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Monday, May 11, 2009
New Afghanistan strategy, new leadership -- SECDEF Gates cashiers General McKiernanNews just broke that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has announced the resignation of the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David
McKiernan, and recommended that the critical job go to veteran Special Operations commander -- and current Joint Staff Director
-- Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal. The dismissal of Gen McKiernan is not too surprising, as he was a pick of Army Chief
of Staff George Casey and he had no experience in Iraq save three months in 2003 during OIF I. While McKiernan is
senior to General David Petreaus but since Petreaus became CENTCOM McKiernan was Petreaus' subordinate and their relationship
was reportedly very tense according to Army officials. Petreaus did not consider McKiernan the type of enlightened/experienced
COIN (counterinsurgency) operator that he wants to work with in his AOR. While the McKiernan decision was expected,
the selection of General McCrystal as his replacement is a bit of a surprise. McCrystal is a SOF guy through and through
and is regarded as a high-strung action-craving perfectionist. It will be interesting to see how he works with the overwhelming
non-SOF, and, indeed, SOF-phobic NATO allies in Afghanistan.
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