We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:19:12 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html Tue, 12 May 2009 07:36:19 -0600
As I look at it, it appears to me, we are missing the whole point. The question becomes, who is actually calling the shots? The next natural question, "Why?" Are "boots on the ground" calling the shots? At this point the answer in no. In my view the answer is SCCDEF Robert Gates. Don't forget, Gates has a history, for himself. The "why" is he has been working with the Afghani People before Iraq, This was all before George W. Bush became President, #43, His Father, George H.W. Bush made him, DCI. Is there an old guilt?]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html#comment-88670 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html#comment-88670 Tue, 12 May 2009 17:45:04 -0600
...Of course, it might have been Burnside...

My first reaction was "well, conventional-force thinking didn't work too well in Iraq, vice classic anti-guerrila thinking, so maybe they'll put the snake-eaters in charge." On the other hand, you brought up important points I hadn't considered, which would seem to be more in line with current administration thinking. I had hoped for a moment that Barry had finally learned Chicago-style fighting, a la Jim Malone.

]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html#comment-88668 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html#comment-88668 Tue, 12 May 2009 13:12:32 -0600
Interestingly, as CFLCC commander in OIF I, McK asked for more troops but allowed himself to be overruled by Franks and Rumsfeld.  Maybe after that, he wasn't going to let them overrule his judgement again.

Or maybe it just boils down to Petreus wants his guy in charge over here.  Sometimes it's just that simple.

I'll have more later, once I've had a chance to put it together more coherently.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html#comment-88660 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/05/general_mckiern.html#comment-88660 Tue, 12 May 2009 10:14:30 -0600