Forbidden Donut

I wouldn't say he is doing a bad job of running the war. I don't agree with all his choices on policy, but its also hard to say how much is his policy and how much comes from higher up. When it comes down to it I'd imagine its a pretty winless situation and I doubt many others could do a better job.

In regards to the article, there wasn't once where he went on record or said in a public way anything against the CiC or the Administration. There's nothing that forbids the military from having your own opinion, from discussing it with your friends or cracking jokes about it in a bar. Where it gets frowned on is when you make comments in a public venue such as a church or school speech, or your go on record with the press. He can sit there and mock Obama all he wants in his hotel room.

I'd also like to add that there are numerous reports that Mr. Yon's reporting isn't quite what it's cracked up to be. I'll see what I can dig up.

Appears McCrystal is out and Petraeus is in. While I can't say I'm surprised, part of me did expect a different outcome. I was half expecting McCrystal to put in his resignation, and Obama to decline it. Oh well.

I think now that maybe this was done on purpose by McCrystal to get out of the job. I'd expect now that his career is over. Probably gonna be a pretty good book out in a little while though.

I'm surprised Petraeus got the job. Its actually a demotion for him, from CENTCOM to just Afghanistan. Still, he may be the best for the job.

Who is the new CENTCOM head? If Petraeus has to do both jobs he is going to be stretched pretty thin.

And I flippin love Michael Yon, good luck finding dirt that I will care about!

He did practically the same shit that McChrystal just got fired for.

He started writing at length about how McChrystal was a fuck up and then stories began circulating about him being a pain in the ass on embeds. He was kicked off of at least one. Reports go up to 4.

Don't get me wrong. I think the man means well. But with half of the country looking at him like some kind of superhero it seems like he's buying it. He isn't there to save the war effort through his valiant journalism. He's there to document it.

He needs to stick to his job.

Thanks for the links. And he is there to document it yes, but part of that includes telling his readers what he thinks is going wrong. If that happens to save the war effort then so much the better.

idk. I don't believe that necessarily. It's cool if you like and/or appreciate it. But if he wants to be on any embeds he has to keep his protests to himself. And knowing this he still suggests in his writing that it's not his fault.

In some of those links there are links to many other milbloggers expressing concerns over, effectively, his ability to keep his ego in check. I've always kind of disliked his willingness to talk about himself in his writing about something so much bigger than himself, and it seems that lately I'm not alone in that assessment.

It's certainly enjoyable writing though. He could write a hell of a book. Tom Clancy levels of potential coolness. I'm just not into his brand of journalism.