Seems pretty harsh without specifics...

I hope whatever happens here, Michael is able to get back out there doing the job he does so well, and which is sorely needed. I shudder to think how ignorant I'd be of so many things if Michael hadn't left his good life.

Far more information is available at my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelYonFanPage

Some people will eat out of your hands until you dare go outside their approved message. Sounds like it's all politics, truth be damned: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=18637

How dare you rile the troop lovers who will not tolerate anything but blind obedience.

I first heard of Gen. McChrystal as part of the chain of command that tried to cover-up the real reason for Army Ranger Pat Tillman's death. Instead of being killed in action against the enemy as was initially reported by the Pentagon, Tillman's death was actually a result of friendly fire. If I'm not mistaken, McChrystal was head of Special Operations Command at the time Pat Tillman was killed. As such, he would have been in a position to control information about what really happened. When Tillman's family was informed of what happened, the people in his chain of command were aware that friendly fire was not the cause. Up to the point of Tillman's funeral, the family still believed in the friendly fire cover story. It wasn't until months later that they found out the truth, but only after pressure from the family and others. And I think the Tillman family holds McChrystal accountable for the lie, which I don't think he has admitted to this day. Based on his actions with Pat Tillman's death, I'm also wondering, like Micheal, about how the Gen. does things.

Michael Yon is a soldier who crossed the line and become an oberver of a war, a reporter. Then in Iraq he crossed back over and became a soldier when he picked up and fired a weapon. He has been the most powerul voice coming out of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars because of this dual nature. Only Michael Herr in Vietnam achieved that level of intimacy with the war. And TimO'Brien, well hell, he was a soldier !

He no doubt is treated as "one of them" when he embeds in a unit. He sees it in all it's colors, and then tells it in words and pictures. Policies and decisons that get soldiers killed pisses him off and adds a level of pain that is probably a "thing he carries" always. How long can you be at war and live that ?

I think the crticism of McChrystal was out of line. Justified, and maybe true, but I can read the Op-Eds in the NYT to get all that trash. Michael's power has been to bring us into the "snowflake" of each unit's and each soldier's war. If he's getting too close and losing objectivity I get that, but maybe if he can't step back he needs to step out for awhile.

Donation sent, and Godspeed, Michael.

GEN McChrystal is an awesome commander and he is making it happen in Afghanistan Time will tell how it will turn out but I am sure we will see the fruits of his labour when we gain the support of the Afghan People and they drive out the Taliban hardliners. I am serving with the NATO Training Mission-Afghani stan ( www.ntm-a.com ) and each day we are professionalizi ng their forces and building a more capable capacity for the Afghan Government. There is no doubt that you will eat your words when all is said and done