Now that McChrystal Is Out, Can Petraeus Save U.S. in Afghanistan?

General Stanley McChrystal has been one of the most influential U.S. military leaders in Afghanistan. After his successes in the Iraq war (e.g. arresting Sadam Hussain), he was appointed as the head of the American forces in Afghanistan. Initially, he requested additional forces, insisting that a victorious war in Afghanistan requires more troops. Despite major economical pressures, the Obama administration accepted this request. Gradually, he became known as the “master of counterinsurgency (COIN)”. Fundamentally, he strived to reduce the civilian casualties by decreasing the airstrikes. Moreover, he was frequently meeting with tribal elders and President Karzai’s military generals to provide a platform for Afghan military and police to take over. His popularity in Afghanistan raised to the extent that after his recent disappoint interview the the Rolling Stone, President Karzai asked President Obama to maintain General McChrystal in power.
Although there are different arguments measuring the efficacy of his strategies, McChrystal’s resignation due to his interview with the Rolling Stone has been a crucial event. This has persuaded many to ask: if it was essential to fire such an important leader at this point of the war? On the one hand, some argue that at this period President Obama should have had a different reaction towards McChrystal’s interview to prevent any negative effects on the Afghanistan War. However, McChrystal’s resignation appears to be a necessity not only to maintain President Obama’s strong leadership as the commander-in-chief, but also to sustain the unity of the his administration. In the interview, General McChrystal’s aids had undermined many of the high-ranking U.S. administration staff: “The national security adviser of the world’s greatest superpower is a “clown”, its vice-president a nobody and its president “uncomfortable and intimidated”” (The Economist). One can hardly expect these people to sit in front of one another in crucial meetings and plan a unified strategy for the success in Afghanistan. Furthermore, similar to firing General McArthur by President Truman, the resignation of General McChrystal was illustrating the power of politics over military in the United States.
Meanwhile the Taliban leaders are cheering for General McChrystal’s resignation and President Obama is more than any other time under pressure for his Afghanistan policies, General Petraeus has been replacing the old commander. After the resignation of General McChrystal, President Obama emphasized that the strategy in Afghanistan will remain the same. The upcoming operation in Kandahar will be a challenge for the Obama administration and General Petraeus to prove their capability of maintaing the previous strategy. The time is running and the media is labeling Afghanistan as the second Vietnam. Thus “Operation Kandahar” will be one of the last opportunities for the NATO forces to mark the history for themselves.

Image Source: The Economist