President Barack Obama's decisive action in replacing Gen. David D. McKiernan, top commander in Afghanistan, because things weren't going so well represents a marked difference -- and, so far, improvement -- from his predecessor.
Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal [right] will take over and while his record is not unblemished -- as his role in the handling of the friendly-fire shooting of former NFL player Pat Tillman indicates -- it holds promise.
As today's lead editorial states, this may be "the first time a general was removed as commander of a theater of combat since Harry S. Truman sacked Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War." Contrast that to former president George W. Bush, who not only showed a reluctance to fire poor performers but sometimes went a step further in heaping praise, a la Michael Brown, despite the then-FEMA chief's mishandling of the Hurricane Katrina.
We may not approve of everything Obama does, although dear readers will disagree, but this piece of decision-making is right on target.
The Pentagon press release is here. Plus official biographies of Gens. McChrystal and McKiernan.
-- Dawn Marie Bracely
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Editorials