By Kate McCarthy

Jun 22, 2010 8:44am

Obama Officials Aghast and Angry Over Gen. McChrystal Comments

The new Rolling Stone article about Gen. Stanley McChrystal is the screaming must-read of the morning and it has Obama administration officials stunned. (The issue hits newsstands later this week, but you can read excerpts HERE.)

Working the phones early this am, I found administration officials bothered and bewildered by the article.  How could McChrystal do this?  Why would he do it?    

No one yet was ready to say President Obama would fire McChrystal – it’s probably not the right time for that – but they didn’t hide their anger, making it clear that McChrystal is being ordered back to Washington to hear it from Obama himself. 

A tough meeting is likely, reminiscent of the first time Obama ordered McChrystal to the woodshed – last October after the General appeared to diss Vice President Biden and limit the President’s ability to make a decision in a London speech.

Expect a full grovel from McChrystal – he’s already working the phones – once he gets to the White House.

Watch my analysis here:

User Comments

Does anyone on the ABC web team understand how hyperlinking works? When you cite an article from an external news source you should actually link to it if you can, and if not you should say why you’re not linking to it.

Posted by: Tim | June 22, 2010, 9:13 am 9:13 am

Joeray,
Are you suggesting that McChrystal, is a real man, JUST because he is a General? Is that really your educated analysis on this?
And if your erroneously crafted statement was true, what would it then say about the businessman who creates the tax dollars your General gets paid from and uses for his troops? Or maybe the scientists…that NEVER donned a uniform, however lift McChrystal’s ass in the air, transporting him back to Washington, with the technology in aviation they are responsible for creating? Or JUST maybe you are referring to media professionals, (who have degrees I might add), reporters like George who feverishly report on the bumbling rantings of…one said General.
Grow Up, and recognize that just because you wear OR wore a uniform, it doesnt make you a man. What it does, is place your present and future actions on the backs of the American People. And when you say ill-timed statements about current events, you run the risk of being dragged back to Washington for a serious ass kick.

Posted by: TrueMan | June 22, 2010, 9:19 am 9:19 am

What’s more sad – the fact that Rolling Stone Magazine has pulled the article from its web pages so that you CAN’T READ WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID UNLESS YOU BUY A COPY (-MORE MONEY IN THE BANK, GUYS), or the fact that the US Military, who place their lives on the line for all the idiots in power are not allowed to exercise their First Amendment rights. As a former miltary officer, I followed the lawful orders of my superiors, but never hesitated to let peopl know my stand on the issues. Following the orders of the Commander in Chief Gen McChrystal has sworn to and has faithfully executed; blindly and silently following such orders he has not sworn to. Bravo, General McChrystal, BRAVO!

Posted by: Omnius | June 22, 2010, 9:22 am 9:22 am

Joeray shows that partisans are clouded by their partisanship.
It is called insubordination.
It doesn’t matter if it’s in the Army or the Burger King,….insubordination gets you fired from your job.
Further, McCrystal puts troops in danger with attitudes like he’s displayed and by vocalizing them in a magazine, he creates confusion among the troops.
He needs to be diciplined.

Posted by: Stevereeno | June 22, 2010, 9:26 am 9:26 am

The general should resign and then really speak his peace about BO! I want to hear more!!!

Posted by: G-Rock | June 22, 2010, 9:37 am 9:37 am

Note to our enemies, you can get away with anything, short of a personal insult to the messiah.
While I may agree with everything McChrystal said about the incompetent Obama team, our military leaders MUST subordinate their feelings to civilian leadership, even Obama. Every recruit is taught that from day one in the military. When I was in the Air Force, we were told we could participate in the electoral process and even protest, but we could never ever do so while in a military uniform lest we inadvertently send the message that the military disagreed with civilian governance. General McChrystal has no right to publicly criticize, but he is free to resign rather than follow an incompetent leader. He should be summarily dismissed.

Posted by: Dave C | June 22, 2010, 9:42 am 9:42 am

Truth stinks dosn’t it George ? I can see why the clueless white house would supress free speech. Replace as many as we can in November and 1 more in 2012.

Posted by: sparko | June 22, 2010, 9:46 am 9:46 am

President Obama is doing a great job.
This is so wrong of General McCrystal
to say anything at all. If he doesn’t
like his job he can step down. This
type of behavior is so wrong.
I wish people who worked for George W.
Bush would come out to. You want people
to come out and speak against President
Obama, well I wish people would tell the
real truth about George Bush and his
lies for eight years.
He knew nothing and you voted him in to
run the county, Well thank you so much
for destroying America with George W.
Bush.

Posted by: Sharon | June 22, 2010, 9:47 am 9:47 am

“Obama Officials Aghast and Angry”…
Well good! Now they know how we taxpaying citizens feel. What a bunch of amateurs.

Posted by: JC | June 22, 2010, 9:57 am 9:57 am

This thin skinned “president” should grow up and learn to take some well deserved criticism. But, being the bully he and his administration are, this opportunity to kick someones ass will not go unanswered.

Posted by: pokey5735 | June 22, 2010, 10:00 am 10:00 am

I still am amazed by the number of Americans who drink the kool-aide
If think we have a good President and he is doing a good job, it may be to late for you.
Generals are special persons who know how to get things done. The president needs to get it when they tell him how to win. Not the aggroant one in office who acts and believes he knows more than all.He is the worst president in the last 50 yrs, possibly ever!! we are just one step closer to a social state under this loser!!!

Posted by: mscar321 | June 22, 2010, 10:20 am 10:20 am

If you are suggesting that the general is undermining a president in war time and that this is a dangerous thing to do in front of our enemies, I couldn’t agree with you more but no one cared about that when the liberals were busy Bush bashing for the purpose of gaining political office and setting this dangerous precedent.No matter who does it to what president, it is wrong and dangerous to our country. This is a case of irresponsibility on everyone’s part.

Posted by: cathanncan | June 22, 2010, 10:23 am 10:23 am

C’mon folks, who didn’t see this coming? The general’s comments only reiterate what alot of Americans are feeling. The president can’t make up his mind, does he wish to defeat our enemy (islamic terrorists) or appease them. Can’t have it both ways.

Posted by: rkm63 | June 22, 2010, 10:37 am 10:37 am

He drew criticism for his role in the military’s handling of the friendly fire shooting of Army Ranger Pat Tillman – a former NFL star – in Afghanistan. An investigation at the time found that McChrystal was “accountable for the inaccurate and misleading assertions” contained in papers recommending that Tillman get a Silver Star award.
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR SON..so go ahead & stand behind his insubordinate judgement with your blinding hate.

Posted by: vet | June 22, 2010, 10:39 am 10:39 am

George Washington was not happy with the funding provided his troops by the Continental Congress. He went public. He won the war and was elected president. Generals usually only go public after all private methods have failed. At the end of the day, generals have taken an oath to protect and defend the constitution to the best of their ability and one would assume that going public is one of the methods that can be used. High price to pay, however, and not from the troops. He will likely retire after the press and the liberal army attack him, not for what he said nor its accuracy, but the fact that he dared to say it. The troops will fight harder knowing that their real leader knows BS when he sees it, will fight for them and America and if it means losing a star, so be it. Don’t expect anything to change as a result of the recall, except for the general in charge.

Posted by: wantingbalance | June 22, 2010, 11:04 am 11:04 am

The true reason Obama is furious is because the general spoke the truth. Think about it: in every situation in your own personal life when something like this happens, it was the truth.
Obama is an act and I, for one, am looking forward to the end of his.

Posted by: SirReal | June 22, 2010, 11:24 am 11:24 am

If politicians didn’t poke their noses in the military affairs we could possibly get things done in these areas. Me being a former military persom myself, is discussed when I see someone being thousands of miles away from what is really happening is making decisions that affect the lives of these heroes in a negative way.

Posted by: Ed G | June 22, 2010, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm

When you have incompetence in charge of the White House,your going to have dissention in the ranks. When you have a General in the field doing the job and getting inexperienced incompetent leadership from above your going to have reason to doubt. Virtue of leadership by election does not put the most qualified person in charge,especially when it comes to fighting a war.

Posted by: stormerF2 | June 22, 2010, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm

I think it would be proper to give the actual publication that broke the story its link:

Posted by: beachmom | June 22, 2010, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm

I would love to see a military outpouring for McCrystal in WDC when he shows up @ the WH to receive the a$$ kicking President Who? thinks he so richly deserves. Too bad those in Arlington Nat’l cemetery can’t join them.

Posted by: WBGSJ | June 22, 2010, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm

It’s an organized principled mutiny. The new general doesn’t think doesn’t think McChrystal’s aides won’t be lined up outside his door? He won’t have to go looking for them.
They have had enough of: ‘not enough troops’, ‘the July 2011 deadline’, ‘rules of engagement’ and the ‘Dalai Bama’.
McChrystal wanted 100k troops for his counterinsurgency plan, then a more modest request for 60k,and the Dalai Bama gives him 30k and a deadline.
’Dumbama’ is bowing to the leftists among us and in doing so putting us in a losing position.

Posted by: ghostman67 | June 22, 2010, 12:58 pm 12:58 pm

George — this give you a lot of joy to report this? I’m appalled, especially since I seem to remember your face breaking out over a similar incident w/Slick Willy. Have some class man, give McCrystal the “dignity” he deserves for the position he’s held in Afghanastan. Last time I looked, this was supposed to be a “civilized” administration.

Posted by: WBGSJ | June 22, 2010, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm

Sharon…Bush didn’t destroy America. We’re still here. Damage was done and we’ll try to recover…but only if Obama stays out of the way. Once you recognize that a war to create/restore democracy won’t work in either Iraq or Afghanistan, then you have two approaches to pick from. First, you can simply keep fighting the wars in the same way and hope something different happens, or you can bring everyone home and let both countries slip back to the way they were over the next 5 to 10 years. We would be out of both countries by now if Bush had been more aggressive in listening to his generals and the same applies to Obama. But to think that Obama is the first to be singled out for public comment by his generals is to ignore history. Although we will be licking our wounds for at least 20 years after he is gone, I even think we can survive Obama.

Posted by: wantingbalance | June 22, 2010, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm

The last bullet a General has to protect his men and win the war is to go public about civilian leadership.
McCrystal has fired that bullet.
He knew when he fired it that retirement was going to happen.
Tell it like it is. Generals are hired to win wars. Obama has been focused on Obamacare and this is what you get.

Posted by: donbl | June 22, 2010, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm

Without Bush to bash, the obama administration has no meaning.

Posted by: JA | June 22, 2010, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm

This guy is not stupid.He knows his job is over, he is fired, he knew it all along.Perhaps this is was the only way to bring attention to something he is being fighting for so long, support. We all know this President was elected to finish the wars. He has no desire to win, he just wants to pull out.Perhaps his father should have that done when he met his mother and we could have a better President.

Posted by: Frank | June 22, 2010, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm

Dump him. He’s done enough wrong already. Consider that he pushed Obama — publicly — into widening the war in Afghanistan (i.e. send me 40,000 additional troops. Now). His people openly criticized VP Biden. They criticized diplomats Holbrooke and Eikenberry.
Reading that article made me think that this guy needs is tired and worn down and making bad decisions and, well, he needs another job. Something no one thinks to say is this: McChrystal forcefully supported an expansion of the Afghan war on the theory that COIN would work. A year plus later and we’re in a worse position. No one ever suffers when they’re wrong on a military strategy that expands a war; they only suffer when they seek to draw down a war.

Posted by: teo | June 22, 2010, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm

good general. for once someone stood up to the wussies and oil money grabbing politicians in the white house. if you don’t believe me, go look at the donations. they all have millions from oil companies for campaigns, including the horrible presidents of past, present, and most likely future. Obama received millions from oil cartels.

Posted by: michael | June 22, 2010, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm

The American people are aghast at the incompetency of the Obama administration.

Posted by: pokey5735 | June 22, 2010, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm

The transparent Obama Administration ————– “House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s (D-MD) announced today that House Democrats will not pass a budget this year — failing to fulfill what he has called “the most basic responsibility” of governing”

Posted by: TheLoyalOpposition | June 22, 2010, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm

If McChrystal said those things to Rolling Stone, then he must believed his opinions at the time he said them. But today, he says he was wrong and shouldn’t have said them. Well, what is it? Does McChrystal have any convictions he intends to stand by or not?

Posted by: Munster42 | June 22, 2010, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm

I think many in the military don’t have much respect for lawyers, especially those lawyers who have no military experience. That is why I think McChrystal doesn’t have much respect for his former-lawyer leftist-leaning president and didn’t care if his comments may upset Obama. If Obama demands that he make a public apologize and retract what he said, I think McChrystal will probably refuse to and resign.

Posted by: blue pill | June 22, 2010, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm

Bush deserves more than bashing he should be sitting in prison.
Iraq war nothing but lies.
If you think killing innocents and
your own soldiers for lies is the
right thing to do then God help us all.
No more Republicans No more.
President Obama is doing a great job!
Stand behind him or sit down.
General McCrystal must go and go now.

Posted by: Sharon | June 22, 2010, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm

I think we need to get out of Afghanistan NOW. That aside, this General is out of control. If this isn’t insubordination at the very least it undermines the administration. He needs to be relieved of his command, lose a star, be reassigned to a desk job in the bowels of the Pentagon under orders not to talk to any press. That way, he remains under Obama’s thumb and kept away from any lucrative media consultancy that might occur if he was simply forced into retirement. If I were Obama I would be extremely severe, so he should be happy I’m not his boss….

Posted by: St.PeteBill | June 22, 2010, 10:08 pm 10:08 pm

Obama is POTUS haters, like it or not & McChrystal is and his aides should all be fired! Remember the general that disagreed with Bushie on the Iraq war? No? That’s cause Bushie fired him!

Posted by: Maga | June 22, 2010, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm

OBAMA IS INCOMPETENT. END OF STORY AND END OF DISCUSSION.
He is of a group that has not offered much to society

Posted by: gary | June 22, 2010, 11:03 pm 11:03 pm

Remember, This the same president that thought going to Copenhagen to pitch the Olympics for his home town of Chicago was more important than dealing with the need for more troops. He blew off the General, and finally under public criticism, Obama finally gave him a few minutes on the plane.
So, in the General’s eyes, Obama thinks the Olympics are more important than the lives of our soldiers.

Posted by: PatS | June 23, 2010, 9:36 am 9:36 am

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