Afghan policy debate fueled White House, Pentagon mistrust

Afghan policy debate fueled White House, Pentagon mistrust: book | Reuters: "Obama ultimately approved the additional troops after announcing a new strategic direction for the war that called for U.S. forces to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and to pursue a counterinsurgency-style strategy in Afghanistan. But the damage had been done.
"The rising mistrust was disappointing," McChrystal wrote.

After the general was tapped to take over international forces in Afghanistan in May, he conducted a strategic reassessment assisted by civilian defense analysts that concluded at least 40,000 additional troops would be needed to carry out a counterinsurgency strategy.
Several weeks after briefing Defense Secretary Robert Gates on the strategy, McChrystal said he learned it had been leaked to the media, creating pressures on the White House and Pentagon that were not helpful for the decision-making process."