Victor Davis Hanson, the distinguished military historian, has addressed the McChrystal flap with his usual intelligence and clear judgment in two articles, linked here and here.
Although I was torn on the issue (because so much of what was said in the infamous article is true about the Obama administration), a Commander-in-Chief simply can't tolerate that level of disrespect going public. Although it is painful to think of the inept and self-obsessed Obama in that crucial role, it is our country's reality at the moment.
Respect for the office, not the person, is required. Our over-puffed president has trouble with that distinction, but it also is reality.
There are at least a couple of ironies in the conclusion to this messy incident. Apparently it takes personal insults against President Obama for him to act quickly and decisively. Perhaps BP and Gov. Bobby Jindal should start calling the president a "wimp" in order to prompt more Federal involvement in the Gulf cleanup. And General Petraeus, about whom Obama was so negative during the Bush years, has become his new go-to guy. We won't be seeing "Betray-Us" ads in the media or hearing Hillary Clinton bleat over "suspension of disbelief."
Generally speaking, it's an acceptable outcome.
