Been thinking about the McChrystal incident and I have one question...

What is it about this particular president that allows even a high-ranking commissioned officer to treat him with such disrespect?

UPDATE: I'm not just talking about this incident but all of the things we have seen from the military, members of Congress and the media since Obama took office. Does his skin color make it somehow easier to treat him with less respect and deference than other presidents have received?

could treat him with such disrespect?

Arrogance and monumental egos on the part of both generals would be my guess.

N/T

I was referring to MacArthur & McChrystal and their arrogance and egos being so large that neither one thought they had to respect the presidents they served/serve under.

FDR bent over backwards for MacArthur. He allowed MacArthur to become larger than life.

1. Despite the fact that congressional Democrats hated MacArthur (who treated them with ill-disguised contempt), FDR extended his term as Chief of Staff.

2. When the extended term came to an end, MacArthur retired in his permanent grade of Major General. FDR engineered his very lucrative appointment as military adviser to the President of the Philippines and Field Marshall of the Philippine Army.

3. As WWII approached, FDR went along with the plan to recall MacArthur to active duty as a full general and as far eastern commander.

4. When MacArthur was holed up in Corregidor, FDR ordered him to escape to Australia and assume command of the forces there.

5. Even though FDR agreed to "Europe first" and deferred to the navy in the Pacific, he did his best to assure that MacArthur got a significant share of the resources (even after Mac put his name in the hat for the GOP nomination in 1944).

was a good person. MacCarthur didn't deserve such exalted treatment.

exactly as each and every person with a voice wants it or....

disrespect.

that is the only option.

the disrespect comes from all angles. we all have a voice today. it is one topping the other. and tantrums galore

seems like disrespect, rudeness, and selfishness have become socially acceptable.

:shrug:

I think it's the contempt the military often has for civilian authority - most of them just know enough to keep their mouths shut or to only complain to people who agree with them.

The Opera ain't over 'til the fat lady sings.

I've seen no evidence that the President is allowing McChrystal to disrespect him. The mere fact that McChrystal has been recalled from the war theatre speaks volumns if you are familiar with the military.

It's two parts Democrat and one part Color. Or maybe the other way around. But I don't think this is anything new with the military and Democrats. They don't like anybody who thinks before they act.

The Republicons bowed, scraped and groveled before the their AWOL coke sniffing dilettante pResdient, and their sneering, war-profiteering VP with Five Freakin Military Deferments -- republicon assclowns who lied America into these disasterous Oil-Profits Crusades.

Clearly, Republicons are offended by anyone who represents truth, integrity, or honor. Thus, they have flung poo like a pack of maddened Howler Monkees as President Obama has sagely and steadily tried to right the Ship of State that the Republicon Chickenhawks sank.

So there you have it: Republicon Family Pharisee Values are the problem. As usual.

Way to go, SpiralHawk!

describes best the sentiment in the military heirarchy regarding people of a different skin color in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i5ZUfpxnV0

Also, I'm proud to be able to say that my post transcribing Mike's testimony http://www.google.com/search?q=Mike+Prysner&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGLR_en">is ranked #4 on Google and can be found here on DU at the following link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7380181&mesg_id=7380362

Democrats are, by and large, not war mongers and those wishing to climb the 'ladder' in the military, the higher-ups but not yet the elite ones, know without war promotions are much slower ergo the disrespect shown not just to President Obama but also to President Carter, President Clinton, all Democratic Presidents.

that allowed Colin Powell to say that he and other high ranking officers would resign (handing Clinton a military in disarray if not mutiny) rather than implement Clinton's campaign promise to integrate gays in the military?

that contradicted their position.

It wasn't really about Obama. Obama is way beyond McChrystal or the Republicans in understanding human beings. Obama will handle this beautifully.

I sometimes disagree with Obama, but when it comes to dealing with people in a compassionate, understanding way, he is unmatched.

McChrystal is a dedicated general. He is facing defeat. That is the hardest thing for him to do. Revving up the anger and confrontation is counterproductive here.

McChrystal has done everything he could do if not everything humanly possible to carry out his mission. He is a stubborn, proud man. The words, "I can't" are not in his vocabulary. Obama will handle this as well as any human being could.

McChrystal's great virtues are his intelligence and his determination. Obama's great virtues are his intelligence and his compassion. Obama is not going to put McChrystal down. Obama will be angry and then cool off and talk to McChrystal in a patient way about McChrystal's choices.

Remember how Petraeus fainted a few days ago before Congress?

Petraeus may be next in command. The job in Afghanistan is just overwhelming. McChrystal has done his best, but especially with the Gulf Oil spill, we just may not have the resources or manpower to keep fighting in Afghanistan. It does not mean that either McChrystal or Obama has failed. It just means that we are in a new reality. I would expect Obama to change the mission in Afghanistan and to involve both Petraeus and McChrystal in setting new, achievable goals.

dissent within his administration and seems unbothered by critical comments from pundits and the press. McCrystal just jumped on the band wagon. It is, however, a crime under the UCMJ for an officer to publicly criticize an elected official.

This too just goes so far, and it is something they would not have done to a white male President.