Stanley A. McChrystal Quotes
Wars often begin with enthusiastic vigor but typically settle into costly, dirty business characterized for soldiers by fear, frustration, and loneliness.
McChrystal, Stanley A. My Share of the Task: A Memoir. Portfolio / Penguin, 2013.
“Tragedies” was used as a euphemism for incidents of “war crimes” or atrocities committed by individuals or small groups contrary to the official policy of the military or the country. McCain had personally been the victim of those committed by the Vietnamese in the Vietnam War. He was not surprised when some American and Canadian soldiers were guilty of some of these in the Afghanistan War.
Stanley Allen McChrystal is a retired United States Army general best known for his command of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the mid-2000s. His last assignment was as Commander, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander, United States Forces – Afghanistan (USFOR-A). He previously served as Director, Joint Staff from August 2008 to June 2009 and as Commander of JSOC from 2003 to 2008, where he was credited with the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, but also criticized for his alleged role in the cover-up of the Pat Tillman friendly fire incident. McChrystal was reportedly known for saying what other military leaders were thinking but were afraid to say; this was one of the reasons cited for his appointment to lead all forces in Afghanistan. He held the post from June 15, 2009 to June 23, 2010.
