"Throwing My Shoe at Bob Woodward ... Not" (DRAFT January 2011)

8/7/2019 "Throwing My Shoe at Bob Woodward ... Not" (DRAFT January 2011)

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BOB WOODWARDS WHITEWASH OF GEN.

MCCHRYSTALS ROLE IN THE TILLMAN COVER-UP

Woodwards Portrayal ofMcChrystals Role in the Tillman Cover-Up:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs [Adm. Michael] Mullen revered Gen. McChrystal, and had made

him director of the Joint Staffhis previous assignment in part so that the 2008 Senate

confirmation could wipe away the role McChrystal had played in the cover-up of the 2004

friendly-fire death in Afghanistan of Pat Tillman. Of course, McChrystal was in the chain of

command. But he was not the hands-on person making that decision McChrystal had

signed off*on the Silver Star recommendation that suggested Tillman had been killed by the

enemy, a choice he regretted.

McChrystal was essentially the chairmans deputy. Director of the Joint Staff was the premier

assignment for a three-star, an almost certain path to four-star rank. Among McChrystals

predecessors in the post were DNI Dennis Blair, former Centcom commander Abiziad, and the

current Army chief Gen Casey.

Mullen realized that the solution to Afghanistan was right before his eyes. On Monday May 11,

2009 [Defense Secretary] Gates announced McChrystal would be the new commander. A week

later, Obama met for 10 minutes in the Oval Office with McChrystal.

The Pat Tillman issue resurfaced during McChrystals confirmation hearings for ISAF. On

Tuesday June 2, 2009, McChrystal sat down for his Senate confirmation hearing. McChrystal

assured the Senate Armed Services Committee that he had recommended the Silver Star with the

best of intentions, but he had been too hasty in the investigative process and I think he

apologized for what he did in this.

Well, they [Washington establishment] didn't. [dig into McChrystals role in the cover-up very

much, just held some pro forma hearings]. But that whole thing is a sad chapter in Army

history.*Citation: p. 154 McChrystal had signed off: Ann Scott Tyson, 9 Officers Blamed in

Tillman Death, but No Coverup Found, The Washington Post, March 27, 2007, p.A2

Note: This description was assembled using quotes from Obamas Wars and his remarks

made on NPRs Talk of the Nation). See my Notes from Obamas Wars and Clashes with

Pentagon(NPRs Talk of the Nation 12-13-10) for page citations.


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Guy Montags Rebuttal ofBob Woodwards Portrayal of

Gen. McChrystals Role in the Tillman Case:

1.) Mullen revered Gen. McChrystal, and had made him director of the Joint Staffhis

previous assignment in part so that the 2008 Senate confirmation could wipe away the

role McChrystal had played in the cover-up of the 2004 friendly-fire death in Afghanistan

of Pat Tillman:

During Spring 2008 Senator Webb conducted a secret review of Gen. McChrystals actions in

the Tillman case. On May 15, 2008 Gen McChrystal met behind closed doors with the Senate

Armed Services Committee (including Chairman Levin, Senator McCain, and Senator Webb)

and discussed in detail his role in the Tillman case. This meeting was held in executive

session (i.e. closed hearing with no transcript) without listing the names of the participants inthe hearing notice.

A week later, on May 22nd 2008, the Committee held a confirmation hearing for General

Petreaus. Chairman Levin recessed briefly to hold a voice vote to confirm 144 military

nominations, without discussion, including General McChrystals promotion to Director of the

Joint Staff.

Exactly how did a secret review, followed by a closed hearing, and a vote without discussion

wipe away McChrystals role in the Tillman cover-up? There was no public testimony or

public discussion by the Senate. What was said during that closed hearing? Senator Webb and

SASC Counsel Gary Leeling refused to answer any of my questions about the hearing.

2.) the role McChrystal had played in the cover-up of the 2004 friendly-fire death in

Afghanistan of Pat Tillman. McChrystal had signed off* on the Silver Star

recommendation

*p. 154 McChrystal had signed off: Ann Scott Tyson, 9 Officers Blamed in TillmanDeath, but No Coverup Found, The Washington Post, March 27, 2007, p.A2

Woodward cites a 3-27-07 Washington Post article in support of his statement McChrystal had

signed off. However, that article didnt say anything about McChrystal just signing off on

the Silver Star. Instead, Tyson wrote that the DODIG investigation found [Col.] Nixon

[Commander of the Ranger RGT], along with Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, were


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responsible for submitting a Silver Star recommendation for Tillman that included "inaccurate

information and a misleading citation that implied CPL Tillman died by enemy fire" (i.e.

false Silver Star citation, fabricated witness statements, etc). Then where did Woodward get the

phrase signed off? Ironically, I believe it may have been from the New York Times!

Another irony is the title of the cited article isNo Coverup Found (Tyson wrote, Despite

finding several errors, the report did not find evidence of a coverup instead, the Army

committed critical errors in judgment in handling the friendly fire of Pat Tillman). So,

Woodward wrote of the coverup of the 2004 friendly-fire death in Afghanistan of Pat Tillman

while citing a Washington Post article entitled No Coverup. So which is it? You would

think that Woodward knew what he was talking about when he calls it a coverup.

3.) Gen. McChrystal was not the hands-on person making that decision.

What decision? The decision to cover up Pat Tillmans friendly-fire death and award him a

false Silver Star? I agree with Woodward that McChrystal didnt make that decision to cover-

up Tillmans death. However, McChrystal was the hands on general who supervised the

cover-up on the ground in Afghanistan and made it happen.

Who made that decision? Well, during the Bush administration, McChrystal commanded

JSOC special operation forces from 2003 to 2008 that acted outside the military chain of

command doing things the executive branch -- read: [Vice President] Cheney and [Secretary of

Defense] Rumsfeld -- wanted it to do. It certainly appears that Rumsfeld and Cheney gaveMcChrystal his marching orders Perhaps President Bush was in the loop as well to some

extent. How much does Bob Woodward know about Rumsfeld and Cheneys role that hes not

telling?

4.) the role McChrystal had played in the cover-up of the 2004 friendly-fire death in

Afghanistan of Pat Tillman. of course, McChrystal was in the chain of command. But

he was not the hands-on person making that decision McChrystal had signed off* on

the Silver Star recommendation that suggested Tillman had been killed by the enemy

Not the hands on person! Actually,Gen. McChrystal directly supervised the Armys cover-up.

McChrystal did not merely "sign off" on a piece of paper that landed on his desk as it worked its

way up the chain of command. Jon Krakauer in his book, "Where Men Win Glory" (pp. 334

347 paperback edition), described how Gen. McChrystal had "orchestrate[d] what can only be

described as a broad conspiracy to conceal Tillman's fratricide ..."


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The Silver Star recommendation hardly suggested Tillman had been killed by the enemy. The

citation reads, for gallantry in action . against an armed enemy enemy fire Cpl. Tillman

put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire known enemy positions enemy's

withdrawal and his platoon's safe passage from the ambush kill zone. Only, there was no

enemy fire, no enemy withdrawal and no ambush kill zone. The Silver Star citation was

carefully edited to imply Tillman died by enemy fire without actually coming out and saying

that. Anyone reading the citation would think Tillman was killed by enemy fire!

Krakauer wrote that Gen. McChrystal personally "administered the medal recommendation

process" with a false narrative that "was painstakingly written to create the impression Pat

Tillman was killed by enemy fire" and directly supervised the Ranger RGT commanding officers

in Afghanistan who apparently altered the two Silver Star witness statements to remove any

mention of friendly fire and contained false statements. The Silver Star recommendation was

"fraudulent" by "any objective measure."

And, in response to President Obamas May 2009 nomination of Gen. McChrystal as Afghan

war commander, Mary Tillman wrote in her book, Boots on the Ground by Dusk: Not only

is he [McChrystal] lying about the circumstances surrounding Pats death, he is proposing

false language for the Silver Star narrative.

Note: Krakauer's account was largely based upon McChrystals own testimony during his June

2, 2009 Senate confirmation hearing and from DOD IG interviews with Gen. McChrystal, COL

Nixon, LTC Kauzlarich, and LTC Bailey obtained by FOIA.

.

5.) Director of the Joint Staff was the premier assignment for a three-star, an almost

certain path to four-star rank. Among McChrystals predecessors in the post were DNI

Dennis Blair, former Centcom commander Abiziad, and the current Army chief Gen

Casey.

It appears that Gen. Abizaid perjured himself when he testified before Congress about when he

first heard of Tillmans fratricide. For example, Gen Abizaid and Gen McChrystals testimony

about when they learned Tillmans fratricide are contradictory.

General Abiziad testified that General McChrystal only told him that Pat Tillman was KIA, and

never told him about the potential fratricide: On the 22nd, the incident occurred. I believe on

about the 23rd, General McChrystal called me and told me that Corporal Tillman had been

killed in combat, and that the circumstances surrounding his death were heroic. I called the


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chairman and discussed that with the chairman Abizaid testified that he learned about

potential fratricide when he finally found McChrystals P4 memo after a weeks delay.

Yet Gen. McChrystal testified, Corporal Tillman was killed on the 22ndof April I arrived

back into Afghanistan from a meeting in Qatar with General Abizaid on about the 23rd

, and I

was informed, at that point, that they suspected that friendly fire might have been the cause of

death, and that they had initiated what we call a 15-6, or an investigation of that.

Note: Previously, McChrystal had testified that he had learned of friendly-fire while in Qatar

(with Abizaid), not after returning to Afghanistan .

So, McChrystal says he learned of fratricide on the 23 rd, yet Abizaid says McChrystal

told him only that Tillman was killed in action. Someone was not telling the truth. And,

as discussed below in point #8, on April 24th

McChrystal was given verbal confirmation

of fratricide, making all the talk by the generals about potential fratricide sheernonsense!

For a more detailed argument, SeeAppendix J1 -- Gen. McChrystals Contradictory

Congressional Testimony in theThe [Untold] Tillman Story

6.) On Monday May 11, 2009 Gates announced McChrystal would be the new

commander [of ISAF].

In response, Mary Tillman wrote the President to express her concerns. In the foreword to the

paperback edition of her book, Boots on the Ground by Dusk, she wrote, McChrystals

actions should have been grounds for firing. That is why it was so disturbing to us when

President Obama instead promoted McChrystal to the position of top commander in Afghanistan

last year. [On May 12th,] I had sent the President an email and a letter reminding him of

McChrystals involvement in the cover-up of Pats death.

Just a few weeks earlier, on April 23, 2009, the Obama administration had announced that it

would turn over to the ACLU photographs showing detainee abuse of prisoners in Afghanistan

and Iraq. However, President Obama back pedaled and decided to block the court-ordered

release of photos after meeting with Gen Petreaus and other military leaders on May 12th

.

President Obamas decision represented a sharp reversal from his repeated pledges for open

government, and in particular from his promise to be forthcoming with information that courts

have ruled should be publicly available.
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In light of Gen. McChrystals alleged ties to torture at Camp Nama, it is worth noting the dates

of McChrystal's nomination and President Obama's decision not to release the photos of prisoner

abuse in Iraq: May 11th and 12th, respectively.

On May 13th, obviously anticipating that the Government was likely to lose its court appeal,

Obama asked Congress to change FOIA by retroactively narrowing its disclosure requirements to

prevent a legal ruling by the courts. Senator Graham said the White House helped them draft

the bill.

On May 20th

, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham, Joe Lieberman, and Senator John McCain

introduced the Detainee Photographic Records Protection Act to block the release of the

detainee photos. The very next day, on May 21st, the act was offered as an amendment to the

Supplemental Appropriations bill and the U.S. Senate unanimously passed it (I like to refer to the

bill as the 2009 McChrystal Protection Act!).

7.) The Pat Tillman issue resurfaced during McChrystals confirmation hearings for

ISAF (Afghan war command). On Tuesday June 2, 2009, McChrystal sat down for his

Senate confirmation hearing.

The hearing was strictly pro forma. The real hearing had been held the previous year, behind

closed doors on May 15, 2008.

Senators Levin, McCain, and Webb didn't press McChrystal aggressively during the nearly

three-hour hearing. As David Corn commented on PBSs News Hour: And so the Pat Tillman

questioning, the questioning about detainee abuse, I thought, seemed very orchestrated and

didn't give a full airing to these very, I think, hot-button issues. You know, he came up with

what sounded to be a plausible explanation, but, again, a lot of what happened today made it

clear to me that Democrats and Republicans had both decided, "He's our guy in Afghanistan

Mary Tillman said, "I think more effort should have been made on the part of the committee to

find out more about his true nature, his true character and his true actions in terms of the detainee

abuse and Pat's situation. She criticized Sen. John McCain for "playing dumb" by not followingup on McChrystal's explanations.

On June 10, 2009 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made an impassioned plea on the Senate

floor to move on McChrystals confirmation. Shortly afterward, the Senate approved President

Barack Obama's nomination of McChrystal with a voice vote by unanimous consent.
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8.) McChrystal assured the Senate Armed Services Committee that he had recommended

the Silver Star with the best of intentions, but he had been too hasty in the investigative

process.

A hasty investigative process had nothing to do with the false Silver Star. The Ranger

Battalion Commander LTC Bailey said, Sir, within three or four hours of being out here on the

ground by the incident, I went back and I told [COL Nixon] that I was certain that we had killed

him. In fact, I think just about everybody around knew that. And certainly, by the next day

when we did the investigations, I confirmed it. So, after [CPT Scot15-6 investigator] did his

first five interviews, he came backto me and said, Sir, Im certain. Im sure. And then I

called [COL Nixon]. I think it was the 24th [of April]. . . . Gen. McChrystal was next in the

chain of command.

On April 29th

, the day after sending up his Silver Star recommendation, Gen. McChrystal sent a

high-priority P4 memo to top generals supposedly warning them of the potential friendly firedeath of Pat Tillman. But, McChrystal testified he learned of friendly-fire on April 23rd. Then

why did he wait six days until he sent his timely P4 message? And knowing ofconfirmed

friendly-fire, why was all mention of that removed from the Silver Star citation and witness

statements?

And I dont understand how the best of intentions can explain the fabrication of two Silver Star

witness statements, a false Silver Star citation, etc.

9.) McChrystal had signed off on the Silver Star recommendation that suggested Tillman

had been killed by the enemy, a choice he regretted. I think he apologized for what he

did in this. But that whole thing is a sad chapter in Army history.

General McChrystal denied the phony narrative of a raging firefight was anything more sinister

than "mistakes" made to honor Tillman. "I didn't see any activity by anyone to deceive," he said.

"We failed the family. And I was a part of that." He earlier expressed his "deepest condolences"

to Tillman's family and fellow rangers. Mary Tillman said she neither accepts nor believes

McChrystal's apology. "McChrystal was lying," she said.

And McChrystal never actually apologized for orchestrating the cover-up. If McChrystal has

any regrets its for any trouble the Tillman cover-up scandal resulted for him and his

reputation. I doubt he gives a damn about the never-ending heartache hes caused the Tillman

family over the years.


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10.) Well, they [Washington establishment] didn't. [dig into McChrystals role in the

cover-up very much, just held some pro forma hearings].

In the foreword to the paperback edition of her book, Boots on the Ground by Dusk, Mary

Tillman wrote,

I had sent the President an email and a letter reminding him of McChrystals

involvement in the cover-up of Pats death. In the letter, I suggested McChrystal should

be scrutinized very carefully by the Senate Armed Services Committee. I also

contacted the staffs of Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator James Webb and expressed my

concerns. I had several conversations with members of the staffs of both senators, but it

was clear that neither senator wanted to get involved.

I had always believed Pats case was politically awkward for him [Senator McCain]

and so hed chosen to distance himself from the entire affair. McCain was already

publicly endorsing the McChrystal appointment before the hearing even began. Sadly,McChrystals promotion had been sanctioned long before the hearing. None of the

congressmen pressed McChrysal about Pats case or detainee abuse and torture at

Camp Nama

Over the last five years, the Pentagon and Congress have had numerous opportunities to

hold accountable those responsible for the cover-up of Pats death. Each time theyve

failed.

The Tillman Story illustrates the corruption, deception, and indifference that is systemic

in our government. The cover-up of Pats death was orchestrated at the very highestlevels of the Pentagon, and elsewhere in our government the government didnt just

lie to us; it lied to a nation.

. . .

At the end of his April 2007 Tillman hearing, Congressman Waxman stated in frustration, What

we have is a very clear, deliberate abuse intentionally done. Why is it so hard to find out who

did it?

Blaming the Bush administration and the Army for the cover-up is too simple. In reality, thecover-up has been a thoroughly bipartisan affair, with the Democratic Congress and the Obama

Presidency continuing to protect General McChrystal. It wasnt just a case of the White House

stonewalling the Congress. It wasnt a lack of courage or will. It wasnt a loathing to call them

out on their bullshit. In actuality, Congress didnt just fumble the ball, they threw the game.


9/41

Congressman Waxmans so-called investigation was not an honest attempt to get at the truth.

The Committee blamed its failure to uncover those responsible on stone-walling by the Bush

Administration. However, its investigation was perfunctory and failed to question Gen.

McChrystal about his key role in writing the fraudulent Silver Star, altered witness statements,

early knowledge of fratricide, failure to inform the family, and his deceptive P4 memo.

Waxman has never explained why McChrystal was permitted to decline to appear before his

committee and dropped from the hearing witness list (and theres a possibility McChrystal

testified during a secretclosed hearingbefore the Committee).

During Spring 2008, Senator James Webb conducted such a secret review of McChrystals

role for the Senate. Senator Jamess Webb betrayal of the Tillman family cuts me the deepest.

Ive trusted his sense of honor for thirty years. If anyone in Congress should have cared, it

would have been him. Webb, as a young Marine veteran, spent 8 years to clear the name of a

dead Marine for his mothers sake! Im hard on Webb not because I dislike the man, but that Im

disappointed in him. As an old man and politician, hes turned into exactly what he once reviledas a young veteran!

On May 15th 2008, the Senate Armed Services Committee (headed by Senator Levin and

McCain) held a secret executive session where McChrystal testified behind closed doors about

his actions after Tillmans fratricide in detail. Shortly afterwards, the Senate promoted him to

Director of the Joint Staff.

The following year, on May 11th 2009, President Obama nominated McChrystal to be his new

commander of the Afghan War despite McChrystals key role in the Tillman cover-up (two days

later, Obama gave the ASU commencement address at Sun Devil Stadium without oncementioning Pat Tillman to avoid embarrassing questions).

On May 20th

, Senators Lieberman, Graham, and McCain (working with the White House)

introduced a bill to change the FOIA law to block the release of photos that probably showed

detainee abuse by JSOC forces under McChrystals command. The Senate unanimously passed

it the next day.

On June 2nd 2009, The Senate Armed Services Committee held General McChrystals

confirmation hearing for his promotion to four-star general and Afghan war commander. The

hearing was strictly pro-forma. Senators Levin, McCain, and Webb didn't press McChrystal

aggressively. The real hearing had been conducted the previous year, behind closed doors.

General McChrystals confirmation came only after the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

made an impassioned plea on the Senate floor. Shortly afterward, the Senate approved President

Barack Obama's nomination of McChrystal by unanimous consent.

. . .
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Its not surprising that after the initial fratricide cover-up fell apart, Army officers and the Bush

administration lied to protect their careers. But the Democratic Congress, after they took control

of both Houses in 2006, could have gone after those responsible. Or at least not promoted them!

Just before the 2006 mid-term elections, Kevin Tillman published his eloquent letter, After

Pats Birthday:

Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up

secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them

indefinitely, secretly not charging them with anything, secretly torturing them. Somehow

that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few bad apples in the military.

Somehow torture is tolerated. Somehow lying is tolerated. Somehow faking

character, virtue and strength is tolerated. Somehow a narrative is more important than

reality.

Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally

invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on

the ground. Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious

criminals are still in charge of this country. Somehow this is tolerated. Somehow nobody is

accountable for this.

Kevin had hoped a Democratic Congress would bring accountability back to our country. But,

just as with warrantless wiretapping and torture, those responsible for the cover-up of his

brothers friendly-fire death have never been held accountable for their actions. As the Obama

administration is fond of saying, Theyre moving forward, not looking backward.

. . .

Bob Woodwards Whitewash of McChrystals Role in the Tillman Cover-Up:

It appears to me that Bob Woodwards book Obamas Warswhitewashed Gen. McChrystals

role in the Armys cover-up of Pat Tillmans friendly-fire death. Woodward wrote that

McChrystal merely signed off on the false Silver Star citation. However, the evidence

indicates that McChrystal actually directly supervised the writing of the false Silver Star andorchestrated the cover-up on the ground in Afghanistan.

If I had the chance to question Woodward again, I would ask him: were you ignorant of the facts

of the Tillman story, did your high-level sources deceive you about McChrystals role, or were

you whitewashing Gen. Stanley McChrystals hands-on role in the cover-up of Pat Tillman

friendly-fire death?
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CLASHES WITH PENTAGON SHAPED

OBAMAS WARS

Neal Conan Interview with Bob Woodward

(NPRs Talk of the Nation, September 13, 2010)

NEAL CONAN, host:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington.

Barack Obama ran for president on a promise to focus on the war in Afghanistan and initiated a

policy review as soon as he took office, then another a few months later. He's due to receive yet

another, later this week.

Over almost two years in office, the president's escalated U.S. troop levels twice, fired two

commanders and extended the timeline for U.S. combat operations to 2014, a process

documented by veteran journalist Bob Woodward in his most recent book. "Obama's Wars"

describes White House and military officials determined to get it right amid mutual distrust and

sometimes mutual incomprehension.

. . .

Part I: LAffair Rolling StanI just happened to turn on the radio in the kitchen to do dishes when I heard NPRs Talk of the

Nation in progress with Bob Woodward. I went on the computer, got the phone number, then

quickly glanced at my Obamas Wars notes I had typed a couple of months previously.

Nothing (at the time) jumped out about what Woodward had written about the Tillman cover-up.

What the hell, I may as well try to get on. I called up, and I connected on the first try. Shit! I

dont even have a question! I got past Neal Conans screening, and then quickly sketched out a

question in the few minutes before I was put on the air:

. . .[At 17:50 minutes into program]

CONAN: We'll get David on the line from Grand Rapids, and then we'll go back to Ted. I

apologize, Ted. David, you're on the air. Go ahead, please.

DAVID (Caller): Yes, hi. Thanks for taking my call.
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CONAN: Sure.

DAVID: Yeah, I was just wondering if Bob Woodward could elaborate a bit on the firing of

General Stanley McChrystal last June. When I read the book, his account seemed a little bit

sketchy and kind of hurried as to what actually transpired. He had mentioned a couple meetings I

think in April and May of this year [actually May 6 & 11], in which he had a strike one andstrike two against him.

And it just seems to me there's some sort of backstory, which wasn't elaborated upon in his book

or elsewhere.

Mr. WOODWARD: Well, there is the backstory of the fall, when General McChrystal

gave a speech in London indicating that he essentially had decided that we had to have a

counterinsurgency strategy that was fully resourced before the president had decided that

issue.

Not only General McChrystal but General Petraeus and others, including AdmiralMullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, had kind of piled on well, this is the way we should

do it. And the White House went ballistic and said, now wait a minute, this is the

president's decision, the commander in chief's decision, and they felt they were being

boxed in or really kind of cornered by the uniformed military.

CONAN: And not just by that. There was a document, which you broke[9-21-09?], in which

General McChrystal says if we don't get essentially the troop levels I've asked for, we're going to

lose as soon as this year.

Mr. WOODWARD: That's right, we're going to have mission failure. And of course,

that was a real shock to the White House. And so, McChrystal's already got two strikesagainst him and then there's the Rolling Stone article, which if you go back and read, has

a lot of McChrystal aides and a lot of nasty talk but really not - it really was not high on

the Richter Scale, as I look at it.

But there was a feeling in the White House that they had to show Obama was in charge.

And McChrystal realized he'd overstepped the line and I think was -quickly was telling

people I've compromised the mission. He called Vice President Biden and said I've

compromised the mission. And so in a sense, he almost fired himself.

. . .

Guy Montags Response to Woodwards First Answer:

Woodward said, McChrystal's already got two strikes against him and then there's the Rolling

Stone article, which if you go back and read it really was not high on the Richter Scale, as I


13/41

look at it. But there was a feeling in the White House that they had to show Obama was in

charge.

Perhaps McChrystal was fired to show Obama was in charge. Hes fired several of his

appointees merely because of a comment that threatened to cause some political embarrassment.

I wouldnt be surprised that just the perception by others that Obama was once again beingboxed in by his generals was enough to let McChrystal go.

In a bizarre way, I actually had some sympathy for the devil. I agreed with Woodward that the

Rolling Stone article really was not high on the Richter Scale. Hardly a firing offense. If

McChrystal was really the best man to fight the Afghan War, it seems the President couldve put

the good of the war over political considerations.

I resented President Obama for firing McChrystal so lightly. Just last year, it appears the

President considered him such a silver bullet for the Afghan War that he overlooked

McChrystals central role in Armys cover-up of Pat Tillmans friendly-fire death (and the

President even pushed through a law specifically to protect McChrystal from fallout from therelease of photos showing torture at Camp Nama). Letting McChrystal go over a minor incident

(instead of over the Pat Tillman cover-up) was, to my way of thinking, another insult to Pat

Tillmans memory.

. . .

Guy Montags Responseto Woodwards Remarks:

Bob Woodward either dodged or misunderstood my question. I knew the back story of the fall

with the London speech. My question concerned the two high-level meetings that McChrystal

held with the President on May 6th & 11th (the second with McChrystal showing up in-person)

about the progress (or lack thereof) in Afghanistan.

Curiously, Woodward said nothing in his book about what was discussed in those two meetings,

other than McChrystal got a strike one andstrike two. Either his sources held out on him,

or Woodward was holding back in his book.

Probably, it was a combination of the Afghan war not doing so well and the perception of once

again boxing in Obama that got McChrystal fired. If McChrystal was clearly winning the war,

I think he would still be there.

Politically it worked. Obama showed that he was in charge, punished McChrystal for once

again boxing him in (if he believed that was the case), and punished Gen. Petreaus for boxing

him in by demoting him from CENTCOM and handing him the tar-baby of the Afghan War

(COINs the trick, well be drawing down in a year? OK, now its your baby).


14/41

Some have speculated that McChrystal set himself up for a fall by intentionally having his staff

say embarrassing stuff. For example, heres Pave Low Johns take on the matter:

Even McChrystal, god help us, pussed out in the end. Does anyone here REALLY think

a crafty old operator like Stan the Man had no idea how stupid it was to let a Rolling

Stone reporter watch his staff get hammered in Paris? He wanted out of the hot seat, plain

and simple, and he used that douchebag reporter to do it. Now he can shrug and claim

he's not a 'quitter' if the whole thing falls apart in the next couple of years.

I wouldnt dismiss that line of thought out of hand. Micheal Hastings said in a radio interview

that he had interviewed dozens of generals without having them (and their staff) talk so loosely.

And remember, McChrystal did a stint early in the war as a Pentagon spokeman, spent time as

the Director of the Joint Staff. As a general, he was no nave waif to the ways of journalists.

And, remember the precedence of Admiral Fallon being fired from command of CENTCOM for

remarks he made that appeared in a Vanity Fair profile a few years ago.

. . .

Part II: Woodwards Whitewash of Gen. McChrystals Role In the

Cover-Up of Pat Tillmans Friendly-Fire Death

As Im listening to Bob Woodward not actually answer my question, my first instinct was to ask

a follow-up. But, as I wait, I realize I should have asked him something about the Tillman

cover-up. But, what question to ask to put him on the spot, to throw my shoe at him? At the

time, I couldnt think of one.

Unfortunately, I just tried to wing it. And I was a bit nervous:

. . .

[20:08 minutes into program]

CONAN: David, thanks very much for the call.

DAVID: Thank you. Could I just say one more quick comment?

CONAN: Sure.

DAVID:


15/41

It seems like McChrystal's central role in the cover-up of Pat Tillman's

friendly-fire death was passed over a bit in your book.

He was apparently one of the favorites of Chief Mullen. But looking at it quite a bit

myself, you had some stuff going on, like in May 15, 2008, an executive session

hearing of the Senate after Senator Webb did an investigation, so-called, of his role.

And that seemed to be passed over by the Washington establishment they did a

pro forma hearings at various times but really didn't dig into that very much.

And I just wondered if you could comment

Mr. WOODWARD:

Well, they [Washington establishment] didn't [dig into McChrystals role in the Tillman

cover-up very much].

And, of course, McChrystal was in the chain of command, and I think he apologized for

what he did in this.

But he was not the hands-on person making that decision.

But that whole thing is a sad chapter in Army history.

. . .

Guy Montags Response to Woodwards Remarks about McChrystals Role:

1.) Well, they [Washington establishment] didn't [dig into it very much].

Well, they [Washington establishment] didn't. [dig into McChrystals role in the cover-

up, they held some pro forma hearings].

In the foreword to the paperback edition of her book, Mary Tillman wrote, Boots on the Ground

by Dusk:

I had sent the President an email and a letter reminding him of McChrystals

involvement in the cover-up of Pats death. In the letter, I suggested McChrystal should

be scrutinized very carefully by the Senate Armed Services Committee. I also

contacted the staffs of Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator James Webb and expressed my


16/41


17/41

of honor for thirty years. If anyone in Congress should have cared, it would have been him.

Webb, as a young Marine veteran, spent 8 years to clear the name of a dead Marine for his

mothers sake! Im hard on Webb not because I dislike the man, but that Im disappointed in

him. As an old man and politician, hes turned into exactly what he once reviled as a young

veteran!

On May 15th 2008, the Senate Armed Services Committee (headed by Senator Levin and

McCain) held an executive session where McChrystal testified behind closed doors about his

actions after Tillmans fratricide in detail. Shortly afterwards, the Senate promoted him to

Director of the Joint Staff.

The following year, on May 11th 2009, President Obama handpicked McChrystal to be his new

commander of the Afghan War despite McChrystals key role in the Tillman cover-up (two days

later, Obama gave the ASU commencement address at Sun Devil Stadium without once

mentioning Pat Tillman to avoid embarrassing questions).

On May 20th

, Senators Lieberman, Graham, and McCain (working with the White House)

introduced a bill to change the FOIA law to block the release of photos showing detainee abuse

by JSOC forces under McChrystals command. The Senate unanimously passed it the next day.

On June 2nd

2009, The Senate Armed Services Committee held General McChrystals

confirmation hearing for his promotion to four-star general and Afghan war commander. The

hearing was strictly pro-forma. Senators Levin, McCain, and Webb didn't press McChrystal

aggressively. The real hearing had been conducted the previous year, behind closed doors.

General McChrystals confirmation came only after the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reidmade an impassioned plea on the Senate floor. Shortly afterward, the Senate approved President

Barack Obama's nomination of McChrystal by unanimous consent.

. . .

Its not surprising that after the initial fratricide cover-up fell apart, Army officers and the Bush

administration lied to protect their careers. But the Democratic Congress, after they took control

of both Houses in 2006, could have gone after those responsible. Or at least not promoted them!

Just before the 2006 mid-term elections, Kevin Tillman published his eloquent letter, After

Pats Birthday:

Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up

secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them

indefinitely, secretly not charging them with anything, secretly torturing them. Somehow

that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few bad apples in the military.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091106_happy_birthday_pat_tillman/http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091106_happy_birthday_pat_tillman/http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091106_happy_birthday_pat_tillman/http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091106_happy_birthday_pat_tillman/http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091106_happy_birthday_pat_tillman/


18/41

Somehow torture is tolerated. Somehow lying is tolerated. Somehow faking

character, virtue and strength is tolerated. Somehow a narrative is more important than

reality.

Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally

invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers onthe ground. Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious

criminals are still in charge of this country. Somehow this is tolerated. Somehow nobody is

accountable for this.

Kevin had hoped a Democratic Congress would bring accountability back to our country. But,

just as with warrantless wiretapping and torture, those responsible for the cover-up of his

brothers friendly-fire death have never been held accountable for their actions. As the Obama

administration is fond of saying, Theyre moving forward, not looking backward.

2.) McChrystal was in the chain of command, and I think he apologized for what he

did in this.


way up the chain of command.



Tillman was killed by enemy fire" and directly supervised the Ranger RGT commanding officersin Afghanistan who apparently altered the two Silver Star witness statements to remove any



And, in response to President Obamas May 2009 nomination of Gen. McChrystal as Afghan

war commander, Mary Tillman wrote in her book, Boots on the Ground by Dusk: Not only

is he [McChrystal] lying about the circumstances surrounding Pats death, he is proposing

false language for the Silver Star narrative.

Note: Krakauer's account was largely based upon McChrystals own testimony during his June

2, 2009 Senate confirmation hearing and from DOD IG interviews with Gen. McChrystal, COL

Nixon, LTC Kauzlarich, and LTC Bailey obtained by FOIA.

. . .

Gen. McChrystal never actually apologized for orchestrating the cover-up. If McChrystal has

any regrets its for any trouble the Tillman cover-up scandal resulted for him and his


19/41

reputation. I doubt he gives a damn about the never-ending heartache hes caused the Tillman

family over the years.

Instead, McChrystal denied that the phony narrative of a raging firefight was anything more

sinister than "mistakes" made to honor Tillman. "I didn't see any activity by anyone to deceive,"

he said. "We failed the family. And I was a part of that." He earlier expressed his "deepest

condolences" to Tillman's family and fellow rangers. Mary Tillman said she neither accepts nor

believes McChrystal's apology. "McChrystal was lying," she said.

3.) But he was not the hands-on person making that decision.

Not the hands on person! Actually,Gen. McChrystal directly supervised the Armys cover-up.


way up the chain of command. Jon Krakauer in his book, "Where Men Win Glory" (pp. 334

347 paperback edition), described how Gen. McChrystal had "orchestrate[d] what can only be

described as a broad conspiracy to conceal Tillman's fratricide ..."



Tillman was killed by enemy fire" and directly supervised the Ranger RGT commanding officers

in Afghanistan who apparently altered the two Silver Star witness statements to remove any



. . .

What decision? The decision to cover up Pat Tillmans friendly-fire death and award him a

false Silver Star? I agree with Woodward that McChrystal didnt make that decision to cover-

up Tillmans death. However, McChrystal was the hands on general who supervised the

cover-up on the ground in Afghanistan and made it happen.

Who made that decision? Well, during the Bush administration, McChrystal commanded

JSOC special operation forces from 2003 to 2008 that often acted outside the military chain of

command doing things the executive branch -- read: [Vice President] Cheney and [Secretary of

Defense] Rumsfeld -- wanted it to do. It certainly appears that Rumsfeld and Cheney gaveMcChrystal his marching orders Perhaps President Bush was in the loop as well to some

extent. How much does Bob Woodward know about Rumsfeld and Cheneys role that hes not

telling?


20/41

Part III: Throwing My Shoe at Bob Woodward Not

Bob Woodward had responded,"... of course, McChrystal was in the chain of command, ... But

he was not the hands-on person making that decision...." What! Gen. McChrystal was not thehands onguy? Of course, I didnt have the chance to try to sneak in yet another follow-up

question.

Heres the question I should have asked Bob Woodward, to throw my shoe at him o put the

leading inside Washington journalist on the spot about the Tillman case:

In your book, Obamas Wars (p.154), you wrote that Gen. McChrystal had merely "...

signed off on the Silver Star recommendation that suggested Tillman had been killed by

the enemy ..."

However, Jon Krakauer in his book, "Where Men Win Glory" (pp. 334 347 paperback

edition), described how Gen. McChrystal personally "administered the medal

recommendation process" with a false narrative that "was painstakingly written to create

the impression Pat Tillman was killed by enemy fire" and directly supervised the Ranger

RGT officers who altered the two Silver Star witness statements. The Silver Star

recommendation was "fraudulent" by "any objective measure."

Instead of merely having "signed off" on a piece of paper that landed on his desk, Gen.

McChrystal had "orchestrate[d] what can only be described as a broad conspiracy to

conceal Tillman's fratricide ..."

And, in response to President Obamas May 2009 nomination of Gen. McChrystal as

Afghan war commander, Mary Tillman wrote in her book, Boots on the Ground by

Dusk: Not only is he [McChrystal] lying about the circumstances surrounding Pats

death, he is proposing false language for the Silver Star narrative.

Mr. Woodward, my question for you is: were you ignorant of these facts of the Tillman

story, did your high-level sources deceive you, or were you whitewashing Gen. Stanley

McChrystals hands-on role in the cover-up of Pat Tillman friendly-fire death?

. . .

Whitewash, could have shook the tree a bit

******* not ready throwing my shoe not missing.


21/41

11-02-10 [revised 1-27-11]

OBAMAS WARS

(Bob Woodward, 2010 hardcover)

Woodwards Portrayal ofMcChrystals Role in the Tillman Cover-Up:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Michael Mullen revered Gen. McChrystal, and had made him

director of the Joint Staffhis previous assignment in part so that the 2008 Senate

confirmation could wipe away the role McChrystal had played in the cover-up of the 2004

friendly-fire death in Afghanistan of Pat Tillman. Of course, McChrystal was in the chain of

command. But he was not the hands-on person making that decision McChrystal had

signed off*on the Silver Star recommendation that suggested Tillman had been killed by the

enemy, a choice he regretted.

McChrystal was essentially the chairmans deputy. Director of the Joint Staff was the premier

assignment for a three-star, an almost certain path to four-star rank. Among McChrystals

predecessors in the post were DNI Dennis Blair, former Centcom commander Abiziad, and the

current Army chief Gen Casey.

Mullen realized that the solution to Afghanistan was right before his eyes. On Monday May 11,

2009 Defense Secretary Gates announced McChrystal would be the new commander. A week

later, Obama met for 10 minutes in the Oval Office with McChrystal.

The Pat Tillman issue resurfaced during McChrystals confirmation hearings for ISAF. On

Tuesday June 2, 2009, McChrystal sat down for his Senate confirmation hearing. McChrystal

assured the Senate Armed Services Committee that he had recommended the Silver Star with the

best of intentions, but he had been too hasty in the investigative process and I think he

apologized for what he did in this.

Well, they [Washington establishment] didn't. [dig into McChrystals role in the cover-up very

much, just held some pro forma hearings]. But that whole thing is a sad chapter in Army

history.*Citation: p. 154 McChrystal had signed off: Ann Scott Tyson, 9 Officers Blamed in


Note: This description compiled using quotes from Obamas Wars and NPRs Talk of the

Nation 12-13-10). My detailed rebuttal of Woodwards portrayal is found in Bob Woodwards

Whitewash of Gen. McChrystals Role in the Tillman Cover-Up.


22/41

May 2008: Promotion of Gen. McChrystal to Director of the Joint Staff:

32 [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Michael] Mullen was a 1968 graduate of the Naval

Academy at Annapolis. Note: the same year as Senator James Webb. Webb was a friend of

National Security Director Jim Jones (former Marine). Webb acquaintance with Mullen?

85 For the past five months [from before a few days after inaugural 1-09; July 2008],

McChrystal had served as director of the Joint Staff of the Joint Chiefs, a high-profile job in

which he interacted daily with Chairman Mullen and, often, Secretary Gates.

154 Mullen revered McChrystal, and had made him director of the Joint Staffhis previous

assignment in part so that the Senate confirmation [May 2008] could wipe away the role

McChrystal had played in the cover-up of the 2004 friendly-fire death in Afghanistan of Pat

Tillman Note: there was no discussion about McChrystal during the public 5-22-08

confirmation hearing for Gen. Petreaus; a secret closed executive session was held 5-15-08where McChrystal testified in detail about the Tillman case and Camp Nama torture]

82 Clinton joined the Armed Services Committee. Note: Was she on for McChrystals

2008 promotion?

154 McChrystal had signed offon the Silver Star recommendation that suggestedTillman

had been killed by the enemy, a choice he regretted

Note: Suggested? McChrystal played the central hands-on role in the Tillman cover-up! He

personally directed the writing of the fraudulent Silver Star and apparently the altering of two

witness statements.

Woodward describes the Armys actions as of coverup yet the title of his WP citation says

No Coverup Found. So which is it? What else does Woodward know?

Signed off? The cited WP article doesnt say that; it says McChrystal submitted a Silver Star

recommendation with inaccurate information [e.g. two fabricated witness statements] and a

misleading citiation [i.e. totally false, except for getting his name right]

403 *Citation: 154 McChrystal had signed off: Ann Scott Tyson, 9 Officers Blamed in


. . .


23/41

Excerpts from9 Officers Blamed in Tillman Death, but No Coverup Found

A Pentagon investigation found yesterday that four senior Army officers -- including a three-stargeneral [Stanley McChrystal] now in charge of the military's most elite man-hunting units --committed "critical errors" in judgment in handling the "friendly fire" death ofCpl. Pat Tillman,

a former pro football star.

The report by the Pentagon inspector general recommended that four Army generals and fivelower-ranking officers face "corrective action" for serious violations, including making false andmisleading statements about what they knew about the Tillman fratricide, as well as inaccuraciesin recommending Tillman, 27, for a Silver Star, the Army's third-highest combat award.

[Col.] Nixon [Commander of the Ranger RGT], along with Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, whowas the joint task force commander, were responsible for submitting a Silver Starrecommendation for Tillman that included "inaccurate information [among other things, twofabricated witness statements] and a misleading [i.e. filled with lies] citation that implied

[anyone reading it would assume he was KIA] CPL Tillman died by enemy fire," the reportfound.

Despite finding several errors, the report did not find evidence of a coverup . "There was a seriesof mistakes made. We never decided that there was any attempt to cover up," because thefriendly-fire investigation was started quickly, said Thomas F. Gimble, acting Pentagon inspectorgeneral.

. . .

Note: On July 31, 2007 Secretary of the Army Pete Geren held a news conference to present the

findings of Gen. Wallace who recommended corrective action for the officers who mademistakes in the Tillman case. Gen. Kensinger, already retired, was the designated scapegoatand lost one of his stars (i.e. lost about $10K from his pension).

None of the other officers involved got even so much as a letter of reprimand in their file. Infact, they have all been promoted since then: Gen. McChrystal twice, Nixon to general, Baileyto general, Kauzlarich to full bird colonel.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032600731.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032600731.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032600731.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032600731.htmlhttp://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/dates/2004/apr/22/patrick-d-tillman/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/dates/2004/apr/22/patrick-d-tillman/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/dates/2004/apr/22/patrick-d-tillman/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/dates/2004/apr/22/patrick-d-tillman/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/26/AR2007032600731.html


24/41

June 2009: Gen. McChrystals Promotion to Afghan War Commander:

82 A few days after the inaugural [retired Gen.] Keane known as the father of the Iraq

surge played effectively behind the scenes for the promotions of Gen. David Petreaus

He told Clinton McKiernan , the Afghanistan commander, was the wrong man for the job

The only way out of Afghanistan was an intensive counterinsurgency I think he should

be fired

85 The officer Keane had in mind was Gen. Lloyd Austin III, the second in command in

Iraq, but he needed a rest. Theres another guy named McChrystal.

118 The chairman of the Joint Chiefs [Mullen] realized that the solution to Afghanistan was

right before his eyes, McChrystal had been director of the Joint Staff for more than seven

months. The Joint Staff director was essentially the chairmans deputy. It was the premier

assignment for a three-star, an almost certain path to four-star rank. Among McChrystalspredecessors in the post were DNI Dennis Blair, former Centcom commander Abiziad, and the

current Army chief Gen Casey. Note: Gen. Abizaid perjured himself before Congress about his

knowledge of the Tillman fratricide.

118 Gates, who often worked with McChrystal, agreed he was the man for the job. He and

Mullen told the President they wanted to replace McKiernan. Obama said he would approve

whoever the secretary and Mullen recommended.

119 On Monday May 11, 2009 Gates voice quivered slightely as he announced that

McChrystal would be the new Afghanistan commander. Note: Obama reversed his decision

to release torture photos on May 12, 2009, apparently to protect Gen. McChrystals from his role

in torture at Camp Nama. Senator Lindsey Graham (regular meetings with Petreaus & Mullen)

introduced bill Senate unamimously passed on May 20 to prevent court-ordered release.

120 A week later, Obama met for 10 minutes in the Oval Office with McChrystal. Well,

it was ultimately my decision. But he was relying on Gates and Mullens judgment. They felt

the fest person to do the job at this stage was Gen. McChrystal, Obama said. I had not had a

person-to-person conversation with him.

123 On Tuesday June 2 [2009], McChrystal sat down for his Senate confirmation hearing.

154 The issue [Pat Tillman cover-up] resurfaced during McChrystals confirmation hearings

for ISAF. McChrystal assured the Senate Armed Services Committee that he had recommended

the Silver Star with the best of intentions, but he had been too hasty in the investigative process.

Note: strictly pro-forma hearing; real hearing held behind closed doors in 2008.


25/41

Sept Oct 2009: Obama Felt Boxed-In by McChrystal, Petraeus, Mullen:

153 The Pentagon received McChrystals classified assessment of the Afghanistan War on

Monday, August 31.

158 It angered Obama that Petraeus was publicly lobbying [9-02-09 Ignatius column] and

prejudging a presidential decision.

159 The White House was upset because it looked like the generals were trying to box in the

president. So Pretreuswent to ground, but he hinted that the South Carolina Republican

[Lindsey Graham] ought to weigh in publicly.

205 Oct 6: Petraeus and Senator Lindsey Graham had one of their regular conversations

Around this time,Mullen also paid Graham a visit.

213 Oct. 8: Even with 80K troops, the US could only protect 60% of the population. A full

counterinsurgency was impossible with these options.

232 Oct. 9: Obama: We have to show a plan that will actually enable us to show progress.

.. I appreciate not reading about the meetings in the Washington Post

171 In the message war, Petraeus had allies outside the administration On September 14

[2009], a long op-ed appeared in the WSJ written by Senators Graham, Lieberman and McCain.

172 But when Obama heard about Mullens testimony [9-15-09], Mullen was publicly

endorsing the McChrystal strategy The chairman was poking his finger in the presidents eye.

The generals and admirals are systematically playing him, boxing him in.

182 Woodward publishes the leaked McChrystals assessment in the Wash Post 9-21-09.

[appeared on CNAS Exum blog same day] This highly classified document was artfully leaked

by those who wish to bulldoze Obama

. . .

196 [National Security Director Jim] Jones was dumbfounded by McChrystal. How could he

give such a [London October 1, 2009] speech and answer so categorically while the president

sought alternative strategies? The whole thing amazed him, particularly after the White House

had scolded Mullen and Petreaus for their comments weeks earlier.


26/41

The NS adviser told Gates that McChrystals speech was an over-the-top moment and the

president had demonstrated a lot of restraint. Youve simply got to stop this or the President is

going to have to fire somebody. He called Admiral Mullen, McChrystals biggest booster.

I dont know what you guys are doing. McChrystals speech was either insubordination or

stupid. It read like a direct challenge to the president. It is a firing offense, but McChrystal

wont be fired because we need him, Jones said. Referring to Mullen and Petraeus, Jones said,

One of you is going to get firedand Im going to recommend it.

197 the president raised McChrystals remarks. This was something that really put me in a

box, Obama said, and I dont like to be boxed in. Obama felt disrespected and trapped. The

White House saw the [10-01-09] speech as a scheme on the part of McChrystal, Mullen, and

Petraeus.

194 [10-02-09 Obama met with McChrystal after speech] I like him. I think hes a good

man. McChrystal was the right man for the job, he said


27/41

Nov -- Dec 2009 Obama OKs 30,000 Troop Afghan War Surge:

291 Nov. 23: If the two-year time frame for accomplishing these goals is not possible, I

want to hear it now.

Note: same day that CNASs Andrew Exum retired from blogging. Trying to avoid more

fall-out from his WashPost book review.

318: Nov 28: How many of these guys who are pushing that option are going to be here to see

the effects by July of 2011 Lute lamented to Donilon. .. So, Lute summarized, the bottom

line is, youre left with the President standing here, owning this thing that these guys sold to him

but who have since exited stage right.

319 I dont see how you can defy your military chain here if you tell McChrystal Ive

chosen to do something else, youre going to have to replace him. And then where does that

stop? The colonel [Tien] did not have to elaborate. His implication was that not only

McChrystal, but Petraeus, Mullen and even Gates might go

322 Lute felt that the military establishment was really rolling the president It wasnt

deliberate on McChrystals part. As far as Lute could tell, McChrystal didnt have a

conspiratorial bone in his body. If there was someone trying to roll Obama, it was Petraeus. But

he had done so subtly and with a light touch. a President did have choices, and in this case

his had been significantly limited

Note: conspiratory bone referring to leak to pressure on troop surge, not Tillman case. Lute

quote referred to by Andrew Exum in Oct? blog, but failed to mention Donilons comment

below. Did Petraeus leak assessment in Sept?

323 For his part, Donilon was hugely skeptical of the entire uniformed military chain of

command. McChrystal was hardly an innocent. He took command, got out first by writing his

long, classified assessment, staking his ground and then hiding behind the uniform and the flag.

Petraeus and Mullen had joined in after that.

. . .

324 Nov. 29: Obama issues his six-page terms sheet outlining his decision.

325 Turning to Petreaus, he [Obama] said, Dont clear and hold what you cannot transfer.

Dont overextend us. If you have any personal misgivings or any professional doubts about

what were about to do, tell me now


28/41

329 I want to be clear about what we are not doing. This is not a nationwide

counterinsurgency strategy. The first reassessment will be in December 2010. That

assessment will only be about the flexibility in how we draw down, not if we draw down.

332 Biden believed the president had put a stake in the heart of expansive counterinsurgency.

Petreaus saw it differently. Counterinsurgency was alive and well. I dont think you win

this war. I think you keep fighting.

338 All we have to do is begin to show progress, Petreaus said, and thatll be sufficient to

add time to the clock and well get what we need [?more troops beyond 30K?]. Thats a

dramatic misreading of this president, Lute said.

. . .

334 Dec. 1 West Point speech: He [Obama] announced he was sending 30,000 more UStroops. begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011 we will execute

this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground.

338 Lute surmised the following: Obama had to do this 18-month surge just to

demonstrate, in effect, that it couldnt be done . Obama would have given the monolithic

military its day in court and the United States would not be seen as having been driven off the

battlefield.


29/41

May 2010: Gen. McChrystal Gets Strike One & Strike Two:

346 April 3: [Derek] Harvey [Petraeuss intelligence advisor, speaking to Petreaus] drew one

of the most pessimistic pictures possible of the war. It is not going to work. Were not going

to achieve the objectives that weve set ourselves On the ground he said, McChrystals forces

had not finished clearing key areas. the Taliban senior leadership thought they were doing

okay, even with the surge of 30,000 more US troops.

348 On April 16, the president met with the NSC McChrystal had committed his forces to

clearing and holding operations because the ANSF werent ready to hold the territory

themselves. It was bogging down the model of clear, hold, build and transfer. Obama asked,

by the way, what about the areas we cleared in the summer of 2009? Any of them close to

transferring? Not a single one, sir. The model had become clear, hold, hold, hold, and hold.

Hold for years. There was no build, no transfer. Petreaus said they were misconstruing the

approach for beginning a transfer. . Its not hand off, its thin out.

349 During the Presidents Thursday, May 6, secure video with McChrystal for the 90-minute

monthly review the operation to gain full control of the city was beginning that month. It was

impossible to escape the conclusion that Kandahar would be a litmus test for the war

350 One item [from briefing papers, with loaded questions] was, I got the diagnosis of the

problem, and I see what youre prescribing for a cure, but the two dont connect. The dots dont

connect. Why? Perhaps it was too stark and confrontational. He didnt ask it.

351 He [Obama] said he wanted sustainable progress and was still thinking about transfer.

Be careful we dont start something for which we dont have resources to enable completion.

Afterward, the president indicated to several close aides that the briefing had a clarifying

effect on him. What makes us think that given the description of the problem, that were

going to design a solution to this?

if yourenot fully satisfied with Gen. McChrystals description here, he will be in

Washington next week. You should invite him to come see you and continue the discussion in a

smaller, more intimate setting. In other words, if the meeting had amounted to a strike one for

the commanding general, the president ought to give McChrystal another swing. He agreed.

353 May 10: Holbrooke asked if there was an Afghan example of clear, hold, build, and

transfer actually happening. Not yet, McChrystal said. No, were not ready yet. Marja

after all that work and firepower McChrystal was saying they werent ready to transfer sole

responsibility to a single Afghan company.


30/41

354 On May 11, the president took Donilon and Lute up on their proposal that McChrystal be

invited to continue the discussion. Obama assembled a small group in the Oval Office to hear

the Afghanistan commander. It included Biden, Gates, Mullen, Jones, Donilon and Colonel John

Tien, the NSC Afghanistan director Tien was a COINista at heart but he also saw reason

for skepticism. After the session, Lute who had missed the White House meeting , caught up

with Col Tien. John, Lute asked, how did Stan do? Strike two,Tien said.

Note: Curiously, Woodward provided no details of this meeting with a 2nd strike against

McChrystal (Woodward had talked to most of those guys before). What happened during that

key meeting? Was McChrystals lack of progress a big factor in his being fired just a month

later? I tried asking Woodward on NPR about this, but he merely talked about the London

speech.

190 Counterterrorist decapitation doesnt work unless it is enabled by effective

counterinsurgency. They complement each other [McChrystal, 9-30-09 during troop requestreview]

355 The Biden pillar the counterrrorism portion of the decision was the one that was

really producing. McChrystal had tripled the number of JSOC teams, and the CIAs

Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams were having superb results despite the lack of the troop

density Petraeus had insisted would be necessary for successful counterterrorism.

356 Maybe the landing zone was not through the COINistas clear, hold, build and transfer?

358 May 14: Larry [Nicholson], Lute said, forget Marja, this years adventure. Lets go tolast years adventure. So now were at the 12-month mark. So tell meWhere are we in

Nawa in this four-step model that leads to T transfer At least another 12 months. And

that was for the best district. if thats as good as it gets, then we cant connect the dots here.

360 If Nawa is on the best case a 24 month timeline, Lute said, were screwed. Were

not going to demonstrate progress this year. for this years version in Marja, McChrystal was

advertising an improvement when you dug into the numbers the reality was very different.

Can pretty much predict that Kandahars going to look a lot like it looks today. Theres no

reason to work the weekends in November. We might as well do it during the workday in May

and June. The president had directed that the military not go anywhere unless they could

transfer in 18 to 24 months Well, the best case, with big caveats, the guy on the ground is

saying 24 months. this is a house of cards.


31/41

June 2010: President Obama Fires McChrystal, Replaces with Petreaus:

370 By May 2010, President Obama was telling Jones and others, isnt it about time to get

rid of Blair? There had been too many fights with the CIA May 20: Fire me, Blair [DNI]

basically said. Thats exactly what Obama did.

38 He [Obama] was unsentimental and ruthless.

. . .

371 About 5 PM on June 21, Gates called Jones, Theres an article coming out in Rolling

Stone thats not very good about McChrystal. It contained some disparaging and mocking

comments from McChrystal and his senior staff about administration officials. McChrystal

himself was quoted as saying that Obamas strategy review was painful and I was selling an

unsellable position.

372 Gates said he planned to release a statement reprimanding McChrystal, but hoped to

salvage the situation and avoid a setback to the war stategy. Jones {NSC director] told Gates

that protecting McChrystal was noble. But you dont want to put yourself between him and the

President. Gates proposed that he issue the first two paragraphs of his statement criticizing

McChrystal

373 The next day [June 23] Obama accepted McChrystals resignation, and he proposed that

Petraeus take over. Though it would involve a technical demotion because as central

commander Petraeus was the boss, it was an idea that would address both the military and

political problems. The Iraq hero would come to the rescue of Afghanistan. I noted it was a

demotion. He certainly doesnt consider it a demotion, the president said.

Note: Woodwards 12-13-2010 NPR Talk of the Nation response seemed to be that his opinion

was McChrystals actions werent that bad, but Obama felt he had to act lest it looked as though

McChrystal was boxing him in again.


32/41

June 2010: Gen. Petraeus Becomes the Face of the Afghan War

16 Petraeus was the recipient of countless awards, and the celebrity selected to do the coin

toss at the upcoming [2009] Superbowl. [Note: see my post Barely a Footnote] Obamas

campaign aides saw his prominence through a political lens. A popular war hero like Petraeus, a

registered Republican, was always a potential presidential candidate.

16 But Obamaland was potentially hostile. When candidate Obama had visited Iraq oer the

summer, the conversation between the two had not gone well. The Obama presidency was

going to dramatically alter Petraeuss status. He had direct access to President Bush, and his

mentor, retired Gen. Jack Keane [, the former vice chief of staff of the Army, had an

extraordinary pipeline to both Bush and Vice President Cheney.

379 The Afghanistan War was now in Gen. Petraeuss hands. Jones, for one, knew how bad

the situation was and thought Petraeus was probably saying to himself, What have I gottenmyself into? If Jones had the job he knew exactly what he would say to Obama The

Taliban was taking full advantage of the safe havens in those circumstances, You cant win.

You cant do counterinsurgency. It is a cancer in the plan.

379 But history had its cycles and ironies, he [Petreaus] knew all too well. When he

arrived there [in Iraq] What in the world? he thought to himself that day in 2007 and on a

number of occasions later. Why didnt I just take that Afghanistan job?

263 Nov. 9: Newsweek had put him [Petreaus] on its cover when he took over that command

[Iraq], asking in its headline: Can This Man Save Iraq? The implied question bouncing

around the Situation Room was: Can this man save Afghanistan

17 He was no expert on Afghanistan, but he had gone there four years earlier [2005] On

this November trip [2008] he saw firsthand the lack of troops His bottom line was that

without more troops, money and attention, Were not going to achieve our objectives.

Petraeus told his closest aides that Afghanistan would be different from Iraq, where he had

become the poster boy of the war. I do not want to be the face of policy. They cant dump it on

me. Petraeus later deined this was his intent. He just wanted to be a good soldier, as he put it,

and keep a very low public profile.

Note: Was Petreaus demoted for promising more than could deliver with COIN and again

boxing Obama in? And punished by sticking him with the tar baby of the Afghan War? (But,

is Pretreaus sticking Obama by now saying the thin-out will be in 2014 vs. 2011?) Is

Woodward not spelling things out to avoid contradicting Obamas public statements and to

maintain his access?


33/41

CNASs Andrew Exum Tours Afghanistan by Periscope:

403 Members of McChrystals 14-person assessment team. Many from Washington think-

tanks, including Andrew Exum from CNAS [Note: see He Who Shall Not Be Fact Checked].

152 Stuck in armored vehicles, the [assessment team] could only catch periscope-like

glimpses of Mazar-i-Sharifs streets the team was similarly sheltered in Kabul. The

Toyotas raced around Kabul. Afghans who didnt jump out of the way could be plowed

down.

152 After one of the SUVs ran a bicyclist off the road, Andrew Exum, a fellow at the CNAS

and a former US Army Ranger, asked the driver, What are you doing, man? Exum wrote a

one-pager for McChrystal about aggressive driving entitled Touring Afghanistan by

Submarine.

153 McChrystal soon became the chief traffic cop and issued a written directive to all his

troops in the theater to drive in ways that respect the safety and well-being of the Afghan

people.

153 The Pentagon received McChrystals classified assessment of the Afghanistan War on

Monday, August 31.

419 Acknowledgements: My assistants and I found the following [five] blogs helpful as

well: Abu Muqawama, [Andrew Exums blog at CNAS was at the top of the list]


34/41

THROWING MY SHOE AT BOB WOODWARD

Finish details in talk of nation, exum rude, 1500 people

************************************

NOTE: the following are excerpts from Andrew Exums blog Abu Muqawama posted at

CNAS.

Civil-Military Relations in the Obama Era

May 17, 2010 | Posted by Abu Muqawama - 11:50am |46 Comments

This article by Jonathan Alter in Newsweekon how Obama tamed his generals is great and worthreading -- although not necessarily for the reasons the author intended. I'm going to offer up mybottom line conclusion up front and then use the article as a starting point to consider some otherissues.

As veteran media critics have noted,a growing number of "journalists" have exchangedridiculously uncritical coverage of this administration for the kind of high-level access necessary

to write "insider" books on the administration. This article is -- surprise! -- an excerpt from oneof those insider accounts. Nothing in this article seriously challenges the administration's

version of events, but Alter's "journalism" more closely resembles court stenography than apublic service.

Note: journalism that moreclosely resembles court stenography than a public service. sounds like a Bob Woodward book.

. . .

On Woodward's Book: A (Very Minor) Clarification

September 27, 2010 | Posted by Abu Muqawama - 11:35am |74 Comments

I arrived back in the office this morning to discover a copy ofBob Woodward's new bookonmy desk with the rest of the mail That having been said, and sinceMarc Ambinder isalready giving me credit for having convinced Stan McChrystal to institute strict new trafficguidelines for ISAF vehicles*, I need to make one minor correction -- a clarification, really --to the section of the book in which I appear:
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35/41

The Toyotas raced around Kabul. The drivers honked their horns rather than step onthe brakes, madly changing lanes, swerving through traffic and accelerating at everyopportunity. The theory was that erratic driving reduced the chances of a roadsideattack. Afghans who didn't jump out of the way could be plowed down. After one of

the SUVs ran a bicyclist off the road, Andrew Exum, a fellow at the Center for a NewAmerican Security and a former U.S. Army Ranger, asked the driver, What are youdoing, man?

"You can't be too careful. Could've been a bomb, sir," was the response. But this kindof commute left Afghans on the street visibly angry. The team could see how anemphasis on force protection was causing the coalition to lose the Afghan people.Exum wrote a one-pager for McChrystal about aggressive driving and armoredvehicles entitled "Touring Afghanistan by Submarine."

It was, as Woodward writes, as if I was seeing Afghanistan through a periscope. I spent

much ofmy time on Gen. McChrystal's review team examining ourculture -- and how anoperational culture defined by "force protection ber alles" hinders our ability to learn aboutand understand the local dynamics of the conflict. That, in addition to running people of theirown roads, was what led to that paper.

On another note, readers of this blog will either be pleased or dismayed to discover that thesame black humor and blunt informality you see on this blog are also characteristics of my interactions with four-star generals. For better or for worse, I suppose.

*********** check comments section for BW book mention?

. . .

On Woodward's Book: Heroes and Villains?

October 2, 2010 | Posted by Abu Muqawama - 11:29am |40 Comments

I had a really busy week at work and was only able to finishBob Woodward's new bookthismorning. I must say, I really enjoyed it. It is almost impossible to dispassionately judge thewinners and losers of the book, in large part because your view on who is a hero and who is avillain will be informed by your opinion regarding the outcome of the policy debate in thefall of 2009. For my part, I can see why the White House was not too concerned about this

book. I think the president comes out of it looking really good.

If I had to fault anyone in the narrative it would be the uniformed military in Washington,DC. I don't think the uniformed military conspired to box in the president, but I do thinkthey failed to provide credible alternate strategies until too late in the process. (The onlycredible alternative was provided by McChrystal, late in the game, after he was asked whathe would do if he did not get the additional 30,000 troops.)
http://cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2010/10/woodwards-book-heroes-and-villains.htmlhttp://cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2010/10/woodwards-book-heroes-and-villains.htmlhttp://cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2010/10/woodwards-book-heroes-and-villains.html#commentshttp://cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2010/10/woodwards-book-heroes-and-villains.html#commentshttp://cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawama/2010/10/woodwards-book-heroes-and-villains.html#commentshttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439172498?ie=UTF8&tag=abumuqa-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439172498http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/

Documents

"Throwing My Shoe at Bob Woodward ... Not" (DRAFT January 2011)