APP - U.S. commander in Afghanistan talked with Obama only once

[WinterBorn]

So it is not customary or not protocal for the President to be able to talk to the lead general in the field? I find that hard to believe.

He may speak with him on occasion, if he thinks he is not getting good info.

But no, the chain of command is taken seriously.

 

[cawacko]

He may speak with him on occasion, if he thinks he is not getting good info.

But no, the chain of command is taken seriously.

If I'm the President and I want to know to what's going on in a war zone wouldn't I want to talk directly with the man in charge? Why do I want info filtered on the way to me? The President is the C.I.C. That is his most important position. Why should he be 'blocked' from his top man? I've not served so I can't claim to know but from a business perspective I can not believe a CEO would ever not be able to call the head of one of his most important positions.

 

[WinterBorn]

If I'm the President and I want to know to what's going on in a war zone wouldn't I want to talk directly with the man in charge? Why do I want info filtered on the way to me? The President is the C.I.C. That is his most important position. Why should he be 'blocked' from his top man? I've not served so I can't claim to know but from a business perspective I can not believe a CEO would ever not be able to call the head of one of his most important positions.

Partly because there would be other information involved, like from intelligence sources.

Also, since the president is as busy as a one-armed paperhanger, and the general is running a huge operation, they are both served by the president receiving info from the Joint Chiefs.