A top General gives an interview to a magazine, apparently without knowing that people would read it

[Clintonista2]

And with great military leaders like this, they wonder why America is doing so poorly in afghanistan/iraq :eyes:

[Fumesucker]

1. It was a hippie magazine..

No Serious Person (tm) would give credence to anything written in Rolling Stoned..

ETA: The fact that we here are giving any credence to Rolling Stoned is prima facie evidence that we are not Serious People (tm).

[kgnu_fan]

4. RS has been doing great investigative articles for years, same as Vanity Fair

Smart people are fashionable, huh?

[Fumesucker]

5. Again, we are not Serious People (tm)

Just a bunch of dirty fucking hippies and fellow travelers..

[Webster Green]

6. Are you serious?

Rolling Stone is one of the few places one can find actual journalism these days.

Hippies? :wtf:

[Fumesucker]

11. Which is exactly why Serious People (tm) pay no attention to Rolling Stoned..

You might want to look up Poe's Law while you're at it.

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe's_Law

[Webster Green]

13. I'm familiar with the law.

OK, you're not serious. Good. :hippie:

[MineralMan]

You are incorrect. Rolling Stone has published numerous

well-researched and reported stories of national significance. That they are primarily a magazine about the music industry does not change that. Your opinion of the publication is misguided.

[Fumesucker]

12. I'm not a Serious Person (tm)

So my personal opinion is of no merit whatsoever..

Satire is absolutely dead these days..

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe's_Law

[ellenfl]

20. i think that back slash has ruined your link. eom

[Stuart G]

2. I wonder...What would the general do if one of his subordinates did what he did???

Give a critical news interview of the boss and his top advisers? How does it work in the military when a subordinate publicly puts down the boss?

[chelsea0011]

3. Is this the same issue where McCrystal is on the cover naked with automatic weapons on his breasts?

[KharmaTrain]

7. Uh...You Believe That???

I've been around the block a couple times too many and the timing of this smells pretty skunky. Looks like McCrystal is looking to punch his ticket and go out in a blaze of "glory"...become the new darling of the corporate media and the great unhinged. BP is sure glad he spoke out as well.

[tekisui]

10. Yep.

He wants to be free to point and blame when Afghanistan goes further down the drain. Blaze of Glory. I hope Obama grants him his wish.

[KharmaTrain]

19. Interesting...

Two responses here...one says he should go down in a glaze of glory the other says he shouldn't.

I'm for demoting him...cool him until after the elections and then show him the door. Assign him to push papers. Busting him only turns him into a right wing martyr.

[Clintonista2]

14. I think he's a careerist, just not very bright. He's since apologized for giving the interview

which indicates he doesn't want to go out in a blaze of glory, at least not yet.

[MineralMan]

8. Ah, General Officers...

They're an odd lot, sometimes. Lots of ego, an authoritative organization, and almost unlimited power.

It gets some of them in trouble. Watching the interview with the Rolling Stone editor this morning on Morning Joke, the arrogance of this general and his staff was clear. Even knowing that a reporter was taking notes and that what they said was "on the record," they persisted. Arrogance.

Personally, I think President Obama should refuse to accept a resignation, demote the General to a Colonel and assign him to a meaningless desk job at the Pentagon...perhaps working on something like latrine design or something similar.

And interesting thing about the General Staff and the POTUS is that the POTUS has almost unlimited authority over the General Staff. President Obama can simply refuse a resignation and reassign a General Officer to any position he chooses. Reduction in rank is also one of the things the POTUS can do to General Officers. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the military. He's the boss, and there is no recourse to his decisions regarding military officers, each of whom is commissioned by the POTUS directly.

President Obama may do with this General whatever he wishes, as long as he keeps him in the military, which he can also do. It's a fascinating power, unmatched anywhere else in our system.

[Fumesucker]

15. No Time For Sergeants..

PLO.. Permanent Latrine Orderly..

That would be a good position for private McChrystal.

[MineralMan]

16. Actually, the President cannot demote him to an enlisted rank.

He can, however, demote him to any rank in the officer corps. I suggest Colonel, because then he can assign him to any menial position that calls for an officer of that rank. There are lots of Colonels in the Pentagon doing menial jobs as punishment. The powers held by the POTUS to promote, assign, and retain officers in the military is virtually unlimited

[Fumesucker]

17. I know that, I was being facetious..

But I wouldn't put him at the Pentagon, he would get lots of sympathy and support from brother officers there, somewhere like Diego Garcia or some tiny island in the Aleutians.

[MineralMan]

18. Ooh...I know. Shemya AFB. Now there's a truly isolated

base. I almost got assigned there when I was in the USAF. It's very close to Russia. You can see Russia from your barracks window there. Well, you can except during the constant storms. A lovely place.

http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!B2!E8!1FD8DDA69D60/KingdonAviation/RivetBallAmberShemya/scrapbookFiles/mailedD9.jpg

It's now called Eareckson Air Force Station

[Hutzpa]

9. Hogwash.

Giving an interview to Rolling Stone and not expecting anyone to read it, total hogwash.