McChrystal

Ah, General McChrystal. You loose-lipped man, you insubordinate. Or you tired man who wanted to get out?

I believe in the latter. Although what McChrystal did was undeniably stupid, to be making those kinds of comments about his commander, I have a hard time believing that when a man in such a position as McChrystal was for that duration would not carefully watch each and every word he said, especially with the way the media absolutely pines for Obama. Therefore I believe that McChrystal had had enough. Not that he no longer cared about America's safety, but rather that he was a tired old man, tired of all that responsibility, all that suppressing how he really felt towards his commander. He slipped, he tripped, he fell (clearly). The man was tired of always having to look over his shoulder for a physical attack from his enemy, but even more tired of watching over his mouth for an emotional attack of his own creation. He obviously had very strong political feelings, but his strong military ties forced him to keep those feelings silent. But after being in the military for nearly 32 years, he began to watch his words less and less carefully. I'm not insinuating that he was stupid and careless- rather that he had already achieved what he had wanted to achieve. Besides, retiring out of the blue, abandoning your troops when you are most needed, that would have been careless. McChrystal wanted to go out in style, and was tired of having the administration force him to hold his tongue. He didn't agree with the choices being made, and being the tired old man he is, he finally spoke out. He didn't care much about the consequences of his actions, because to him there were none. He killed one of the top men in Al-Qaeda, he was commander of ISAF and head of USFOR-A. He long ago filled the expectations he held in his career. So his time was up, and he knew it. Undoubtfully he also took into account the trouble this would stir up. One of the top men in the military disagrees with the administration, and only his rank had caused him to hold his tongue. Are there any more? Do most people in the uppermost circle of the government disagree as well? Is the administration only protected because people value their jobs and source of income more than their freedom of speech? Questions all planted into people's minds with the help of McChrystal's disbelief in our government.

McChrystal did what he set out to do, whether or not his conscious mind recognized that that was his quest. He was tired and wanted to leave behind his position, all while having his true opinion finally heard and wavering the minds of the American people, even if just a little.

But did he really achieve that last bit? Did he cause the majority to waver? Or were they all too stupid to recognize his intent, too blinded to wonder if other's felt the same? Only time will tell.