This story is based on an article today at Politico.com.  The historical perspective is based on a story in the Washington Post on October 3, 2009.  General McChrystal has been summoned to the White House after some comments he recently made to Rolling Stone magazine. 

Later this week, the magazine will publish an article entitled, “The Runaway General.”  The article is based on an interview with General Stanley McChrystal, the top general in Afghanistan. 

According to the article:

“The article, titled “the Runaway General,” appears in the magazine later this week.  It contains a number of jabs by McChrystal and his staff aimed not only at the President but at Vice President Biden, special envoy Richard Holbrooke, Karl Eikenberry, the ambassador to Afghanistan and others.”

The relationship between the President and General McChrystal has been strained from the beginning.  The Washington Post reported that until the meeting between the two men in October 2009, the President and the General had met only once.  Considering that the general has been the leader of our troops in a major war, it would seem that they would be meeting on a regular basis.

I expect an announcement of General McChrystal’s retirement in the very near future.  The President is General McChrystal’s boss, and criticizing the chain of command is against the oath that military officers take.  I am not sure whether the comments published in Rolling Stone magazine were meant to be off the record, but at best they were very unwise.  Although I suspect General McChrystal may have a much better idea of what is needed in Afghanistan, what he did was inexcusable.  According to military rules, he will be fired.

UPDATE:

Byron York at the Washngton Examiner reports that according to a retired military source the comments by General McChrystal are not a surprise.  He describes the general as being arrogant and disdainful of civilians.  Byron York points out that President Obama would be fully justified in firing General McChrystal, but that firing him would seriously complicate President Obama’s timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan.  It would be nice if General McChrystal’s departure provided an excuse for staying in Afghanistan long enough to finish the job.  I doubt it will.