The recent Obama-McChrystal tête-à-tête, which resulted in the general submitting his resignation and the President accepting it, is but an historical echo from conflicts between the army and its civilian leaders for generations. When Abe Lincoln was enmeshed in the Civil War, one of his greatest opponents was one of his generals, one George B. McClellan. When I heard of the words of disrespect by General McChrystal and staff towards the President and members of the Cabinet, they seemed mild when set against the words and acts of the generals and Lincoln.
Historians tell of Lincoln arriving at the home of general McClellan, only to be left waiting for hours, only to be told by the general’s wife that he was indisposed. When someone in the Lincoln party remarked on this breach of protocol, Lincoln reportedly responded that it mattered little that he was disrespectful, so long as he continued to fight and win his war. But the general, who both loved his men and was loved by them, couldn’t bring himself to do that. He dilly dallied, temporized, and threw away opportunities. Lincoln sacked him, only to face him as a political opponent in the 1864 elections. Of course, Lincoln won, only to lose his life and win the war one year later.
The truth is, military men rarely really respect their civilian leaders, especially if they didn’t serve in the military. That was true for Lincoln, who only served during a brief skirmish during the Indian wars in Illinois. It was true of Clinton. It’s true of Obama. McClellan dissed Lincoln, MacArthur dissed Truman and McChrystal dissed Obama. Is there a pattern here?
Most telling of the comments of General Stanley McChrystal and his staff weren’t the snickerings against Obama or his cabinet. It’s the words of Major General Bill Mayville, formerly General McChrystal’s Chief of Operations, who was quoted as saying, as regards the success or failure of the Afghanistan war, “It’s not going to look like a win, smell like a win, or taste like a win. This is going to end in an argument.” If it doesn’t look, smell, or taste like a win, what would you call it? From death row, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
