The article about Afghanistan policy in today’s Washington Post is full of snide, self-confident, anonymous criticism of General Stanley McChrystal, the man Obama chose to lead U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The tone of the criticism is consistent with the arrogance of the Obama White House. But in this case, it’s also counterproductive. Not just because it’s bad form to mock your lead wartime commander in news articles, but because in several cases McChrystal is making arguments that the president himself made — almost verbatim — in recent months. For instance, according to the Post:

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