McChrystal and Eikenberry ‘Regret’ Leaks (and Suggest They Didn’t Leak Anything) « The Washington Independent
Jul 31, 2020221.9K Shares2.9M Views
Finally someone asked about the leaks of Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s strategy review and Ambassador Karl Eikenberry’s cables appearing to oppose the troop surge! That questioner is Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.).
Eikenberry: “The review the president led was an extraordinary review,” with everyone encouraged to be candid. “The leaks that occurred are absolutely regrettable,” Eikenberry said. “At no time did I ever oppose additional troops being sent to Afghanistan.” What he said concerned him was a sufficient Afghan commitment. Note he suggests he did not leak anything but does not explicitly deny any leaking, either.
Same goes for McChrystal. “I agree with Ambassador Eikenberry,” McChrystal said. “The leaks made our job harder.” He said he was “shoulder to shoulder” with Eikenberry, but the leaks of Eikenberry’s cables made it appear like they were at loggerheads. He elided the question about the leak of his strategy review to Bob Woodward in September, but ends the point by saying, “I absolutely regret the leaks.” Not an explicit reference to the leak of his paper, and McChrystal’s aides have denied to me on the record that anyone in McChrystal’s command leaked it.
Rhyley Carney
Reviewer
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