Robert Gates memoir and its impact on America's policy in Afghanistan.

• Author: Garner, Godfrey
• Position: 'Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War'

The week ending January 11th, 2014 brought with it a metaphoric retraction of the curtain that obscures the Great and Powerful Wizard. Robert Gates memoir, 'Duty' went a long way toward clarifying suspicions, long held by those soldiers and commanders closest to the knife's edge in Afghanistan.

Rumors have swirled among men on patrols as well as command level battle planners, meeting in crude, makeshift, mud reinforced staff operation centers under the ever-present austere conditions that have characterized Operation Enduring Freedom. Rumors ranging from assertions of less than enthusiastic support for the troops, to an outright intent to abandon these same troops, and the people of Afghanistan have been passed from generation to generation of new recruit in Afghanistan, for months.

Such frustrating images of a dysfunctional clueless Washington originally spilled over in a 2010 Rolling Stones interview with General Stanly McChrystal leading to the resignation of one of the most respected military commanders in that country. And now, the assertions of this revered military commander have been virtually confirmed by the revelations in Gate's book.

Confounding and further confusing the issue is a more disturbing, widespread assumption among the rank and file troops on the ground in Afghanistan that, in addition to pursuing his verbalized pledge to 'fundamentally transform America', the President is additionally pursuing an unspoken intention to 'fundamentally transform America's military'. Most in the military see Obama's idea of a successfully transformed America as one which more openly embraces Islam and much of the Muslim culture.

Many on the ground in Afghanistan see Obama's view of a fundamentally transformed military as one which also, more openly embraces Islam and potentially the fringes of Muslim culture that, while possibly condemning terrorism, is more accepting of the feelings that inspire it.

The concern among the troops in light of this, is that in the process of such a forced metamorphosis within the military, soldiers will die for fear of violating new rules of engagement, that many see as enhancing the enemy's ability to strike while mandating a less proactive posture for our troops, and a concern that Islamic terrorist the world over will be emboldened as a result.

While it is no secret that under President Obama, an inordinate number of our military's leaders have been dismissed or demoted, the suspicion among America's troops on the ground is that this is evidence of a transformation to a military in which Obama has more trust and more control. Such concerns and fears among our troops is exacerbated in light of the fact that many of these dismissed and demoted military leaders have been seen as taking a hardline against Islamic terrorism. For most, Robert Gates' claims relative to the extreme lack of trust among Obama's staff for many at the top of our military leadership, magnified by the fact that such suspicions were fueled and aggravated by Joe Biden and top Obama administration officials provide the type of thick smoke that leads to the proverbial fire.

Decisions which led in part to the frustration that contributed to McChrystal's vent, which at the time he considered to be off the record, was an Obama dictated 'lowering of expectations' from 'defeat the Taliban' to, 'degrade the Taliban.' This obvious signal that the Obama administration had little faith in the military or in Operation Enduring Freedom and was intent on softening America's stance against the Taliban, was coupled by an ill-advised withdrawal date, announcement from the White House.

Obama administration intentions in Afghanistan at the time were widely viewed by soldiers and commanders as fueled by political expediency rather than successful mission conclusion. Those most at risk in Operation Enduring Freedom additionally, saw it as total abandonment of them, their brethren who had made the ultimate sacrifice in that country and the people of Afghanistan who had risked all to support America and its allies. Many of the assertions of Robert Gates in 'Duty' will be widely accepted as verification of these rumors.

Adding extreme insult to injury is the revelation that key...