Is anybody else having "Seven Days in May" on their mind with this McChrystal thing?

[CTyankee]

I know, that's an exaggeration, but there's a "feel" I get from this general that is a bit ominous. He's taking whacks at just about everybody he has to answer to or deal with. He seems to have built himself a little suzerainty over there with his cadre of officers. He's tearing down not just Obama's competency -- the idea that Obama is not "well prepared" for a meeting is contrary to everything we know about Obama -- but the whole political structure surrounding the Afghanistan situation...Holbrooke, for instance, calling him "wounded...dangerous."

Someone on Morning Joe referred to him as the Brando character in "Apocolypse Now." I'm getting vibes about the Burt Lancaster general in "Seven Days in May"...

[Ian David]

1. There are still enough burrowing Bushies to cause serious problems. n/t

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. Rummie loved this guy.

He was everything Rummie wanted. That should tell us something.

[leveymg]

2. Frankly, I'm more worried about the political ambitions of Gen. Patraeus

It's easier to see him in the role of Burt Lancaster in SDIM.

[dgibby]

10. Bingo!

I think he could very well be the GOP's stealth candidate. Scary times!

[leveymg]

12. I think he fancies himself an historical figure. And, that's scary in itself.

Beneath his obvious intelligence is someone who is obviously not comfortable about something in himself and other people. Patraeus is also not completely honest, and had a role in perpetrating the Iraq WMD hoax. I would not want that guy with his finger on the button.

[tekisui]

3. He knows the war is a disaster (with him largely to blame) and wants

to get out. He wants distance between the worsening of the war and himself. His ambitions go beyond this war.

What I wonder about is the timing. Does he have political ambitions? Is there something particularly flawed about the upcoming Kandahar operation? It couldn't be the wikileaks massacre that we will see soon, could it?

[CTyankee]

5. Well, call me crazy but I think he really believes in his own superiority.

He thinks his judgment should prevail over that of his President and his President's admin. His going after Biden and Holbrook is interesting. He seems to want to topple this administration because of his own vision of what we should do in Afghanistan. I think he's built himself his own little world where he has ass kissers around him in a kind of clique and they have a plot to make big changes...yes, I think he has political ambitions for sure...

[pinboy3niner]

13. You're not crazy. You've raised an interesting--and frightening--idea.

It hadn't occurred to me until you raised it, but your scenario is plausible, and you've presented it well.

Where Petraeus seems committed to working within the system (possibly running for the GOP nom for President), McChrystal's words and actions give ample cause for your concern. What might be less troubling in other times assumes greater importance when the nation is so divided, the legitimacy of the President under assault, and professional soldiers signing up for the Oath Keepers.

A megalomaniac general, with some support from the military and the public, COULD attempt a coup. I doubt that he could be successful, but an attempt at illegal regime change is not an unrealistic possibility.

Damn--if you hadn't brought it up, I might have been able to make it through the day in blissful ignorance...

[CTyankee]

14. sorry to do that toyour day!

I felt that there was something really "off" about this situation and I started thinking about it...the implication that it goes FAR beyond just one egotistic general with a cramped, battlefield view to that general's aim to take down an administration. I hope I am wrong. I want to be wrong...

[TexasObserver]

4. McChrystal is closer to the nut job from Dr. Strangelove.

He's the Sterling Hayden character.

precious bodily fluids

[CTyankee]

6. Yes, there are elements of THAT, too...

[H2O Man]

8. Yep.

There is reason to be concerned.

[vssmith]

9. Colonel Jessep in "A Few Good Men"

[Scuba]

11. Needs to fired.