THE PRINCIPLE OF CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE MILITARY IS TOO IMPORTANT...:

Obama's MacArthur Moment: The president should make ''McChrystal clear'' that there is a heavy price to pay for disrespecting the commander-in-chief. (Dan Gerstein, 06.22.10, Forbes)

Obama could quickly change that dynamic by using today's meeting with his trouble-making general to make "McChrystal clear" who is in charge--and that there will be a heavy price for disrespecting the president. That means not accepting the general's resignation--it was reported late Tuesday that McChrystal had offered to resign--but affirmatively firing him. In some cases that may seem like a distinction without a difference, but it matters here who does what. And the commander-in-chief should leave no doubt he is taking action, by making the formal announcement after their meeting that McChrystal is being relieved of his command.

But Obama should not stop there. The worst of the quotes in the Rolling Stone piece came from McChrystal's staff, not the general. That suggests a larger problem with the command climate in that office, which implicates McChrystal but also goes beyond him. To address that larger problem, and hold the officers who made disparaging remarks about Vice President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor James Jones responsible, Obama should direct Defense Secretary Robert Gates to launch an investigation via Central Command. If that inquiry finds violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including obvious instances of conduct unbecoming an officer, then those staff officers should be publicly relieved of duty and (where appropriate) court-martialed.

...to be left in the hands of the UR.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 22, 2010 8:34 PM