In April 2010, a 30-year-old Rolling Stones journalist, Michael Hastings got an opportunity to interview Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Obama’s top general in Afghanistan at that time. McChrystal had been in the limelight since his appointment last year first because of his assessment report of the War in Afghanistan and later because of the debate over troop surge. Initially, Hastings was scheduled to be with McChrystal for only two days in Paris. Fortunately or unfortunately, Iceland volcano Eyjafjallajokull (I dare you to read it out loud) decided to erupt grounding every flight in Europe and all of sudden Hastings had ten days with the general and his crew.
During these ten days, booze flowed freely and the military staff shot their mouths off in presence of the enemy. It ended up in an article that would rock Washington and conclude in Obama firing the general. (Technically McChrystal resigned but you get the drift). With statements like “McChrystal thought Obama looked ‘uncomfortable and intimidated’ by the roomful of military brass” and “Politicians like McCain and Kerry … turn up, have a meeting with Karzai, criticize him at the airport press conference, then get back for the Sunday talk shows. Frankly, it's not very helpful” can you blame Obama?
Anyways, whatever may be McChrystal’s motivation, his political suicide led to Gen. David Petraeus becoming the Afghanistan War Commander. In the last six months he has doubled the number of bombings in the country and has made the war a much bloodier affair. So next time any Afghan loses his house to a stray bomb, he should blame Iceland and its goddamn volcano.
Meanwhile, back in the west…
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