Topic: Stanley McChrystal

Opinion Do we want drone-architect John Brennan as CIA chief?

At John Brennan's Senate confirmation hearing, the candidate for CIA director should be asked about the killing of Americans, civilian victims of drone strikes, extraordinary renditions, and torture. Do those actions make us safer? Are they consistent with US laws and values?

Invisible Armies: An Epic History of Guerrilla Warfare from Ancient Times to the Present

Max Boot's entertaining history teaches valuable lessons, but sometimes draws shaky conclusions.

For CIA chief, Obama taps drone strike defender (+video)

John Brennan, nominated to lead the CIA, is one of the few administration officials who has publicly supported the use of controversial interrogation techniques and drone strikes.

'Cult of David Petraeus': Did media perpetuate a myth?

Members of the Pentagon press are shaking their heads in the wake of the David Petraeus scandal. Some think Petraeus's savvy and personable style led them to be too soft on him.

Petraeus affair: From romantic jealousy to the downfall of 'King David'

Details are emerging about the extramarital affair that led to CIA Director David Petraeus's resignation. Some in Congress want to know why the FBI waited so long to inform them.

Global Viewpoint Obama’s Afghanistan withdrawal: another sign of America's decline?

To the Taliban – and much of the world – the withdrawal is a sign of US weakness. The short-term benefits of abandoning counterinsurgency in Afghanistan may be politically appealing. But the long-term costs may be greater than Obama anticipates.
06/27/2011 12:47 pm

In Pictures Obama's West Wing

Stan McChrystal recounts US roadblocks to Taliban manhunt

Retired Gen. Stan McChrystal relayed story of how US special forces in Afghanistan finally got their man, despite an intelligence blackout from D.C. Now a Yale professor, he spoke this week about that Taliban episode, WikiLeaks, and information-sharing with the public.
01/27/2011 03:09 pm

Global News Blog Pakistan earthquake hits Afghan Taliban haven

The massive Pakistan earthquake caused minimal damage, welcome news to a government trying to keep inquisitive reporters away from the Afghan Taliban stronghold of Balochistan.
01/19/2011 11:51 am

'Project Censored' lists top stories that go unreported

"Project Censored" criticizes print and broadcast media outlets for overlooking important issues in favor of "junk food news." The group blames political, economic, and legal pressure.
01/02/2011 03:31 pm

Obama's Wars

More than anything else, "Obama's Wars" – Bob Woodward's latest must-read political tome – is a study in leadership and management style.
10/05/2010 07:05 am

Terrorism & Security CIA paying numerous Afghan officials, report says

Mohammed Zia Salehi, one of President Hamid Karzai’s senior national security advisers, is reportedly one of numerous Afghan officials on the CIA's payroll.
08/27/2010 10:33 am

Monitor Breakfast Q&A with Sen. Carl Levin

Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Carl Levin, at a July 13 Monitor breakfast, discussed the state of the war in Afghanistan and the replacement of Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
08/13/2010 12:54 pm

Afghanistan war: Will the new Petraeus rules of engagement make troops safer?

General David Petraeus has issued new rules of engagement for the war in Afghanistan. The rules appear to relax restrictions on the use of deadly force, but it's unclear how much meaningful change will happen on the ground.
08/05/2010 05:06 pm

The Monitor's View Wikileaks report of war logs about Afghanistan show why Obama must be on offensive

Wikileaks report of war logs about Afghanistan again puts Obama on the PR defensive about the war. He needs to show more leadership in shaping public opinion.
07/26/2010 01:03 pm

Opinion McChrystal: What would Eisenhower have done?

Before President Obama ousted General McChrystal, he should have considered how Ike dealt with an incident involving legendary General George Patton during World War II.
07/14/2010 03:32 pm

Opinion Petraeus’s impossible mission in Afghanistan: armed nation-building

The US can’t build society at the barrel of a gun, but it can hunt Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.
07/06/2010 10:45 am

General Odierno: Al Qaeda in Iraq faces serious financial crunch

General Odierno, the top US commander in Iraq, said in a Monitor interview that US and Iraqi forces have broken large Al Qaeda in Iraq rings that extorted millions of dollars a year from companies.
07/02/2010 04:30 pm

Opinion Why US soldiers in Afghanistan are so frustrated

Restrictive rules of engagement reflect a deeper problem: It’s not altogether clear why US soldiers are trying to “win over” the population.
06/30/2010 12:30 pm

McChrystal pension: Obama to guarantee 4-star rate

McChrystal pension: President Obama is set to guarantee his fired Afghanistan commander the pension of a four-star general, over $12,000 per month.
06/30/2010 11:29 am

Afghanistan war: General Petraeus rethinking rules of engagement

With June marking the deadliest month for foreign troops in the Afghanistan war, General Petraeus said he is considering relaxing strict military rules of engagement out of concern they are excessively endangering American troops.
06/29/2010 02:15 pm

Terrorism & Security Deadliest month yet for NATO in Afghanistan

June 2010 is now the most deadly month of the nine-year Afghanistan war, with more than 100 NATO troops killed. The sobering number comes amid growing debate over strict rules of engagement for US soldiers.
06/29/2010 09:48 am

Afghanistan war: Top Senate Democrat says support could weaken

Afghanistan war will be run by Gen. David Petraeus, but Democratic Senator Carl Levin of Michigan said Monday congressional support could weaken if a planned operation in Kandahar doesn't go well.
06/28/2010 04:57 pm

Time for Obama to rethink Afghanistan war strategy?

McChrystal is out, but the Afghanistan war will remain on the same course under David Petraeus. Some experts are clamoring for a change from the administration's counterinsurgency strategy.
06/28/2010 01:30 pm

Elena Kagan begins marathon week before Senate Judiciary Committee

Elena Kagan breaks weeks of public silence Monday when she faces a Senate panel on her confirmation to the Supreme Court.
06/28/2010 08:32 am