Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


 PEGGY NOONAN 
5

Let McChrystal Make His Case to Congress

National debate is needed to build consensus

Share

(Newser) – President Obama may not want to hear from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, but Congress certainly does, writes Peggy Noonan, and he should let them. Staying on in Afghanistan and withdrawing are both unappealing options that could have dire consequences, and even though the Pentagon doesn't want to do it, the country deserves to have congressional hearings on considered strategies, Noonan argues in the Wall Street Journal.

It's good that Obama has apparently turned his full attention to Afghanistan, but the debate shouldn't be limited to the White House, the Pentagon, and the op-ed pages. The commander, along with experts and other members of the military, should be called to testify and explain the facts to the nation. "Hearings would illuminate issues, air differences, broaden the picture, and make clear the stakes," Noonan writes. "All of those things would help spur decisions that spring from a thing badly needed: consensus."

Gen. Stanley McChrystal salutes ISAF soldiers during a changing of command ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal salutes ISAF soldiers during a changing of command ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/Ahmad Massoud)
US soldiers take position on a roof top of a mud house during a search operation for members of the Taliban in f Wardak province west of Kabul, Afghanistan.
US soldiers take position on a roof top of a mud house during a search operation for members of the Taliban in f Wardak province west of Kabul, Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A shadow of an Afghanistan National army soldier falls on a barricade on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan.
A shadow of an Afghanistan National army soldier falls on a barricade on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Why are we treating Afghanistan almost like an afterthought, interesting and important but not as urgent a question as health care? It's not as if the stakes aren't as high as they were in Iraq, and Vietnam.
- Peggy Noonan

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
5 comments
VIEWING:
 
gabo
Oct 9, 09 2:33 AM CDT
Commitee decisions on war? God help us. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
IN RESPONSE:
shonangreg
Oct 9, 09 5:08 AM CDT
It's what the Constitution says the Congress is to do. They are the ones who declare war. The President just executes their policy -- if they insist it be that way.
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
SilenceDogood
Oct 9, 09 7:04 AM CDT
In this modern world of instant communication, this would be the natural resultant; a more informed and motivated public. This is good; no longer the secret agendas of Political Parties; both Right and Left; no more pushing by a military establishment; open the windows, let in the sunshine so that all may see what is happening. This could work to improve our Democratic process. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
divetrader
Oct 9, 09 7:06 AM CDT
I am pretty sure war was already declared by W. At this point, the President is in charge of following thru on Congress decision to declare war. Hopefully his decision will be to get us out. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
SilenceDogood
Oct 9, 09 7:30 AM CDT
Funny, I thought Congress had a say in this.
Vote up! Vote down!
-1
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

1142 Stories

 Taliban Makes Surprise 
 Return in N. Afghanistan 

Kunduz thought secure enough to move troops elsewhere

41 minutes ago
(Newser) - With US and Afghan forces focused on the southern regions of Afghanistan, the Taliban has popped up in the country’s northern Kunduz province—not only far from its home area but until recently seen as peaceful enough that soldiers and policemen have been transferred from the area to help... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Taliban • US military • NATO troops • Afghanistan war • President Obama • supply route • Afghanistan troop surge • Kunduz, Afghanistan

PROFILE

 Biden the 
 Second Most 
 Powerful 
 Vice Prez 

He's scaling back from Cheney, but a major player in his own right

9 hours, 54 minutes ago
(Newser) - Joe Biden is surely not as powerful as Dick Cheney was, writes James Traub. But because Cheney so radically expanded the office of vice president, Biden has been able to scale it back and still become arguably the second most powerful VP in history. Biden has no portfolio—he acts... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Joe Biden • Dick Cheney • vice president • foreign policy • Iraq war • Obama administration • Office of the Vice President • President Obama

 US Seeks 10K Allied 
 Troops in Afghanistan 

Grumbling nations only want to provide half

14 hours, 45 minutes ago
(Newser) - The US is struggling to convince its allies to commit 10,000 more troops to the war in Afghanistan, according to federal sources. Allied leaders are willing to provide only half that figure for an operation increasingly unpopular with their citizens, particularly amid concerns about corruption in the Afghan government.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • NATO • Germany • France • US military • Netherlands • British troops • Britain • Afghanistan war • President Obama • allied troops • war in Afghanistan

1142 Stories


Politics  •  Opinion  •  US  •  World 
TwitterFollow @NewserPolitics on Twitter

 
Afghanistan • Congress • Pentagon • Afghanistan war • Obama administration • President Obama • Stanley McChrystal

from our news partners