The Oklahoman: Members of Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation respond to McChrystal ouster

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore: "I have the utmost respect for General McChrystal and his distinguished career of service to our country, but his comments were ill-advised for a commander in a time of war. It is disturbing that the administration’s management of the war has created an atmosphere of doubt and division among military and civilian leaders in Afghanistan. However, any criticism must be kept within the chain of command, regardless of disagreements with the White House. It is imperative that our men and women in uniform have the full, unified support of the administration, the Congress, and the American people. I’m pleased with the appointment of General Petraeus to lead the mission in Afghanistan. He is a brilliant commander, an accomplished diplomat, and a great patriot. Now, it is vital that the Obama administration fully commit itself to achieving victory and providing General Petraeus and our soldiers with the support needed to complete the mission in Afghanistan."

Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, a member of the House Armed Services and the Intelligence committees: "General McChrystal answers directly to the Commander-in-Chief. His recent comments were completely inappropriate and a change in leadership was necessary. I am very pleased to see that General Petraeus will be taking over command in Afghanistan which should make the transition easier for our troops serving there."

Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne: "President Obama’s decision reminds me of President Truman’s firing of General McArthur over their disagreement on whether or not the Korean War could be won. I hope that President Obama’s decision does not reflect a waver in his resolve that the terrorists in Afghanistan must – and will – be defeated."

Rep. John Sullivan, R-Tulsa: "While I have the utmost respect for General McChrystal and his service to our nation, I also understand the president’s decision to accept his resignation. Moving forward, our primary focus should be to win the war in Afghanistan and to ensure our troops on the ground have the resources and leadership they need to get the job done and return home. General David Petraeus, the current commander of U.S. Central Command, has proven that he is up to that challenge."

Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee: “General McChrystal’s service and leadership have proven to be invaluable and instrumental to our nation’s military success in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is an American hero and has selflessly served this nation well. However, his recent interview with Rolling Stone was a clear sudden lapse of judgment that cannot be condoned. That being said, I do believe that we should ask the questions ‘What led McChrystal and his team to feel the way they did?’ and ‘What needs to be corrected in Afghanistan to get the mission on track there?’.
“President Obama must get his team of civilian advisors for Afghanistan on the same page and present a unified front that provides the support our men and women in uniform need to achieve victory. The president must clearly articulate a winning strategy that is based on the situation on the ground rather than a date-certain exit.

“I salute General Petreaus for once again answering the call of his nation. While I know General Petreaus will again perform skillfully on the field of battle, I am concerned about on-going and future operations in Afghanistan."

Rep. Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City, a member of the House Armed Services Committee: “General McChrystal has had a long and distinguished career in service to our country and I am grateful for it. However, I am disappointed in the circumstances that led to his resignation today. Going forward, I am confident in the proven ability of General Petraeus to provide mission-critical leadership in Afghanistan. It is of the utmost importance our service men and women on the ground have the resources they need to achieve success in Afghanistan.”

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