the job.
Joe in Albany:
General Petraues probably feels bad about the situation because he recommended General McChrystal. If he can carry out the mission of the surge (succeed or fail) then bring the troops home starting in July 2011 without Afghanistan imploding then he deserves to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs or Defense Secretary when Gates steps down.
I wish him and the other men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq God's speed.
General McChrystal can now go and write him memoir and I hope he tells us what really happened to Pat Tillman.
WAIT WAIT !!
What does Chicken Hawk Nude Gingrich think ? ... How about 'Terrorism Expert' (and Chicken Hawk) Rudee Jooliane Think ? ... Have we gotten ANY Word on what 'Draft Dodger' Dick Cheney thinks ?? .... How about Michael Steale ? .... He's a REAL EXPERT !!!
Does the Boner Approve ? .. He once thought about joining the Army, theat makes him a combat veteran...........
I REALLY want to hear from Mark Kirk (R-Ill), he COMMANDED the Iraq War and was named Intelligence Agent of the DECADE !! He KNOWS Combat, serving in Bosnia, Viet Nam and WWII an UNMATCHED Record of military service !!!
Mark Kirk, What up ???
LOL MSierra,
Kirk the Jerk is another right wing chicken hawk who has to embellish his credentials... LOL
He's about to find out what a REAL crash & burn feels like come November!
"Kirk the Jerk is another right wing chicken hawk who has to embellish his credentials"
Sorta like Blumenthal, a left wing chicken sh!t in CT doing EXACTLY the same thing... LOL!!!
Where are all those lefties that were screaming "General Betray-Us" to back up Obama on this replacement???
This leftie and many dems on the Hill condemned Move-on for that comment which is more than I can say for republicans who do not condemn equally disgusting comments by their own side.
Riiiiiight. There were no Republicans condemning Barton. Riiiight.......
WHERE was the condemnation of the 'Death Panels' LIE ? Did any of the Dead Enders ever admit it was a LIE ? Any of you Dead Enders Admit that President Obama is an American ???
KLM, what ever happened to your Hutaree friends ?? Are they STILL trying to KILL POLICE ? Are they STILL committed to the Racial Holy War ? RAHOWA ???
KLM, I would have to agree with Jodee on this, I for one was mad as hell for that name some people used in describing Gen Patraeus.
MSierra, you have no idea who my friends are. Jump to conclusions much?? As expected, when you have no logical adult retort, you resort to name calling and attack. It's really very predictable and oh so tiresome. The only thing you left out was "B...B...but Bush.....(insert comment in perceived defense of Obama)...."
And, since you bring up holy wars.....you're the one that prefers Iran, Saudi Arabia and Libya......do you really want to go there??????
Jody and Terry,
Point taken and agree that many did not like the Betrayus ad. Just didn't agree with Jody saying that "the other side" never condemns their own.
KLM, I think its fair to say that both sides use political grandstanding to their advantage. I would love to see the day that both, while able to disagree, agree to do business with each other for the good of this country.
Not all the 'lefties' were yelling that. I, for one, admire General Petraeus. He is an expert in counter insurgency and had Mosel under control in Iraq after the initial invasion but the screw ups in charge of Bagdad did not believe in counter insurgency and called Petraeus in to fix it when they lost control. After that Mosel went to He!!
Of course at the same time the Bush administration decided to defund the college of peace keeping. Make sense...duh!
'.... A new Gallup poll shows support inching up, with supporters topping opponents -- 49% of respondents said passage of the law is a "good thing," while 46% said it's a "bad thing."...'
Slowly, but surely START EXPLAINING how HCR works Let people KNOW what it really is DEBUNK those STUPID 'Death Panels'
'...
The Affordable Care Act is quite popular among Americans aged 18 to 29, with 57% believing the new law is a good thing. Among those 30 to 49 and those 50 to 64, support isn't quite as strong, but supporters clearly outnumber opponents in both age groups, and the favorable attitudes have increased since April...'
GOOD NEWS from Wash monthly:
HEALTH CARE REFORM'S POPULARITY GETS ANOTHER BOOST.... Last week, a national Associated Press-GfK poll found that support for the Affordable Care Act was not only the rise, but had reached new heights -- health care reform's supporters outnumbered opponents, 45% to 42%.
Now, we have another poll with similar results. A new Gallup poll shows support inching up, with supporters topping opponents -- 49% of respondents said passage of the law is a "good thing," while 46% said it's a "bad thing." That's a modest shift in the right direction from a few months, but it's a shift nevertheless.
Of particular interest, though, were the breakdowns by age group.
The Affordable Care Act is quite popular among Americans aged 18 to 29, with 57% believing the new law is a good thing. Among those 30 to 49 and those 50 to 64, support isn't quite as strong, but supporters clearly outnumber opponents in both age groups, and the favorable attitudes have increased since April.
It's the older folks who aren't happy -- opposition is nearly 2-to-1, and it's the only age group where opposition has gone up, not down, since April.
This tell us a couple of interesting things. The first is that right-wing efforts to scare the elderly -- the constituency that's generally skeptical of Obama anyway -- have been largely successful. Seniors love their government-run socialized medicine, and they're worried about Democrats finding cost-savings in unnecessary Medicare spending. The second is that those who are likely to be affected most by the new law are those most likely to approve of it.
Regardless, in the bigger picture, one of the keys to the Republican midterm strategy is predicated on the notion that Americans just hate the Affordable Care Act. Indeed, just this morning, House Minority Leader John Boehner's (R-Ohio) office insisted, without evidence, that "the American people remain squarely opposed" to health care reform, and recognize "the rising public backlash against the new law."
Boehner may want to consider updating those talking points; they're both stale and wrong.
It should be interesting to see how republicans in the Senate react. McCain and a couple others have already expressed their opinion that McChrystal should be fired. Logically, the GOP should be onboard with this nomination; one can hope that no republican will filibuster but lately, logic doesn't seem in their DNA.
Rain, rain and one tornado or severe watch after another. The storm sirens have gone off more the past 10 days than all last year, 3 times last Friday. 4:30 this morning--what a rude awakening but glad we have them.
I thought this was a responsible move by Gen. Petraeus to take this position. The president, hence the military, were in a big bind, in the middle of trying to get Afghanistan hopefully to a place where we can leave next year, when the Rolling Stone article hit the fan.
I'm glad the president was able to get him on board immediately, which was required in the eyes of the military and the world.
I hope General Petraus learned a valuable lesson - don't diss you boss in public! That would be the working person's code we are talking about, call it employment 101! Whie I may fuss about mine on occassion at home, I'd never do it in public, after all what does it say about a person who works where they can't respect those in command? Not much of anything good, that's for sure.
I wish General Petraus and all our men and women in uniform good luck, good health, safety, and a rapid return home. In the mean time - don't trust Karzi, and don't worry too much with nation building, we are not there to build a nation, we can afford to build a nation, we are looking for the taliban and ben laden, that is our focus, that is where I want my tax dollars spent(sure wish I had some of that money back we wasted in Iraq - yep to me it was a cowards path to take instead of going after the people we really had a bone to pick with). Blow them to bits, if there is anything left over we can ask the UN to come in rebuild a nation. If the good natives want us to rebuild their nation they can help us find the talaban and ben laden, until they do that I don't have enough tax money to assist in building them a nation. My own country is more important to me.
Had to be done and the re-tread general now in charge was the best way to go. Good job handling a bad situation, Mr. President. The outcome is about as good as it can be considering...
The loose talk and "dissing" comments about the President and his team from General McChrystal and his people are more than unacceptable. They would be unimaginable in normal times. The climate of disrespect created by the right wing media, including the tabloids and the "shock jocks" on the radio, is responsble. It's time for a little civility in public affairs before we come apart as a nation. Stop worrying about the future of "failed" nation-states, and take care of our own perishing republic!