First U.S. Official Resigns Over Afghan War

[Steve the Planner]

PolMil:

I do not believe that Steve the Planner was out of line in mentioning the PTSD issue. Mr. Hoh raised it himself in the WaPo article and stated that he suffered from it due to his experience in Iraq (mentioning that his initial reaction was to "drink myself blind").

Actually, as the story emerges, I'm amending my speculation.

First, there are a few online sources, including his online resume:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/matthew-hoh/4/920/712

and a few articles which suggest that, while a riveting piece of journalism, it does not tell the whole story of who he is or what his role was:

http://washingtonindependent.com/653...ervice-officer

Ranging from "Senior US civilian" to Iraq Hero to mid-level temporary appointee, with four months on the ground in Zabul

Andrew Exum explains that Zabul is one of those uniquely God forsaken places (where "rural" is too urban a term) from which the ability to apply it's Biblical-age lessons to broad strategic assessments of Afghanistan is limited. He suggests that Hoh was beaten down by the experience.
http://www.cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawam...too-urban.html

One Examiner story I read suggested instead, after citing interviews with some of his Marine colleagues, suggested that he was, in fact, a political aspirant, but that the letter looked to be soemthing written by someone else for him.

From all that, I can only conclude that there is much more going on than meets the eye with this fellow and his message. We will probably learn more once he sells the rights... or as most suggest, declares for office.

As for the contents of the message, I, too, scratch my head as to how much broad strategy I could surmise about any country based on a small view of an anomalous area during a four month window.

More important to me is that his message, even if correct, was grandstanded in a way calculated to drive national political debate---this from a serving federal appointee. Had he resigned first, or waited til it expired last month, then made a statement, it probably would have been a non-event.

These kinds of grandstanded, out-of-school press events disregard the emotions and fears of relatives of serving members in a way that I personally find disrespectful. Better for the President to review these types of positions, as we all know he is, and make his determination and statement.

If Hoh was a "former" appointee, he was free to make any observation he wanted. But that was not the case.