Schmedlap.com

A weblog of periodic insights from a former know-it-all Infantry Officer

Show some leadership

Posted by Schmedlap at: 7:37 PM on 22 JUN 10 | Comments (76) | Reply to this post

The decision now being faced is more nuanced than whether or not to fire or accept the resignation of McChrystal. Rather than react to events and select a path that others have chosen, the President should use these circumstances as an opportunity to blaze a new path. The President should keep McChrystal as COMISAF, but use this latest media hype as an occasion to address three serious issues.

First, the issues that I am referring to.

1. Thus far, the relationship between the White House and the incoherent hodge-podge of authorities in Afghanistan has been strained and awkward. There is no unity of command. Some things go through CENTCOM. Some go through the GIRoA. Some go through ISAF. Some go elsewhere. You’ve got Petraeus, Holbrooke, Eikenberry, and Sedwell, and others.

2. Replacing McChrystal will cause disruption, stirring the pot at ISAF yet again at a time when we are midway through an increase in troop strength as well as an increase in civilian personnel, along with the logistical and operational nutroll that entails.

3. Politically, firing or accepting resignation of McChrystal will play into the hands of the President’s domestic political opponents. (Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the President, did not vote for him, and will not vote him). He will be cast as “not supporting his military” or “rejecting their advice” or otherwise be portrayed as having an adversarial relationship with the glorified defenders of our country, our values, and our way of life. He will be taking a stand against mom and apple pie.

So what to do?

Get the necessary information.

General McChrystal has already been summoned to the White House. When he gets there, the President needs to speak candidly with him to determine the following.

1) Reiterate his policy toward Afghanistan and then demand to know – can McChrystal embrace that policy and execute without reservation? Yes or no. If no, accept the resignation.

2) Determine to what extent the portrayal of the command climate and attitudes within the ISAF staff and subordinate commands are accurately reflected in the freelance article written in the music magazine.

Address the problem.

Once the necessary information is gathered, assuming the General affirms that he can and will embrace the administration’s policy and execute it, the President needs to address the problem.

1) Order the General to unfuck his staff. Fire/discipline as necessary.

2) Hold a joint press conference to clarify the uncertainty and quell speculation in the media. The President needs to make clear that we take Afghanistan too seriously to relieve COMISAF over a freelance article in a music magazine that was hyped up amidst a climate of 24/7 media hysteria. The General needs to make clear that he is on board with the President’s policies, that he knows his role, and that he will execute his orders dutifully and faithfully. Perceived differences need to be flatly rejected and clarified to put forth a unified image to help offset the image crafted over the past 24 hours.

Exploit this event to impact the climate in Afghanistan.

No matter how well events above go, General McChrystal will return to Afghanistan with a bruised dick. There will be a feeling out process among the competing personalities – particularly Eikenberry/Holbrooke – to see how this new dynamic plays out. Rather than leave that to chance, the President needs to immediately follow up by further clarifying that dynamic. He needs to state publicly and clearly exactly what the roles and responsibilities for each of these actors so there is no ambiguity. To the extent there is lack of unity of effort in Afghanistan, it is due in no small part to the existing ambiguity of who is in charge of what. The President needs to show some leadership and set this issue straight. Command climate is not just an issue in ISAF. There is organizational dysfunctionality throughout the web of overlapping agencies and commands responsible for the Af-Pak region.

Use this as an opportunity to influence long-term change in the US.

Once those steps have been taken, this should be used as an opportunity to reflect upon the state of civil-military relations as they now stand and where we want them to go. It has been said that the only two good things ever produced by a committee were the Constitution and the King James translation of the Bible. But this might be an occasion in which a committee could produce a third positive product. The President should direct a review of duties, norms, and expectations for the conduct of senior military officers and of the duties, norms, and expectations for the conduct of civilian authorities in regard to their interaction with the military. Folks like Bernard Finel, Don Snider and other folks whose oversized brains have spent time mulling over these issues should be summoned and put to work on this.

To simply fire McChrystal, or accept his resignation, is a simplistic and boneheaded response to this circus. Rather than feel boxed into a situation in which one of two undesirable options must be chosen, the President should demonstrate some leadership, take control of the situation, and use it to our advantage.

The media must not be allowed to set our agendas for us. Leaders must not predictably respond to the situation created by the media. Leaders need to think creatively and act boldly to exploit situations as they arise. So long as the media continues to set our agendas and guide our policies, our nation will continue to get weaker, dumber, and poorer.

Posted by Schmedlap at: 7:37 PM on 22 JUN 10 | Permalink | Comments (76) | Reply to this post

Comments...

1. Schmedlap says, in response to the original post:

So much for that.

Posted at: 5:11 PM on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - Reply to this comment
6 response to this comment by: ryzovjbncy LaKanna Errinchan freidlender abdibill theburnttree

2. Madhu says, in response to the original post:

Yeah, so much for that. As others have said, it seems a savvy political move but there are more plausible moves than just the one. You outlined a pretty decent alternative scenario, and one that would have really changed things. What we have now is hyperstability - pretty much the same as before, just more of it. I don't know, though, my judgement pretty much sucks on most political punditry type stuff. I would not survive one day in D.C. Workwise, anyway.

Posted at: 7:21 PM on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 - Reply to this comment
3 response to this comment by: Seaseldiesel shauntypoo fruityboobs

3. ryzovjbncy says: