Most people will not fault the President for relieving Gen. McCHrystal.The left would have been happy to see an immediate exit from Afghanistan.The choice of Gen. Petraeus was a wise choice.However, the President will not be able to turn Petraeus down in Dec. when there is a policy review,and he needs more time and more troops to accomplish the mission.
In essence the President is now in the hands of Petraeus,and moreover by exposing the divisions in the State Dept.-WH (Biden) and Holbrooke ,has forced the President to bring them all into synch at least publicly.
Everyone concentrated on the insubordination, and not at the underlying issues.The President as a NYT op-ed pointed out yesterday, does not have deep feelings on any issue.Rather it is a problem to be solved.He only committed us to Afghanistan to show the world that Iraq was not the right war,while Afghanistan is.Thus he has inherited this war.s
Incidentally we keep hearing in regard to every issue--"it is Bush's fault"-never once did Obama credit Bush for the successful Iraqi surge.
It was nice to see the Senate letter by 86 Senatore to the President supporting Israel and the Gaza blockade-GREAT WORK AIPAC.
