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McChrystal to replace McKiernan in Afghan war

Defense Secretary Robert Gates ousted Army Gen. David McKiernan as the top American and NATO commander in Afghanistan on Monday, and he announced plans to install two generals to take over the nearly eight-year-old conflict.

At a Pentagon briefing, Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Mike Mullen said they concluded some weeks ago that a change atop the U.S. command structure is needed.

Gates and Mullen said they felt “new leadership,” “new approaches” and “fresh eyes” are needed to improve the situation there.

From a military standpoint, Gates said, “We can and must do better” in Afghanistan.

Gates said he will nominate Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, a special operations veteran who now is director of the Joint Staff, to replace McKiernan. He also said he will create a new post dubbed deputy commander for Afghanistan forces. Army Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez will be tapped for that position.

Neither Gates nor Mullen would point to specific things McKiernan was doing with which they found fault, nor would either official highlight things they felt McKiernan was doing poorly. They did not disclose whether he had resisted any elements of the Obama administration’s new Afghan strategy.

Since taking office Jan. 20, President Barack Obama has installed “a new team … across the board” to set and carry out policies central to the Afghanistan region. Gates and Mullen told reporters they concluded that the new roster needed different uniformed leadership that could bring “new thinking” to the U.S. and NATO mission against al-Qaida and Taliban fighters.

McKiernan had been commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan for just under a year, appointed by then-President George W. Bush late last May.

Gates said he asked for McKiernan’s resignation, adding that he spoke with McKiernan in Afghanistan during a fact-finding visit last week.

Gates said only himself, Mullen and U.S. Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus were involved in the decision to remove McKiernan earlier than the routine 18- to 24-month tour for such a post.

Asked whether this would likely be the end of McKiernan’s military career, Gates responded: “Probably.”

His replacement, McChrystal, has an extensive special operations background. He was a top commander of the Pentagon’s Joint Special Operations Command from 2006 until 2008, an elite outfit that has nabbed several top al-Qaida officials.

Rodriguez has served as a personal military assistant to Gates since last year. Prior to that assignment, he served as commander of the 82nd Airborne Division during its deployment to eastern Afghanistan.

Gates touted their collective experience battling insurgent groups.

“Both Gen. McChrystal and Gen. Rodriguez bring a unique skill set in counterinsurgency to these issues,” Gates told reporters. “And I think they will provide the kind of new leadership and fresh thinking that [Mullen] and I have been talking about.”

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