Update: More good news at The New York Post - Afghan Book by Rolling Stone's Hastings Goes MIA by Keith Kelly. BLUF: "Little, Brown has apparently canceled a much-anticipated book about the war in Afghanistan by Michael Hastings, based on 'The Runaway General', last summer's explosive Rolling Stone article on Gen. Stanley McChrystal."
Update 2: Overview at Politico - William Caldwell, 'Psy-Ops' General, Cleared by Pentagon Report by Elias Groll.
Update 3: An Open Letter to Rolling Stone by Carl Prine at Line of Departure. BLUF: "Dear Rolling Stone, The time has come for you to do the right thing. Retract 'Another Runaway General: Army Deploys Psy-Ops on U.S. Senators,' a bit of fable haplessly ginned up by your star reporter Michael Hastings in late February."
Comments
"How does one go about respecting professional liars? Or believing what they say?"
Rule 1: Never trust the Government
The greatest weakness isn't our government institutions, they have always been manned by people and we're all capable of pursuing organizational and self interests (the two are intertwined), so the ultimate check and balance for a free nation is a professional and free press that conducts "honest" probes to get at the truth.
While we have always had the likes of unprofessional reporters like Gallagher, it didn't seem to be an institutional norm. Over my life time I have seen the media and academia shift far to the left and significantly bias their reporting, and this resulted in the rise of junk media on the far right like Rush and others, and now our press is as polarized as our political parties. Not that we haven't been here before as a nation, but with so much history behind us, it scares the hell out of me we're here again with polarizers like Reid, Pelosi, and Tea Partiers in Congress putting their ideological spin on current events and depending on what news station you listen to you get the bias'ed view you want.
This is encouraged by government policies. Obama doesn't allow reporters who don't drink his Koolaid access, and reporters didn't toe the line in Iraq they were denied access, so they were forced to be politically correct. The internet and proliferation of political blogs has increased the magnitude of the problem exponentally.
I would love to see a real movement in our nation that compels our politicians to drop the outdated ideological baggage and focus on solving problems (the reason they were put in office), and have the press hold them accountable. Leaders like this would hold military leaders accountable for providing honest assessments instead of spinning fairy tale narratives, and if they didn't provide honest assessments they would be relieved. Don't suspect we'll see that anytime soon, so those who spin the best happy narratives are probably assured of continued career progress.
Back to rule 1:
Never trust the Government.
I often think the old saying, "'Tis better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open one's mouth and remove all doubt," often applies in instances such as this.
We all know Caldwell's in a difficult position. The U.S. Government and its agents have gotten into the regrettable habit of using baby talk with the American people. Everything must be sugar coated and given a positive spin. Caldwell is just another of the legions of professional prevaricators paid from American tax monies. He's probably not the worst offender, but he's one of the most prominent ones.
The BS works a lot of the time. Gullible reporters, AKA stenographers, and an even more gullible public eat this stuff up. That's why our government slipped into these bad habits. But there are literally millions of us (serving military personnel, other government folks, retirees, veterans, knowledgeable citizens) who know the truth and who accordingly think a lot less of those who are pumping sunshine up our fourth point of contact. It also of course undermines confidence in our institutions, if, that is, there is any of that left.
How does one go about respecting professional liars? Or believing what they say?
When I think of what NTM-A is really guilty of, I think of the movie American Beauty and the Peter Gallagher character, the real estate king, who said "In order to be successful one must project an image of success." I don't think their communications are designed to influence the frequenters of this online journal. With that in mind, I don't condemn it all that much. I wouldn't condone all of it either were I in a position where my opinion mattered to them.
We, all of us, are part of the problem. Capacity building on the scale of standing up a capable AF Army and Police Force is difficult in the best of times, and time consuming. It won't happen overnight. Yet we, all of us, demand tangible results in self-imposed cycles such as political and news. Add to that the impending draw-down and you have the perfect storm. I give credit to those at NTM-A who are doing their best under the worst of circumstances.
I also read about the fiance story, who took a job in Iraq to be closer to him while he reported there. He must feel horrible about that. But that is something over which he had no proximate control. If that guilt drove him to falsely disparage those who provide him with enough protection and security to do his 'job' and make money doing it, that is ridiculous. I have no sympathy for someone who takes advantage of all of the comforts and security of being an embed, only to make the job of those providing that protection that much harder through false and/or poor reporting. He should be feeling guilty about that. Next time he can go buy a Toyota and drive around Afghanistan by himself, if he even has the courage to leave the wire to get a story.
I agree, many of the reports I've read coming out of NTM-A dont seem to represent reality. That would have been the story for Hastings to report on. Doesn't seem to have the same impact as "Psy-ops" targeting congressmen and women, I guess.
"Now due to this unprofessional article it will be more challenging to get to the truth in our capacity building efforts"
ROTFLMAO.
Getting the truth was challenging long before the article appeared. Havng watched an O5 make 17 versions of the monthly POTUS brief until it was good/spun enough, the article is not the problem.
Publius,
I don't know anyone who is aware of what is happening in Afghanistan that thinks the ASF training is progressing well (but it is progressing), and unfortunately FO/GO's historically have a hard time discerning between out right lying and the apparently self imposed professional obligation of putting a positive spin a negative situation. I would hope that both the President and Congress demand frank and honest reports, and hopefully there are some frank discussions behind closed doors.
The high five isn't about giving license for a GO to continue BS'ing the American leaders and the American people (if he is), but rather high fiving over the unprofessional O5 and reporter who colluded to publish some crap for personal gain.
I believe the reporter lost his fiance in Iraq, so I can understand his bitterness, but Rolling Stone should also understand that due to this trauma he is incapable of reporting professionally and assign him to other projects. The O5 was just a punk who was frustrated because he didn't get his dream job, which in turn would have enhanced is private business in the civilian world.
Now due to this unprofessional article it will be more challenging to get to the truth in our capacity building efforts.
While everybody's high-fiving here, we might want to consider everything Carl Prine wrote in his open letter:
"Rolling Stone failed the publications readers in February. And thats a shame because there remain legitimate questions about the generals statements concerning the recruitment, retention, competence and future efficacy of Afghan National Security Forces -- reporting journalists should be doing now because they have an obligation to our democracy to do so.
"No general is beyond scrutiny just as no war policy should be given a pass by reporters simply because its championed by an affable three-star."
I guess Carl and I are the only ones who've ever wondered about the Pollyanish reports from General Caldwell's headquarters. And of course those awful Rolling Stone dudes, too.
Given the outstanding performance we've seen from the Afghan security forces after all of these years and all of those dollars--oh, and those lives, too--it's clear that all is well and is going according to plan.