“Stanley McChrystal” on The Daily Caller

The 2010 campaign provided enough memorable moments to fill out a list all by itself. Christine O’Donnell, Joe Manchin shooting the cap and trade bill, Aqua Buddha: It was that kind of year. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barack Obama’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year got off to a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad start. (more)

As President Obama prepares to give the nation a status update on the war in Afghanistan Thursday, some in Washington are calling on him to “own” the conflict in a way they say he has not, and to articulate a clearer long-term commitment to the region than he has so far. (more)

Last week The Daily Caller sat down with P.J. O’Rourke to discuss his new book, “Don’t Vote It Just Encourages the Bastards,” his tenure at Rolling Stone magazine, his shift from left to right, and the real threat posed by government (hint: maybe you should sweat the small stuff). (more)

I recently received a letter from my Ohio National Guard command asking me if I would volunteer to go to Afghanistan for a “historic combat operation” next year. The letter encouraged me to volunteer for the mission; it was not an order to deploy. Contrary to what you may have heard about an overstressed military, my unit had been requesting to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan for years before we finally were. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we wanted to contribute to the war effort and were pleased when we received our orders to go to Iraq in 2006. (more)

Key players in the U.S. strategy for the war in Afghanistan took to the airwaves over the weekend to discuss the future of U.S. withdrawal. For some, that includes political negotiations with the Taliban. (more)

As soon as Wikileaks posted the 91,000 reports they call the “Afghan War Diary” online, some people immediately compared them to the “Pentagon Papers.” Daniel Elsberg’s 1971 leak of a top-secret Vietnam War study revealed 20 years of presidential-administration deception about American involvement in Southeast Asia. The Afghan War Diary is a reprehensible and damaging revelation of secret intelligence sources and methods that places the lives of U.S. warriors and Afghani informants at greater risk, but the Afghanistan war’s “Pentagon Papers” it’s not. (more)

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich had a sobering analysis of the U.S. military’s mission in Afghanistan during a political visit to Iowa Monday. (more)

Nearly a year before his infamous resignation several weeks ago, Gen. Stanley McChrystal tightened the rules of engagement (ROE) for soldiers serving in Afghanistan to restrict troops from firing unless fired upon and prohibiting bombing or launching artillery attacks with civilians nearby. (more)

Will Obama stand up to the Hirsute Haulers of America? — CNN comes under (Katyusha rocket) fire for firing Mid East anchor — When is the RNC gonna get its stripper money back? — Oaklanders protest light sentence for BART cop by destroying Oakland —
DoD uses break-up language with military reporters — Now that he has lost his primary, the congressman would like to say a few words  (more)

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced Thursday the nomination of Marine Gen. James N. Mattis as commander of U.S. Central Command. If confirmed, Mattis would replace Gen. David Petraeus, who last week assumed command of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and would be responsible for U.S. forces in the Middle East, North Africa and the Arabian Gulf, including Iraq and Afghanistan. (more)

The General and the Dog Robber (more)

At the moment, the political climate in Washington is filled with toxicity, a place where partisan warfare has become the daily norm and election year politics are the determining factor in how willing both parties are to work with one another. (more)

Washington (CNN) — President Obama has agreed to waive a Pentagon rule and let outgoing Gen. Stanley McChrystal retire at his full four-star rank, a White House spokesman said Tuesday. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday unanimously confirmed Gen. David Petraeus as the new commander of the Afghanistan war, and President Barack Obama swiftly issued a statement saying Petraeus had his “full confidence.” (more)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was fired last week as the top U.S. general in the stalemated Afghanistan war, told the Army on Monday that he will retire. (more)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A weak and troublesome Afghan partner. A war strategy increasingly questioned. Sniping between military and civilian officials. Military deaths at record levels. A deadline to begin withdrawing troops that may come too soon. (more)

President Obama sounded confident Sunday evening, issuing a challenge to fiscal conservatives who say he’s doing too little to reduce the nation’s growing deficit and debt. (more)

If it’s Sunday, it’s Meet the Press… and This Week… and Fox News Sunday… and Face the Nation… (more)