Rolling Stone May Have Just Won The War in Afghanistan » Publications » Family Security Matters

Rolling Stone May Have Just Won The War in Afghanistan » Publications » Family Security Matters

This week past, President Obama relieved four-star general Stanley McChrystal of his duties in Afghanistan after Rolling Stone published an unflattering magazine article about him and his staff’s feelings toward the administration’s national security team. Although the vast majority of the discouraging quotes came from his staff, Gen. McChrystal is ultimately responsible, and the president did what any commander in chief would have done under the circumstances.

Neocons!

He promptly replaced him with well-respected Gen. David Petraeus, who engineered the successful “surge” campaign in Iraq.

Gen. McChrystal and his staff should have realized that there is no such thing as “off the record.” If a journalist hears a juicy quote that supports his or her story, you can count on reading it. The reporter scores points with his publisher and readers, and he documents you saying something stupid forever.
Why would someone believe a Rolling Stone reporter when he tells you that what you are saying is off the record, any more than a reporter for 60 Minutes, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times or the Washington Post? Rolling Stone quotes the general and his staff, and suddenly there is a change of leadership in America’s grinding war in Afghanistan! What power and influence! The president fires the general, and undoubtedly someone will nominate Michael Hastings, the Rolling Stone reporter, for the Pulitzer Prize.

But Gen. McChrystal’s premature departure may not be such a bad thing after all. Michael Hastings may have unwittingly done more to win the war in Afghanistan than Gen. McChrystal could have done.

Gen. McChrystal forbad soldiers from visiting American fast-food joints in Kabul, denied them access to the Fox News Channel and voted for Barack Obama. If that wasn’t bad enough for soldier morale, his self-imposed rules of engagement made many of the rank-and-file soldiers further question his judgment. Many soldiers bitterly complained that fighting the Taliban was like having one arm tired behind their backs.