Shoot the Messenger

Conn Carroll / October 07, 2009

There are cries on the left that General McChrystal violated article 2 of the Constitution when he publicly and candidly responded to questions about the military advice he has offered to the president of the United States.

The problem may be that the general’s accusers may be reading a different constitution. They certainly can’t be reading the US Constitution.

Under the US constitution, and the oath that military officers swear, they are obligated to obey the lawful orders of their superiors. You would have to twist reality into a different dimension to craft an argument the General McChrystall violated orders passed down his superiors.

First, the Obama administration approved of both his appearances on 60 Minutes and speaking at the IISS Conference in London to begin with.

Second, unless they told him to lie, there is nothing wrong with officers there candid opinion on military matters. After all, it was the president that charged him with making an honest assessment of the situation. (more…)