LG McChrystal to take command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan

[Flesh Thorn]

May 11 (Bloomberg) -- Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal has been picked to take command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today.

McChrystal, now director of the staff for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, will replace General David McKiernan, pending Senate confirmation. Gates said he asked for McKiernan’s resignation.

“The focus here is simply on getting fresh thinking, fresh eyes” on this conflict, Gates told reporters at a Pentagon briefing.

“There was a need for new leadership,” said Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

President Barack Obama is adding 17,000 combat troops and 4,000 trainers to a conflict that he has called the “central front” of the war on terrorism. Obama on March 27 unveiled a strategy for a stepped-up civilian effort and war plan focused on defeating the Taliban and al-Qaeda.


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[Bcosniper]

McChrystal was the best Bn. commander I had during my years in batt. I have a lot of respect him and am sure things just got much worse for the taliban and al qaida in Afghanistan.

[Rock Island Ranger]

There isnt a better man anywhere to lead it. None.

[Silverback]

I doubt he'll let the Taliban escape without leaving behind a large piece of their collective posterior region.

[rgrpuck]

Finally we are sending 1st string players.

[Jim]

Finally we are sending 1st string players.

Concure.

[Ranger Ron]

Glad to hear that!

[Rock Island Ranger]

The gloves are going to come off now. This is excellent news. Damn I cant wait to get back there now.

Yea, that Hable Espanol will come in handy there!

[Rock Island Ranger]

The gloves are going to come off now. This is excellent news. Damn I cant wait to get back there now.

Yea, that Hable Espanol will come in handy there!

Everyone speaks rifle over there anyways. Yo no needo espanolo in Afghanistano.

Good point. Superior firepower sounds the same no matter where you are.

[litlbird]

Rangers...this is comforting and reassuring to read your experienced and expert opinions regarding this.

Blessings,
litlbird

[Rangerguru]

Definitely the right man for the job so of course somebody will try to throw a wrench in it:

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[rgrokelley]

Initially I saw that the other general got fired, and I figured that Obama was replacing him with some douchebag ass kisser. I didn't know anything about either general, but I just figured politics got involved, and the former general wouldn't play with the administration.

Its good to know that it isn't politics as usual in this one.

[Silverback]

Initially I saw that the other general got fired, and I figured that Obama was replacing him with some douchebag ass kisser. I didn't know anything about either general, but I just figured politics got involved, and the former general wouldn't play with the administration.

Its good to know that it isn't politics as usual in this one.

I base my opinion on what McChrystal did for the Regiment. When he took over it was a positive change that could be felt down to the Squad Level (I was a SL at the time). Right place, right time, exactly the the right warfighter to take the helm.

[Jim]

Manhunter To Take On a Wider Mission
Gen. McChrystal Faces Raft Of Issues in Afghanistan
By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the former Special Operations chief who is President Obama's new choice to lead the war in Afghanistan, rose to military prominence because of his single-minded success in a narrow but critical mission: manhunting.

As commander of the military's secretive Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) for nearly five years starting in 2003, McChrystal masterminded a campaign to perfect the art of tracking down enemies, and then capturing or killing them. He built a sophisticated network of soldiers and intelligence operatives who proceeded to decapitate the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq and kill its most notorious leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He has also led the hunt for Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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