McChrystal Meth

[Sickbag]

Looks like they need a new clown in Afghanistan.

[OldSowBreath]

McChrystal made the unpardonable sin of telling the truth.

[Ancient Mariner]

McChrystal made the unpardonable sin of telling the truth.

If you want to tell the truth about your boss, tell him. If you don't have the backbone, shut up. Simple, really.
Per

[David Hilditch]

Can someone tell me what American military officers do to earn so many medals on their uniforms ? Do they get one for every conference they attend ?

As for McChrystal, he is a competent enough soldier but only a tactician. He is not a strategist. The Afghan surge, currently under way, is mostly his idea, but it is failing, as was predicted and predictable. No-one in the administration knows what to do. Troops need to be reduced. The enemy is outrunning us in ways we barely understand. We should fund protection payments to regional warlords to protect our troops, pending a withdrawal. Perhaps we also need to raise taxes or institute a draft so that the country takes this matter seriously.

[Ancient Mariner]

Can someone tell me what American military officers do to earn so many medals on their uniforms ? Do they get one for every conference they attend ?

As for McChrystal, he is a competent enough soldier but only a tactician. He is not a strategist. The Afghan surge, currently under way, is mostly his idea, but it is failing, as was predicted and predictable. No-one in the administration knows what to do. Troops need to be reduced. The enemy is outrunning us in ways we barely understand. We should fund protection payments to regional warlords to protect our troops, pending a withdrawal. Perhaps we also need to raise taxes or institute a draft so that the country takes this matter seriously.

Not only American military officers, or officers for that matter. A bit of a peacock culture methinks, but apparently they are there to signify every campaign they have participated in and the wearer's every achievement (sharp shooter, able to swim 50 meters, life saving course, cooking class and so on.)
They also receive tin and cloth for being shot at and on, being stupid and being there. If high ranking you will also get something from Higher Ranking Leaders for having done........something or been......somewhere.
All a mystery to me, must dig out my own tinsel and dechiper.
Per

[Sickbag]

must dig out my own tinsel and dechiper.
Per

I'm betting it relates tothe number of whales murdered,fermented Herring eaten and bottles of advekett drunk.

[Sickbag]

Perhaps we also need to raise taxes or institute a draft so that the country takes this matter seriously.

If the Generals running the war don't take it seriously then why should the country?

[Ancient Mariner]

must dig out my own tinsel and dechiper.
Per

I'm betting it relates tothe number of whales murdered,fermented Herring eaten and bottles of advekett drunk.

The Royal Norwegian Navy did not hand out tinsel for normal, everyday activities. We had to perform above and beyond the call of duty.
And by the way, fermented herring is a Swedish "delicatessen", I would not touch it with a 10 meter pole. We eat them salted.
Per

[Verbal]

[Verbal]

The Royal Norwegian Navy did not hand out tinsel for normal, everyday activities. We had to perform above and beyond the call of duty.

I found a copy of their recruiting video on YooToob.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBXu-iY7cw

[Ancient Mariner]

The Royal Norwegian Navy did not hand out tinsel for normal, everyday activities. We had to perform above and beyond the call of duty.

I found a copy of their recruiting video on YooToob.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBXu-iY7cw

That just about sums up my service time in the RNN, the only thing lacking is the booze and the ladies.
Per

[David Hilditch]

Perhaps we also need to raise taxes or institute a draft so that the country takes this matter seriously.

If the Generals running the war don't take it seriously then why should the country?

Excellent point, sickbag. America has always had prima donna generals going back to the Civil War, but since Iraq and Afghanistan there’s been a tendency for them to develop media-driven personality cults with very tightly knit groups of overly loyal middle ranking officers who in private can be very critical of the civilian power authority. Their over-confidence often leads to grand-standing, and these days they often have public relations teams in tow. The other negative feature is the career ‘rotation’, whereby career-conscious officers move in and then move out of the theatre (or ‘in country’, as they insist on calling it) on a fixed schedule regardless of the progress of a conflict.

[Ancient Mariner]

The other negative feature is the career ‘rotation’, whereby career-conscious officers move in and then move out of the theatre (or ‘in country’, as they insist on calling it) on a fixed schedule regardless of the progress of a conflict.

Only so they can fatten their CVs and add to their chest-salads.
Per