The President and the Democrats are causing alarm by not letting General McChrystal testify before Congress. It appears that the President is stuck between Iraq and the hard place of Afghanistan. This is major decision that he and the Democrats want to control. For a President who claims to be transparent you can’t see through anything he does. The Democrats recall what happened when General Petreaus testified up on the Hill prior to the Surge. He presented himself as knowledgeable, sincere, capable and credible. They do not want a repeat of that. After Petreaus testified, it made it very difficult to attack him and he became a household name. They do not want the public to know McChrystal or to testify because he would present the same attributes as General Petreaus. It is easier to go against a man no one knows. The Democrats in Congress demanded that General Petreaus testify prior to the Surge. The Bush Administration did not seek to block his testimony because they had faith and trust in him and his abilities. The problem with this White House is they do not want McChrystal to testify precisely because of his presence and abilities. The President is dreading the heady decision he must make on Afghanistan, but, the longer he delays the worse it gets, militarily and politically.

By, Bradley A. Blakeman, Former Deputy Assistant to President George W. Bush, 2001-2004