Potential Replacements for Gen. McChrystal

[USNAviator]

By The Associated Press
The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 22, 2010; 6:00 PM
-- Potential successors to Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal (http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Gen._Stanley_A._McChrystal) as commander of forces in Afghanistan:


-Marine Gen. James Mattis, commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va. He has command combat experience in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was passed over as commandant of the Marine Corps this month.


-Marine Lt. Gen. John Allen, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, under Gen. David Petraeus (http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Gen._David_Petraeus), since 2008. From 2006-2008, Allen commanded the Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Iraq.


-Army Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, McChrystal's No. 2 in Afghanistan. The two men were sent to Afghanistan as a package deal, with plans for Rodriguez to run the war day to day while McChrystal focused on the bigger picture. He previously served as a military adviser to Defense Secretary Robert Gates (http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Robert_Gates).


-Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the Army Training and Doctrine Command since December 2008. Dempsey commanded the effort to train Iraqi security forces for two years, ending in the summer of 2007. He stepped in as acting commander at Central Command after Adm. William Fallon was forced out. Fallon was done in by an article in Esquire magazine, which described him as the bulwark between the Bush administration and war with Iran.

[Georgiadawg1]

I'm curious if anyone has any insight on this, but in the event Gen. McChrystal is replaced with a Marine, could that potentially lead to more Marine units being sent to Iraq? As far as I can tell TF Leatherneck has three infantry battalions plus one LAR in Afghanistan right now, plus support and air units. I suppose whether this number increases or not would depend on whether the new commander is tied to the same strategy as Gen. McChrystal or if the Afghanistan strategy is re-assessed. Just wondering if a shift in the commander can equal a shift in the troops, or if those things are determined at a higher level.

[echo3oscar1833]

If I could actually go to D.C and vote on this Mattis would have my vote, any day of the week.

[ssgtt32]

If I could actually go to D.C and vote on this Mattis would have my vote, any day of the week.

Everyday of the week and twice on sunday!

Maurice

[echo3oscar1833]

Mattis is a ****ing Warrior!! Enough Said!!:thumbup:

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Good question, L-T. Wish I had a good answer for you. I'd say that if a Marine is picked, it might lead to more Marine units deploying....but that's a very big "MIGHT", since the schedules for these things (not counting 'surges' and the like) are set well in advance, to allow for work up, dwell, and fillup time. Considering we (sort of) have a 'pull the plug' date of July 2011, I'd say 'No'. But of course, that might change.

[Georgiadawg1]

Thanks for the reply Sergeant. I figured all this stuff was set pretty far out, just wondering though. I guess it's a moot point now, but who knows maybe they'll bump Gen. Allen to CENTCOM commander.