Rolling Stone’s advance of an article with controversial remarks by Gen. Stanley McChrystal about President Barack Obama’s prosecution of the war will be on the screen for days to come. Apparently the general opened up to a freelancer and held little back when it came to deriding vice-president Joe Biden and ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry. Eikenberry retired from the US Army as a Lieutenant Colonel.But war correspondent Michael Yon had begun to ask questions about the leadership in Afghanistan weeks ago.
The Washington Post said McChrystal “is quoted in an upcoming profile in Rolling Stone magazine as saying that Karl W. Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador to Kabul, had ‘betrayed’ him by sending a diplomatic cable to Washington last fall dismissing Karzai as ‘not an adequate strategic partner.’ The cable came as McChrystal was recommending that President Obama increase U.S. forces and ties with the Afghan government.”
Long before Rolling Stone published the story, war correspondent Michael Yon had also levied criticism at McChrystal. Yon came under fire from some milbloggers for his dispatches, and at least one military blog came close to character assassination because of what Yon wrote about McChrystal.
via theusreport.com
So where was the mainstream media? Yon has been pounding away at great personal cost for ages. The big break comes in Rolling Stone. It's sad, no pathetic that the mainstream have not been covering the war.
For many who rely on the mainstream, this will be a surprise - a gross failure of journalism in fact.
Yon, if you don't know, is entirely on his own and is funded by contributions to his site. An ex Green Beret, he has spent longer in action, as an embed, than probably any western soldier of his generation. Many thought him unhinged as he pounded away at the command issues. He was onto General Menard's failings early too.
Why? Because he cares about the troops on the ground and understands them as no other. He just cannot tolerate moral and professional incompetence in those that have the power of life and death over them.
His reward - banishment and massive attacks on his character.
It's one thing to be brave in action - adrenalin and your buddies help - it is another kind of courage when you take on the "Man" alone and without friends and support.
Now the President has to have the courage and do the right thing too.
