Just wanted to say how much I've grown to appreciate your newsletter! I only subscribed a couple of weeks ago, but now I always look out for it in my inbox. Great work!
For sure! I appreciate you taking the time to share each week.
I wonder, to some extent, whether Biden's apparent inflexibility last August was at least in small part due to his perception - whether true or not - that McChrystal and Petraeus gave Obama the run-around on troop numbers during the 2009 Strategy Review. At the time, Biden was the only major Cabinet-level principal to oppose a surge, and I don't doubt that this experience has shaped his perspective as President.
Steve Coll covered this dynamic at length in 2018's "Directorate S," as did George Packer in his recent feature for The Atlantic. Last year, at least at the time, it seemed to me that his refusal to deviate in the face of deteriorating conditions on the ground was perhaps an overcorrection to his personal experience as Vice President. LBJ had a similarly adversarial relationship with the Pentagon over Vietnam, at times. I could be wrong, though! It's always a dangerous game to give too much weight to individual personalities as determinants of national policy.
I think you are absolutely correct. Plus, his son's service, too.
(And if you read Obama's memoir, the Generals REALLY tried to screw him over with leaks and other jabs both private and public; it's partly why he kept Gates on.)
But I've read similar views in books other than the one you mentioned, but if you're okay with it, I'd like to feature your comment in the next newsletter? (Assuming there's room, not war with Ukraine, etc, etc,)
For sure! I think that's also part of the reason why Obama felt compelled to accept McChrystal's resignation after the Rolling Stone controversy, because many of the comments featured were directed towards Biden.
And as for the next newsletter, that's no problem! Thanks for asking.
Just wanted to say how much I've grown to appreciate your newsletter! I only subscribed a couple of weeks ago, but now I always look out for it in my inbox. Great work!
Thanks so much for saying that! Feel free to comment anytime. I love talking this stuff with people who keep up with it.
And definitely let me know if I'm ever off the mark in any way.
For sure! I appreciate you taking the time to share each week.
I wonder, to some extent, whether Biden's apparent inflexibility last August was at least in small part due to his perception - whether true or not - that McChrystal and Petraeus gave Obama the run-around on troop numbers during the 2009 Strategy Review. At the time, Biden was the only major Cabinet-level principal to oppose a surge, and I don't doubt that this experience has shaped his perspective as President.
Steve Coll covered this dynamic at length in 2018's "Directorate S," as did George Packer in his recent feature for The Atlantic. Last year, at least at the time, it seemed to me that his refusal to deviate in the face of deteriorating conditions on the ground was perhaps an overcorrection to his personal experience as Vice President. LBJ had a similarly adversarial relationship with the Pentagon over Vietnam, at times. I could be wrong, though! It's always a dangerous game to give too much weight to individual personalities as determinants of national policy.
I think you are absolutely correct. Plus, his son's service, too.
(And if you read Obama's memoir, the Generals REALLY tried to screw him over with leaks and other jabs both private and public; it's partly why he kept Gates on.)
But I've read similar views in books other than the one you mentioned, but if you're okay with it, I'd like to feature your comment in the next newsletter? (Assuming there's room, not war with Ukraine, etc, etc,)
Just let me know though. Thanks!
For sure! I think that's also part of the reason why Obama felt compelled to accept McChrystal's resignation after the Rolling Stone controversy, because many of the comments featured were directed towards Biden.
And as for the next newsletter, that's no problem! Thanks for asking.