Article 88 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice:
Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.Some of his staff needs to follow suit.
What McChrystal did when he and his staff got boozed up and ran their mouths off to a reporter was not small beer. McChrystal and his staff made the case they could for the way they wanted to conduct the war. If it's not going they way that they want, they have two choices: Resign their commissions or do their jobs. Bitching about the president, any president, and his team is nothing short of gross insubordination.
It's a hell of a thing to end a long career by this sort of fuckup. But the responsibility for that rests on McChrystal's shoulders. Shit-canning his press aide before his own rug-dance was pretty classless.
I think the fact that a military officer even HAD a civilian public relations man speaks volumes of Wrongness. But hey, I obviously am a dweller of the dark ages where generals took orders instead of playing politics.
ReplyDeleteYou don't rise into the ranks of Them What Wear Stars without being able to play politics.
ReplyDeleteNo, no you don't. But I think it used to be more confined to military circles and possibly more based on getting the job done instead of mouthing off at the CiC.
ReplyDeleteDear Miss Fit:
ReplyDeleteIn re: "If he has any integrity left, he should walk into the Oval Office, salute the President, take off his stars, place them on the table, salute and leave."
Apparently, that's pretty much what he did.
What happened is what had to happen -- but I am terribly sad for the General. He brought it on himself, but it's a lousy way to end a distinguished career.
I hope some consideration is given to helping him restore his reputation. There are many ways that he can still serve.
Regards,
Frank
Frank,
ReplyDeleteI wrote that because, at the time, there were press reports that Gen. McChrystal was denying that he would resign.
He had to go.
There is also an old rule in the service: "One You-Dumb-Shit Cancels Out a Thousand Attaboys." It is, arguably, terribly unfair, but there is a lot of truth in it.