12-05-09 U.S. Fires Afghan War Chief

The Pentagon ousted its top general in Afghanistan and appointed a new leadership team,in an attempt to jump-start a new war strategy that relies more on counterinsurgency tactics and less on conventional warfare.Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked for the resignation of Gen.David McKiernan,who had been in the job for less than a year, and replaced him with Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal,a former Green Beret who recently commanded the military's secretive special operations forces in Iraq.Mr.Gates said he would also appoint Lt.Gen.David Rodriguez to run the day-to-day operations of all U.S. forces in Afghanistan.The move,which was reported last week by The Wall Street Journal,will mark the first time since the start of the war that the U.S. will have two senior commanders in Kabul.Gen.Rodriguez will report to Gen. McChrystal,who will get a fourth star as part of the move.The removal of Gen.McKiernan represents an effort to restructure a flagging U.S.-led war effort in Afghanistan,which has seen a sharp spike in casualties as resurgent Taliban militants take de facto control of many parts of the country."From a military perspective,we can and must do better," Mr. Gates said.With 21,000 U.S. reinforcements arriving in Afghanistan in the coming months,the defense chief said it was time for "new leadership and fresh eyes."The replacement of a four-star U.S. war commander so early into his tenure is exceptional."This is the first time since MacArthur was called back during the Korean War that a four-star commanding general was relieved in the middle of a war," said a senior Pentagon official.Asked if the move would end Gen.McKiernan's 37-year military career,Mr.Gates said,"probably."