Sen. Lindsey Graham Supports Obama While Slamming McChrystal And Staff

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by Colby Hall | 5:22 pm, June 23rd, 2010

» 32 comments

Now that President Obama has decided to accept General McChrystal‘s resignation (replacing him in command with General David Petraeus), the political fallout from this entire story is starting to reveal itself. And today’s emotional comment by Senator Lindsay Graham (R – SC) might be an indication that some on the right see this story as transcending traditional political tropes.

Graham, who currently serves as a senior instructor at the Air Force JAG school, harshly criticizes McChrystal and his staff for their lack of judgment in speaking so candidly with a Rolling Stone reporter, and also openly asks if there may be further inquiry into other officer’s comments which he clearly viewed as insubordinate.

Graham said:

The statements of the General not only were outside the norm, they really did put in question military subordination to civilian control. How do you think Rolling Stone is a good group to have follow you around for a month is a judgment question.

The second thing is — let me just say this to these officers who are unnamed, to these officer who are unnamed…I understand you’re warriors and you’ve been shot at and you’re brave. But you let yourself and your Army down. The language used, the cavalier attitude, the disrespect, even though you may have disagreement, was unacceptable.

This is a low point, in my view, for the Armed Forces in a very long time. And I am glad the president made this decision. And some other officers need to be looked at.

The following clip of Graham’s comments appeared on CNN’s Rick’s List and was reported by CNN’s Capital Hill reporter Dana Bash.

barack obama, Dana Bash, General David Petreaus, General Stanley McChrystal, Lindsey Graham, rick sanchez, Rick's List, Senator Lindsey Graham

libra blue

Lindsay Graham lost his credibility a long time ago.
TfT

Graham, CNN’s fav RINO.

Although I agree that McChrystal showed poor judgement in talking to Rolling Stone; Lindsay should have at least questioned Obama’s judgement since it was Obama who hand-picked the General he now judges as showing poor judgement. Obama points a finger and it ends up being pointed directly at himself.
valkyrie101

Everyone associated with the military can easily see that the general’s comments were out of line in a big way. Its a chain of command thing.
TfT

Kind of like Shinseki…oh wait a minute, his comments against Bush were treated kind of differently, weren’t they?
Ination

A RINO? No, just not completely partisan.
valkyrie101

Gates likes to fire people. I am sure he was all gun ho on firing the general. He certainly was during his term under Bush.
notsofast

Yes, Lindsey, and just what is BHO going to do about the civilians who are screwing things up in Afghanistan? McChrystal’s comments are shared with many.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2010/06/22/col-jack-jacobs-most-military-will-say-mcchrystal-was-right
libra blue

@TfT, “Obama points a finger and it ends up being pointed directly at himself.”

Let’s look at all the poor judgements Obama has made just in the past 6 months. I think he should have a mirror permanently attached to his accusatory finger.
Ted

Well, its very clear that most, of not all the tea-baggers who are blaming Obama have never served; which is really no surprise. If they had, they would know of course that McChrystal had to go, there was really no other option. Naturally, most tea-bag types would not know this.
notsofast

For first time in presidency, more disapprove of Obama’s job performance than approve, NBC/WSJ poll finds” June 23, 2010

Oh, snap!
MichelleF

Comforting yet not surprising:

Michael Hastings, author of the now-famous Rolling Stone magazine article “Runaway General” that captured several gotcha moments resulting in Obama relieving General Stanley McChrystal of his command, appeared on Al Jazeera English on June 23. He offered some startling insight into Obama’s failure to grasp what he was actually getting into with this Afghanistan strategy known as the counterinsurgency strategy.

Hastings was asked if McChrystal had perhaps gotten the whole strategy wrong, but Hastings explained it was the President that didn’t know what he was really getting into.

“I think that ship had sailed last year,” Hastings said. “I think once the decision was made to do a counterinsurgency strategy, they had a pretty clear idea in mind what they wanted to do and I think this is quite interesting. I think this is one of the issues Obama didn’t really understand what counter-insurgency meant and when the military said they wanted to do a counterinsurgency strategy that that actually meant 150,000 troops. Obama thought he could get away with just sending 21,000 over and getting a new general.”
the real john t

MichelleF says:
June 23, 2010 at 7:58 pm
———————————

So now from your comment a journalist for Rolling Stone is a military expert. You need to really get a frigging life. You are as dumb as you write. What far rightwing looney site did you find that crap?
Paula

Barack Obama’s failure — as a leader and as a president — does not excuse General McChrystal’s insubordination. A president’s ability to inure his subordinates with personal respect, while helpful, isn’t a requirement of the office; the loyalty is to the office. General McChrystal swore an oath that he violated over drinks in Paris bar. And he should bear that shame.

The importance of the outcome of the struggle in the Afghan battlespace cannot be overstated. But it is secondary to the principle of civilian control of the military in a liberal democracy.

McChrystal deserved to be fired. Not accepting his resignation is the one decision of President Obama that I wholeheartedly support.
valkyrie101

Beck was saying the other day that we should privatize our military, perhaps he could hire the general as the commander of this new mercenary outfit.
youngwayne22

its against the uniform code of military justice….homey had to go
rorschach

the real john teabagee says:
June 23, 2010 at 9:00

“So now from your comment a journalist for Rolling Stone is a military expert. You need to really get a frigging life. You are as dumb as you write. What far rightwing looney site did you find that crap?”
_____________________

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Are you really that stupid ? Its been the top news story for the last 24 hours !
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
JamesA1102

You need to really get a frigging life.

While I don’t disagree that her pathological hatred of the President and everyone to the left of Mussolini is annoying, there’s no need to resort to personal insults.
JamesA1102

Barack Obama’s failure — as a leader and as a president

So because in 18 months the President hasn’t cleaned up all the messes that the previous administration took eight years to create, he’s a failure? Interesting logic.
Paula

James A1102.

“So because in 18 months the President hasn’t cleaned up all the messes that the previous administration took eight years to create, he’s a failure? Interesting logic ”

BARACK OBAMA chose General McChrystal. BARACK OBAMA chose the anti-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan. This is BARACK OBAMA’s war.

Sorry, “BO” has the job now, James. He’s had it for 18 months, as you say. SO STOP BEING A SILLY IMMATURE BABY AND MAN UP — DO THE DAMN JOB OR RESIGN.

Liberals are immature, irresponsible, babys as James so readily evidences….
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

McChrystal’s demonstrated and proven incompetence is amply shown in the Rolling Stone article. And Graham points it out with “And some other officers need to be looked at. ” McChrystal had a slim chance to survive if it were only his quotes, but slim left town when McChrystal’s aides echoed him and showed a total lack of leadership on the part of McChrystal, a breakdown of that structure. This one is all on McChrystal.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

Paula says:
June 24, 2010 at 6:18 am
0 0
James A1102.

“So because in 18 months the President hasn’t cleaned up all the messes that the previous administration took eight years to create, he’s a failure? Interesting logic ”

BARACK OBAMA chose General McChrystal. BARACK OBAMA chose the anti-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan. This is BARACK OBAMA’s war.

Sorry, “BO” has the job now, James. He’s had it for 18 months, as you say. SO STOP BEING A SILLY IMMATURE BABY AND MAN UP — DO THE DAMN JOB OR RESIGN. ”

Now, see how the right plays the blame game, blaming Obama for all that is wrong today. That is so childish. Take some responsibility, Paula, for what’s going on today!! That’s always been the right’s failing, never taking responsibility, never being accountable for your actions. Hell, we went through two terms of that 2001-2009 and it continues. The Republicans are ‘The Buck Stops Anywhere But Here” as far back as history can show.
TfT

Too funny Bill. Obama is the child-man President. JEB is right — he is a child and he needs to grow up. He fired the Commander in Afghan and replaced him with his own hand-picked guy. It is Obama who showed the poor judgement. It’s high time he stopped pointing the fingers elsewhere and acted like a man and not a child.

BDS, BDS, BDS…..get over it. Teh One, the Obamasiah, he himself is now the President. Write him a letter, and tell him to start acting like it.
tjl

“

Paula said:
Paula says:
June 24, 2010 at 6:18 am Liberals are immature, irresponsible, babys as James so readily evidences….”

Ah yes, the mature way to handle a discussion is to call an entire group of people irresponsible and refer to them as “babys” (sic). Thanks Paula!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Kam-Fet/572005492 Kam Fet

Graham knows what he’s talking about, he was a Military Lawyer.
valkyrie101

That is why, unlike in most cases, what Lindsey is saying now is highly credible and significant, especially with he putting the code of his country’s military before partisan politics.
Phocus2

Can we lose this dolt…please.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Val-Anderson/100000119994645 Val Anderson

Graham is a Democrat hiding in Republican clothing. Who does he think he is, to me he is a despicable,meglomaniac who will do or say anything to get him self on TV. Get rid of the loon
temple62

You’re next Obama. I am voting against any Dem or GOP that publicly has supported this action. This narcissistic immigrant dodged a meeting with McChrystal last year and this told me that the “amateur” president elect was not at all serious about Afghanistan strategies, support needs or the troops. This man will never get my vote for any public office, he has betrayed that trust!
valkyrie101

Yes, but McChrystal is among those who have been fighting, since the invasion of Kuwait by Sadaam, one continuous war against radical Islam. What is that, twenty years? And does any one want to say that the general has anything to say about matters relating to diplomacy, or even military strategy, after all that time and so far from success. If this was an NBA team, the coach would be history.
drex94

i don’t care if Bozos like Bush were/aRE THE PRESIDENT…U DISREPECT THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES …U ARE OUT
WAT PART DONT THE HATERS UNDERSTAND
Integr8d

@Ted

“Well, its very clear that most, of not all the tea-baggers who are blaming Obama have never served; which is really no surprise. ”

That goes a long way to explain why Ron Paul received the most donations from armed services personnel.
Snidely

What a tool! I just hope his constituents send him to the oblivion he so justly deserves when next they have a chance. As nearly as I can tell, he has been on the wrong side of every issue, IMHO.