Pelosi: McChrystal Shouldn’t Make Afghanistan Recommendations ‘In Press Conferences’

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) criticized Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal on Charlie Rose last night for going public in London last week with his assessment of the war in Afghanistan — which he believes requires tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops for victory.

“Let me say this about Gen. McChrystal, with all due respect,” Pelosi said. “His recommendation to the President should go up the line of command. They shouldn’t be in press conferences.”

“That’s not where this debate takes place,” Pelosi added.

Rose also pressed Pelosi about McChrystal’s criticism of reports that Vice President Joe Biden’s plan would reduce the number of troops and target al Qaeda instead of the Taliban. McChrystal said in London that such a strategy wouldn’t work.

“Let me say this,” Pelosi told Rose. “The Vice President’s views are ones that are widely shared, by members of Congress and people across the country.”

The approach that the Vice President is taking is one that has currency among the American people.

Pelosi isn’t the first to offer some criticism of McChrystal’s outspokenness on Afghanistan strategy. On Sunday, National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones (Ret.) said on CNN that “ideally, it’s best for military advice to come up through the chain of command.”

And yesterday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said military advisers should offer “our best advice to the president candidly — but privately.”

Late Update: Here’s the video.

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