U.S. Commander in Afghanistan to Be Replaced
EmailABC News’ Martha Raddatz reports: Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to make an announcement this afternoon that Gen. David McKiernan, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, will be replaced by Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, a former special operations commander. McChrystal, the director of the Joint Staff, is a three star but will soon be awarded a fourth star. McKiernan has been in place only 11 months and will not move to another assignment. This change in command during a time of war is a large statement about Gate’s faith in McKiernan’s leadership. While Gen. George Casey was replaced in Iraq by Gen. David Petraeus in 2007, it was after two and a half years and Casey was then made chief of staff of the Army. More to come after the secretary’s press conference.
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Get out of Afghanistan now. We don’t belong there. Afghanistan needs to work through this time on their own.
Posted by: Dave | May 11, 2009, 11:28 am 11:28 am
Its great to see Martha Raddatz posting here!
Posted by: Amy B Maine | May 11, 2009, 11:39 am 11:39 am
General McKiernan’s being replaced will make no difference. Because Al Queda is no longer in Afrans, we have no business there. It would be best for everyone if we withdrew.
Posted by: beto | May 11, 2009, 11:46 am 11:46 am
Dave | May 11, 2009 11:28:36 AM
… “Get out of Afghanistan now. We don’t belong there. Afghanistan needs to work through this time on their own.”…
____________
Thou Protesteth TOO MUCH; Whenever it appears as though there’s an effort to make an Upgrade, for More Effectiveness or More Efficiency… One can ONLY Wonder WHY?
Posted by:
Posted by: bobj72 | May 11, 2009, 11:47 am 11:47 am
AMAZING…. Now the “Video Game Generals” are ‘elbowing their way in’, offering up strategy to the Defense Department.
Posted by: bobj72 | May 11, 2009, 11:54 am 11:54 am
Get out of Afghanistan???
Folks need to think about how careless these knee jerk ideas are…We left Afghanistan after the Soviets did…Then we left to go into Iraq…Now some want to leave again?
President Obama is taking a very pragmatic approach to both Afghanistan & Pakistan so I think we will be sucessful in time.
Obama campaigned on this approach and the majority of Americans agreed…End of story!
Posted by: AJ | May 11, 2009, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
We are fighting this war in Afghanistan with one arm tied around our backs. We cannot pursue Al Qaeda and the Taliban into the Swat Valley and destroy them. We cannot bomb them as they hang out around civilians. The Taliban retreat back to the safety of Pakistan after making attacks on US troops. The govt in Kabul is seen as corrupt and west-leaning. We cannot totally eradicate the poppy seed as this is Afghanistan’s only real source of income. What are we doing there and how long do we intend to play around and lose soldiers to the cowardly Taliban and people who obviously hate us?
Posted by: Bob | May 11, 2009, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm
People…wake up. Afghanastan is where we should have been in the first place. Iraq just pushed back what we should have addressed years ago and many lives ago. There was no threat there until we bombed their homes and ruined their state. President Obama is being very cautious about Afghanistan and Pakistan and rightfully so. This is where the enemy is.
Posted by: talmag | May 11, 2009, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
USSR found out.
Patrick Daniel Tillman.
Afghanistan is the ultimate troop nightmare.
Posted by: nader paul kucinich gravel | May 11, 2009, 2:10 pm 2:10 pm
Lt. Gen Stanley McChrystal was identified in the investigation of Cpl. Tillman’s friendly fire “accident” in Afghanistan in 2007. He escaped punishment and censure, but was identified as a participant in the cover-up attempt, warning the Bush administration in advance and recommending the Silver Star to someone he knew had been killed by his own men.
Posted by: A D Desorda | May 11, 2009, 2:14 pm 2:14 pm
It’s necessary for us to coming out from the afghanistan. We knew what happen with soviet. Gaurilla war was not easy before not now also. Now we knew that al-queda and taliban are in swat so we have to cleared the swat and let our troops to come back.
Please live an afghan people their own life. They have been in this war since last 30 years. They hurt a lot in past 30 years.
Posted by: gee | May 11, 2009, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
What?? I though Karzai was doing jsut fine…
Posted by: howie bledsoe | May 11, 2009, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
In addition to the war, I think that Obama needs to use a lot of soft power. Specifically, I would like to see him use efficient foreign aid to address severe poverty overseas. The Borgen Project has good info on the estimated cost of ending global poverty:
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget.
Posted by: David | May 11, 2009, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm
Since the very presence of foreign western troops there is the main cause of violent conflict uhhhhhh YEAH it would be best for all for the US and NATO to pull out. Let the Saudis send in pece keeping forces. They can afford it.
Posted by: Terrible | May 11, 2009, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
As we already knew that our country is in great recession. I guess all of us know why our country facing this problem. War is main reason. Since last 8 years we are doing war and spent trillions of $$$. Now government must understand if this war still continue we would be in great depression.
Please stop the war and let our troops to come back to home. Let the afghanistan and pakistan to do their job.
Posted by: gee | May 11, 2009, 7:37 pm 7:37 pm
Mr.President said 2 months ago that he need exit strategy from afghanistan. 2 months before he said in press but still we are waiting.
We vote for a change. But nothing is changing. Currently we are following the past. We are still not understand from our mistake which we did in past.
Is there any one who gone listen??
Posted by: need a change | May 11, 2009, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
I would be really appreciate if Martha Raddatz raise some of my questions to the decision maker.
Posted by: need a change | May 11, 2009, 7:45 pm 7:45 pm
Seems like a wise move. McChrystal led the special forces who captured both Saddam Hussein and al-Zarqawi in Iraq.
Posted by: El_Pajaro | May 11, 2009, 9:32 pm 9:32 pm
why do you think that iraq is not connected to this hazards. lying blame on nobody but i thought that the afghanistan. pakistan crise have been there for a longer time. therefore for a concrete solve of this problem i suggest that the 2 nations should retream peace treties and ties for prosecution. remember that withdral of troops and sending of troops will not solve this proble in thbe north shel.
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