General called back to DC due to 'poor remarks'.
 

(CNN) -- Gen. Stanley McChrystal, America's top military commander in Afghanistan, has been recalled to Washington amid his controversial remarks about colleagues in a Rolling Stone article, officials said.

McChrystal was summoned to attend a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan in person rather than by video conference, a senior administration official said Tuesday.

"He has been recalled to Washington," another official said.

McChrystal apologized Tuesday for the profile, in which the general and his staff appear to mock top civilian officials, including the vice president. Two defense officials said the general has also fired a press aide over the article, set to appear in Friday's edition of Rolling Stone magazine.

"I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened," McChrystal said in a Pentagon statement. "Throughout my career, I have lived by the principles of personal honor and professional integrity. What is reflected in this article falls far short of that standard."

In the profile written by Michael Hastings, the author writes that McChrystal and his staff had imagined ways of dismissing Vice President Joe Biden with a one-liner as they prepared for a question-and-answer session in Paris in April. The general had grown tired of questions about Biden since earlier dismissing a counterterrorism strategy the vice president had offered.

"'Are you asking about Vice President Biden?' McChrystal says with a laugh. 'Who's that?'"

"'Biden?' suggests a top adviser. 'Did you say: Bite Me?'"

McChrystal does not directly criticize President Barack Obama in the article, but Hastings writes that the general and Obama "failed to connect" from the outset after the president took office. Sources familiar with the meeting said McChrystal thought Obama looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by the room full of top military officials, according to the article.

Later, McChrystal's first one-on-one meeting with Obama "was a 10-minute photo op," Hastings writes, quoting an adviser to McChrystal. "Obama clearly didn't know anything about him, who he was. Here's the guy who's going to run his f---ing war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The Boss (McChrystal) was disappointed."



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Everyone knows you only diss the boss when you're not working for him anymore.

Barry could just fire the Generals who don't agree with him as his predecessor did.

I think what irks me the most is that he (and/or his advisors) gave an interview to the Rolling Stone. It's not like Jann Wenner hasn't turned his music magazine into an agenda-ridden political outlet.

General McChrystal is very popular with the troops, and supposedly there are big "things" about to happen. This couldn't happen at a worse times. But, he knows the military code honor. I wouldn't be shocked if he's riding a desk for the rest of his career, nor could I defend it.

Dittos.

McChrystal was wrong to speak in the way he did. He should have resigned first. At that point he would have been free to speak his mind.

He breached the uniform code of conduct for a soldier. Case closed he should be fired whether he was right or wrong in what he said. It just doesn't matter.

I do doubt he'll be fired or benched right now. Dressed down certainly, but firing him now would probably not be good for the war. (And I can pretty well predict the reactionary talking points if he is fired)

I have to agree with you, but I don't think it will happen. For someone so high on the foodchain, how in the world could he be so stupid as to say those things in front of a reporter? Monumental! He must really think he's untouchable.

He already fires car salesmen that don't.

For some reason, I believe he knew exactly what he was doing and meant to do it. I don't believe the man is stupid and precedent dictates that you do not do what he did without facing the consequences. Douglas McCarther was fired during the Korean War because he crossed Truman and since that time others have been forced to step down because they could not support the Commander in Chief. Obama has to fire him or he will lose what little credibility that is left to him. This is the hill in which he (McChrystal) wanted to die on, IMNTBHO.

I haven't received my Rolling Stone (I do have a subscription) yet so I will be interested in what he really said.

Anything to distract from the BP oil spill. C-O-N-spiracy.

i just read via t_witter (lol) that he quit, so not much distraction left there i guess.

The bolded assumes that Obama doesn't have much credibility now and YMMV on that. However, I can see equal criticism if he does fire a general in the middle of this war. He didn't say anything that bad, but it was improper and shouldn't have been done. The "you will attend this meeting in person by flying halfway around the world and screwing up your sleep" + a good dressing down would be sufficient.

My bet is he returns, then after the pull out in Iraq, comes home to a desk job and retires quietly while someone else takes over in Afghanistan.

I actually now think he will resign and Obama will accept. I just read on MSN that McChyrstal did this before and Obama forgave him saying it was the Head of the Joint Chiefs fault (Mullans). You don't get to screw up twice.

Ditto @ Angel!

And McChrystal is out and is being replaced by Petraeus.

Oh. Snap.

Another meeting I would have liked to be a fly on the wall during.

ETA: Ok someone explain for me, has Petreus' job changed over the past few years? Or has he only been in charge of Iraq?

Or, well, who's been in charge over there when? I guess I don't track the appointments well.

He was McChrystal's boss, so now he just has to run the war in Afghanistan more hands on.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37866754...ary/?GT1=43001

BTW...I called it, Ghostwriter.

Ah ok, but did he get promoted there recently? Or has he been in that boss position for a while. I fail at military terms.

And I'm surprised, but I understand the decision and support it.

A couple of years ago, I think.

Wiki says he took over US Central Command in Fall 2008. Before that he was over the Multi-National force in Iraq.

Ok thanks to you and MC. So he was the Iraq guy, and got promoted, McC was the Afghanistan guy and got fired. *check*

The question is is he going to be double hatting, or are they going to appoint a new CENTCOM commander?

Wouldn't that be a demotion? I'd guess double hatting with someone else filling that role eventually.

Not really. It's still a four star slot.

Ah ok, see I military fail.

So I guess our answer is who knows? :p

If I talked shit on my boss in the press I'd be fired, too.

To be honest, it was a poor move on McChrystal's part.

More than likely, Petraeus will fill in for a while (as I would imagine he has intimate knowledge of the plan in Afghanistan), and they'll appoint someone else to step up and take over. It's unfortunate that McChrystal was so popular with the troops - but, at the same time, they're there to do their job. Liking your boss boosts morale, which is definitely important, but they're going to do whatever the person in charge says, just part of the job.

It wouldn't surprise me if he staged this to force Obama to accept his resignation. Didn't somebody say he tried before?

Well he was doing all the public bitching about the delay in getting his 30k troops, a decision that ended up going in his favor. That wasn't looked upon favorably.

I just realized I used "they're, there, and their" in the same sentence. Hooray!

And correctly, you get an internet gold star.

Is it sad that I feel the need to celebrate someone who did it right, even if it's me? Oh grammar, where did you go? We miss you soooo...

That's kind of what it sounded like when the FOX news people added their commentary right after Obama addressed the press.

This is my husbands theory(ex-naval pilot) and his former squadron mates.

Well according to the Daily News Petraeus is stepping down as CinC CENTCOM to take the job. Interesting, but it lets Obama put somebody of his choosing in arguably the most important command in the military.

Just read the RS article and it is not nearly as bad as it was portrayed. McChrystal was barely quoted and there was little he said that was inflamatory. However, his subordinates seemed out of control and continually bad mouthed everyone else who was not a part of their inner circle. I believe they were quite full of themselves and their self importance.

According to the article the men on the ground were very upset with the way the war was being run and they blamed McChrystal for tying their hands. I agree with the soldiers. It appears that McChrystal wanted to be the diplomat and rock star of Afghanistan and was not looking out after the soldiers best interest.

IMO we are better off with him gone. He did not appear to be waging an effective campaign against the Taliban.

Figured I might as well bump this as the Senate just confirmed General Mattis USMC, to fill the empty CENTCOM postion. Now Obama needs to replace him. It's like he's playing musical generals.