One of the more interesting exchanges between candidate Barack Obama and candidate Hillary Clinton in their primary debates dealt with who decides on U.S. military policy and strategy - the President or the Generals. Both candidates, who were in favour of a speedy U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, were asked what they would do if their Generals on the ground advised against such a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. They both had the same answer. The President decides, even if the Generals do not agree. They noted that the U.S. has a civilian, not a military government, and the President is Commander In Chief.
Well, the test has now come, not in relation to Iraq, but Afghanistan. It seems that General McChrystal, President Obama's chosen guy in Afghanistan, wants more troops in order to prevent a US failure in the war. President Obama, who for a long time has strongly supported the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, in what he termed "a war of necessity", seems uncertain as to what to do - back the war of necessity, or draw down? Assume (as I do) that President Obama would like to draw down in view of the growing public opposition to the war. He is now called upon to put into effect his answer to a hypothetical primary debate question. Will he listen to his Generals or as Commander In Chief, make the politically tough call based upon what he wants to do? Tough to predict.
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Why are you assuming he wants a draw-down in spite of his many public statements? You're inventing a lose-lose situation, where staying the course or drawing down would just be different flavours of flip-flopping on old promises. How exactly could President Obama win in this fanciful scenario?
ReplyDeleteYou're right to say that the tough call is between sticking with his stated principles (by staying in Afghanistan) and heeding his party/public opinion (by leaving).
As for McChrystal, Gates' & Webb's statements strongly suggest that the President remembers Truman: the buck stops on his desk. But he also remembers that smacking the General down publicly can elevate the dispute into a full-fledged crisis.
Noam Chomsky (I know, I know) had some interesting warnings about the current Afghanistan strategy: pushing the Taliban into Pakistan (where they'll further ally with the Pashtun) will dangerously destabilize an already fragile, nuclear-armed country.
-Scott