General McChrystal Plays His Hand

Afghan theater commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal has painted Obama into a corner masterfully, with McClatchy reporting that aides to the General say he will resign if not given the proper resources to win the war in Afghanistan.

In the last two weeks, top administration leaders have suggested that more American troops will be sent to Afghanistan, and then called that suggestion "premature." Earlier this month, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that "time is not on our side"; on Thursday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urged the public "to take a deep breath."

The White House didn't respond to requests for comment. Officials willing to speak did so only on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

In Kabul, some members of McChrystal's staff said they don't understand why Obama called Afghanistan a "war of necessity" but still hasn't given them the resources they need to turn things around quickly.

Three officers at the Pentagon and in Kabul told McClatchy that the McChrystal they know would resign before he'd stand behind a faltering policy that he thought would endanger his forces or the strategy.

"Yes, he'll be a good soldier, but he will only go so far," a senior official in Kabul said. "He'll hold his ground. He's not going to bend to political pressure."

For an avowed non-political commander, McChrystal has given a virtuoso performance here. McChrystal is doing exactly what I thought our commanders in Iraq should have done years ago: ask for enough resources to finish the job, and then say that if those resources aren't given, to resign. It's that second part that Gen Petraeus refused to do, but in the end he got his surge.

McChrystal is playing hardball. His resignation would effectively end our war in Afghanistan and all sides know it. Here's the question: does Obama have the guts to do what the American people want him to do and say "Okay, then it's time to wrap up our mission there and leave"? Will he call McChrystal's hand?

Somehow I doubt it. Expect tens of thousands of more troops in Afghanistan before the end of the year.