Cracking the McChrystal Code

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3:01 PM, Sep 22, 2009 • By MICHAEL GOLDFARB

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At the Atlantic, D.B. Grady offers a really smart take on the current state of play now that the McChrystal report has leaked. First off, Grady is dubious that the administration is having trouble deciphering the assessment:

The Obama administration is still "reviewing the document," according to The Washington Post, as though Kremlinologists are required to catch the general's nuance. At two pages a day, they should have an idea early next week. This is on top of ten months of daily intelligence briefings, and eight years of reported successes and failures. The administration is, by all appearances, stalling.

Grady tries to game out what the defeat McChrystal warns of would look like a year from now and what success might look should McChrystal be given the resources he needs and deliver as promised. Ultimately, he concludes that "This is President Obama's FDR moment." Very much worth reading in full.