Character and Expediency

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Jon Krakauer's Where Men Win Glory investigates the life of former Arizona Cardinals linebacker and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman, and particularly his April 2004 friendly-fire death in Afghanistan. Gen. Stanley McChrystal's roundabout admission earlier this year that he fraudulently approved awarding Tillman a posthumous Silver Star as a result of enemy fire has been heavily focused upon by Krakauer's book and in a 10.14 Daily Beast article.

"After Tillman died, instantly -- within 24 hours certainly -- everybody on the ground...everyone knew it was friendly fire," Krakauer said yesterday on Meet the Press. "There was never any doubt it was friendly fire. McChrystal was told it was friendly fire. There was no enemy fire. And yet McChrystal [testified that] he didn't read this hugely important document [that clarified matters] about the most famous soldier in the Army...he didn't read it carefully enough that he didn't [absorb the reported facts]? That's preposterous...that's not believable."

In other words, McChrystal saw a political opportunity to cast valor and glory upon the Afghanistan mission -- a move that his Bush administration superiors would obviously reap political gain from. In other words McChrystal is not above spreading a lie if it helps politically. In other words he's cut from the same cloth as other generals in command of previously unpopular wars who've done the politically expedient thing. In other words McChrystal can't really be trusted any more than Lyndon Johnson could trust Gen. William Westmoreland about alleged progress during the Vietnam War. In other words President Obama needs to wake up.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 2, 2009 at 4:22 AM

comment #1

BurmaShave says ...

Yeah, as soon as I saw this on Meet the Press I was pretty sure this was the end of McChrystal.

Posted by BurmaShave at November 2, 2009 5:33 AM

comment #2

NotImpressed1Yet says ...

This was hugely disappointing to hear, and the pessimist/cynic in me tends to agree with Jeffrey's take on it. I still hold out hope that his actions in the Tilman charade do not necessarily tell the whole story on McChrystal's character and judgment. I presume Obama had gotten all the goods on the Tilman stuff before he sent McChrystal to Afghanistan, so maybe he decided that this one instance of moral failure was not enough to negate McChrystal's overall capabilities as a general...

Posted by NotImpressed1Yet at November 2, 2009 6:02 AM

comment #3

corey3rd says ...

McChrystal lied on a government form - he needs to be on trial

Posted by corey3rd at November 2, 2009 7:11 AM

comment #4

Manitoba says ...

I'm glad I caught Krakauer on Meet The Press. Later Sunday on CNN, Fareed Zakharia had a very interesting interview with Matthew Hoh, the first U.S. government official known to resign in protest over the Afghan war. Not sure if there is a video clip available. I see the big headline today is that Karzai will be returned to power as Afghanistan cancels the runoff election.

Posted by Manitoba at November 2, 2009 7:17 AM

comment #5

dinther says ...

That McChrystal was motivated by political ends should come as no surprise to anyone who served in the military.

Unlike generals of past generations, who cut their teeth in battlefields of Korea and Vietnam, this generation of Generals rose to the ranks in an overstaffed bureaucracy with few proving grounds. Generals are where they are because of their political guile -- adherence to the status quo, not rocking the boat -- rather than by any military acumen or character trait that had been tested. McChrystal in this case was doing what he had been trained to do his entire career - please his boss.

Posted by dinther at November 2, 2009 8:26 AM

comment #6

OtownRog says ...

Tillman was a safety in the pros, not a linebacker (too short).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman
Check out the new-to-DVD documentary Virtual JFK if you want a taste of what any president has to contend with in terms of trigger-happy right wing liars in uniform. It's proof positive that the last thing the country needs is a president who rolls over for guys with a few stars and a Clarence Thomas "I am above reproach" attitude.

Posted by OtownRog at November 2, 2009 8:42 AM

comment #7

Movie Watcher says ...

dinther you are right. I saw the same thing in the air force, commanders who made sure every inspection was rated as 'excellent'. Why? Because it looks good on their record. That's how they get promoted, having an excellent record, and of course a little ass-kissing never hurt.

Posted by Movie Watcher at November 2, 2009 9:26 AM

comment #8

Jean says ...

Dinther, we are cut from the same cloth. I served in the USMC' & I ran across those types more often than not. Yes, everybody can be expected to cover their own 6 o'clock but when you're doing it to advance your career...

Krakauer's book is excellent by the way. I've been recommending it to everyone I know.

Posted by Jean at November 2, 2009 12:14 PM

comment #9

corey3rd says ...

The sad part was watching Congressmen making excuses for McChrystal passing off the hero narrative for a Silver Star when he knew the truth. One ass covers the other ass.

Posted by corey3rd at November 2, 2009 3:19 PM

comment #10