Stanley McChrystal profile in the FT (here). It used to puzzle me how right-wing pundits would shut down a discussion about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by asking their anti-war interlocutors if they wanted to win, if they wanted America to win. How would I answer this question? What does victory mean in these conflict situations? Gen. McChrystal gives what I think is a good answer:
“At the end of the day we don’t win by destroying the Taliban, we don’t win by body count, we don’t win by number of successful military raids or attacks,” he said in London, highlighting his goal of gaining the sympathy of the Afghan population. “We win when the people decide we win.”
