Obama must fire General McChrystal

In America we have long held certain principles of government as sacred, as necessary for the preservation of liberty. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, due process of law, warrants for searches and seizures, habeas corpus, trial by jury and the right to confront ones accusers are just some.  Another is the strict civilian command of the armed forces and the principal that those in active duty must refrain from insubordination and publicly challenging the civilian leadership. There is good reason grounded in history that prove these American values inviolate. Unfortunately, many of these principles have already been long eroded, especially under the former Bush administration.

We recently learned of General Stanley McChrystal’s disparaging comments about the civilian leadership in a Rolling Stone piece.  This should be completely intolerable and the President has an opportunity to show some guts and reverence for constitutional principles, principles both Obama and McChrystal are solemnly sworn to uphold.  This isn’t McChrystal’s first violation and this last one should be it.   Not even an inch should be given here.

Obama needs to be a tough leader. That is what America needs now. Obama needs to stop worrying about what the right thinks. Leadership sometimes requires making unpopular decisions. A leader like Truman who fired the popular General McAuthur. The civilian leadership must constantly make it clear to the military leadership who is boss.  This is essential to the preservation of what liberty we have left. In adressing to the Constitutional Convention, Founding Father James Madison said,

The means of defense against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.†

Obama must accept McChrystal’s resignation and put on the professor’s hat and provide a civics lesson to We the People on why the General’s behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.  God knows the American people could use a civics lesson. If Obama fails to accept the resignation, it will further show Obama as a weak leader. What is sad is that friends and Obama supporters I have talked to think Obama will  not accept the resignation. This speaks poorly for the perception that even among Obama supporters the President is perceived as a weak leader always seeking to placate.

†Max Farrand, Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, vol. I (1911), p. 465