by T. M. Beeker

Created on: June 29, 2010   Last Updated: June 30, 2010

Obama was correct in his actions because on General McChrystal's commission it states very clearly he serves '...at the pleasure of the President.' Therefore if the General says or does something contrary to his commander's wishes it is Obama's right to relieve him. While the media may stir up quite a storm over this it is actually a very simple situation. 

Lincoln fired a passel of Generals in his pursuit of the right leader and Truman had to get Mac out of Korea before that war became a Third World War. Obama's actions were in keeping with the good idea of civilian control of the Military. Such a tradition has preserved our great nation on many occassions.

The controversy is not was it right or wrong to relieve the General. The controversy is continued involvement in Afghanistan. The General thought (like Westmoreland) that more troops throughout the countryside was a solution to the insurgency. He must have slept through that part of history class at the Point. Don't get me wrong Obama knows little to nothing about the military and is hardly the one to make strategic or tactical decisions. The big difference is one is a superior the other a subordinate. That is how the military works. As a Sergeant in the Marines in the 80s and 90s, I would have knocked out a junior Marine who spoke out of turn about my decisions in the field. The General does not have a right to his opinion while serving. He is to offer his boss advice, information, and then carry out his orders to the best of his ability. If on moral or philosophical grounds he cannot then resign. 

The bottom line is that we have spent a decade in Afghanistan employing the same 'controlled war' strategy as Iraq and Vietnam. We fail to understand the tribal and historic forces that make victory illusory. The military exists to defeat military threats. Sticking around to play diplomat, police officer, and counter-insurgent is foolish. I do find it interesting that the same policies that Obama poo-pooed by W have become his plan now. Regardless one's view of the conflict, two things are clear. First, the General was wrong and deserved to get fired. Two, Afghanistan is a place we should send help (economic) and bring our kids home. 

The President was within his rights to relieve a subordinate, the General as a subordinate should know better than tear down his leader or his policies, and finally this is window dressing for the real issue which is a decade spent in a place that no conqueror has been able to pacify. 

Learn more about this author, T. M. Beeker.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.