Dysfunctional

So Macchrystal is out and Petreus is taking over. It's a sad end to a ~ 30 year military career but necessary to maintain the semblance of civilian control of the military. The comments made to Rolling Stone by the general and his staff were out of order. Having said that, it is also clear that there is dysfunctional relationship among the diplomats, the politicians and the military relative to Afghanistan.

The VP tells new media that "lots of troops" will be leaving next July, Sec Def says it isn't decided yet, the ambassador leaks cables that denigrate Karzai and his administration, Karzai fires 2 senior aides who are close to the Americans. Holbrooke has difficult relationships with everybody and on and on. Obama says he wants unity and on and on. He'd better do more than talk, he'd better bang some heads together. Actually he would be better off firing the ambassador and Holbrooke. But I do not think he will do any more than he has already.

Petreus is probably better equipped to handle the BS this dysfunctional organization creates; he manages upward. Macchrystal is more of an operating manager; he manages downward. He was ill equipped to handle the BS. Probably just too direct.

One wonders if Petreus' price to play was some additional sense of flexibility on Obama's July 2011 withdrawal plans?