A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
This is an edited version of a letter I sent to General McChrystal yesterday:
General McChrystal,
You don’t know me from Adam (though I served under your command in [edited] a few years ago), but I wanted to send you a letter of support in the midst of the crap-storm you’re facing right now. Politics aside, I truly appreciate your service and your poise in dealing with a difficult situation. You were given a raw deal with a nearly impossible timeline and you didn’t hesitate to do whatever it took to get the job done. In the end, the goal is to kill the enemy, establish a stable government and bring our troops home. Under your leadership, we have done better than was expected! Granted, as in all conflicts, there were some missteps. We know that the enemy gets a vote on all combat actions and battle plans.
Word in the media is that you’ve tendered your resignation, which was accepted by President Obama. If that is true, I want to wish you the best of luck in our next undertaking. Please know that you can hold your head high for all that you’ve accomplished. At 33, you were the Army’s youngest Battalion Commander! Didn’t see that in the Rolling Stone smear piece. It’s a shame that politics got in the way of our objectives in Afghanistan and that you were the sacrificial lamb laid upon the alter of poor national security policy and an inability by this administration to accept criticism – from anyone (you’re not alone, sir).
I salute you, sir, and if you’re ever near Fort Hood, lunch is on me!
And to the pansies on your staff that hid behind the cloak of “unnamed senior staff member” – you’ll get what’s due you. Karma sucks.
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Isaac
I’ve not been commenting for some time CJ, but I’m still reading. Great letter to a great man.
Real bad things may be happening but God somehow puts us in the right place and time even when we don’t notice it.
To General McChrystal, thank you for all you’ve done Sir, for all the troops, especially for helping the ones from my country (Singapore) in their work by giving your awesome support.
NY-David
Well put. I also wish the general best success in his next job. He did his duty right up until the end.
NY-David
Karen Teeter
The General has HONOR on his side, and if he chooses to step into the political arena, I believe ANY office is his for the taking. I hope he does.
Great letter indeed, CJ.
Laura, A Military Mom
Another “Great” leader shot down by this awful administration. I wish the General the BEST in whatever he gets to do next, I know I wouldn’t hesitate to vote for him if I saw his name on a ballot
Good letter BTW!
NY-David
Sorry, he did his own shooting.
NY-David
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Bevy
Awesome letter – I agree totally – and it’s nice to hear from someone who served under him. God bless you and the General!
Harold
Hello CJ,
I read this article by Paul R. Hollrah and the author’s take on my General McChrystal and his staff gave Rolling Stones article. I don’t know anything about the General, nor his staff, but I can only believe that anyone that has reached this level in the military has the intelligence as reported by Mr. Hollrah. If you like, please read the article dated June 28, 2010.
http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/p_hollrah/2010/print/06282010.htm
julio
i agree with this article, give the Gen his dues, when it comes to be a strategist; but that doesn’t take away from insubordination, and poor judgement. he didn’t get “shot down by this awful administration”. We all sleep in the bed we make.
JeremyWestenn
I appreciate your thanking for him for this server, however- what he did was wrong, it was against the conduct of a service member, it was the morally correct thing to do to fire him for it. It’s blind politics if you think otherwise.