Obama Appoints War Criminal McChrystal to Support Military Families, Sell Iraq War Extension

[KoKo]

By: Jim White Monday April 11, 2011 4:42 am

Late last month, I jokingly suggested that Barack Obama could emulate his “hero” Ronald Reagan by doing a progressive version of Reagan’s signature move of making appointments that are the exact opposite of the goals of the position by nominating Dennis Kucinich as Secretary of Defense and Donald Daniel Ellsberg to head the CIA. Sadly, Obama seems to have taken a garbled version of this suggestion, as word came Sunday that Obama is creating “a high-profile initiative in support of military families” and has put war criminal and Pat Tillman cover-up leader Stanley McChrystal in charge of this operation. This is a truly Reaganesque appointment, as it is hard to imagine a military figure who has done more to harm families around the world, and now he is leading the charge to put a happy face on the devastation ten years of war has wreaked on the very small number of US families who have borne the brunt of the death and other sacrifices by our all-volunteer force. (Pat Tilman's Mother was out on CBS protesting the appointment--video at link)

The key point to note in examining this new program for military families is how it will be administered. The New York Times describes it in this way:

The Joining Forces program will be guided and coordinated by the Center for a New American Security, a nonpartisan policy institute. The center, which is led by two military veterans, has published a series of reports analyzing stress on service members an part of its study of “military wellness.”

But it is not quite true that the Center for a New American Security is “nonpartisan”. It is an operation founded by Democrats but is completely pro-war. Late last month, Nathan Hodge had a revealing profile of CNAS at The Nation, which he titled “Coalition of the Shilling“. Hodge provides this about the funding of CNAS:
.....

More at........
http://my.firedoglake.com/jimwhite/2011/04/11/obama-appoints-war-criminal-mcchrystal-to-support-military-families-sell-iraq-war-extension/

[EFerrari]

1. I was hoping this was another "mistake".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x862971

[KoKo]

5. Well...I had to edit out some of what this organization backing it is about...

but check out the article at the link. Video of Tilman's mother's interview on CBS is there, also.

[vi5]

2. Those obstructionis Repubs strike again!

Or was this the broken Senate's fault? Or was it the Blue Dogs? It has to be one of them because apparently they've been to blame for everything that's gone wrong in the past 2 years.

[EFerrari]

3. Somehow, "they" got to both Obamas because this is Michelle's project.

[KoKo]

7. I have to hope that Michelle is "just along for the ride" and that she might have been

caught up in this with "TPTB" pushing it on her.

I like to think of Michelle as the "Organic Garden Gal" and as a proponent of VETS..(without the baggage) they are putting on her as the FLOTUS.

I like some of what she's done..but figure she's dealing with some really hard times for her ...who really didn't want this shit...and it was dumped on her.

[Cid_B]

8. If they are "teaming up..."

... then it is probably to add some legitimacy to her efforts. I would say the majority (anecdotally and IMO) of the Soldiers I know would positively react to this.

Like it or not, McChrystal is still a respected figure in many military circles, if only for his previous work (notably on COIN operations.)

Question: Is this Michelle Obama's program that McChrystal is joining or is it just the same issue?

[EFerrari]

9. According to the article I link up thread, it's her program.

Jill Biden is working on it with her.

[KoKo]

11. Doesn't Biden have a son who served in Iraq? Beau Biden...maybe

feels that whatever is going on there is a good thing...but then...he could be looking out for what's good for HIM for his own future...and not why we are there..and what it's doing to us being there. Biden (the father) was always sort of "above it all." Gave us Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court. I never trusted him after that.

[MisterP]

10. splitter! demoralizer! eeee!

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Barack Obama is the strongest, most Progressive President ever

[KoKo]

6. sad that...