Obama Should Fire General McChrystal, Fast

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President Obama did the right thing. He removed a rogue general who clearly had no respect for military discipline. Had he not done so, it would have had a chaotic effect on the military. Shame on McChrystal for disgracing his uniform the way he did.
@Aaron: You invoke MacArthur and Patton as if they were somehow infallible. They were not. Especially MacArthur, who unnecessarily sacrificed the lives of thousands of Marines at the battle of Peleliu during WWII. Patton slapped around soldiers, and was allowed to leave the military, with his disgraceful behavior well-known. If you are currently serving, then you need to fall into line and respect your CIC. Otherwise, get out.
If you want to be a leader, especially in the military, you must have a servant's heart, and be enough of a man to exercise self-control. Without those qualities, you are doomed to fail. And your failures will frequently cost people their lives.

jkh461 of AL 3:39PM June 23, 2010

I disagree with our current policy in Afghanistan. That said the President had know choice but to fire the General.
To those who say the President should stay out of the way of the military. We live in a Democracy. Our elected civilian reps set policy, it's the military's job to execute it.
To those remarks regarding the Generals freedoms. He has every right as a citizen to express his views. But not as a General in the United States Army. If he strongly disagrees with the current policies of the President weather it be Bush or Obama he has every right to step down and work as a citizen in the political system to change them. Otherwise he should publicly keep his mouth shut and carry out his mission.

Tom Luptowski of OH 3:15PM June 23, 2010

Had one of McCrystals officers done to him what he did to the Commander in Chief he would've discharged them too. A true leader would never had given that interview in the first place and you never, ever undermine your boss no matter who he is. McCrystal's character was questionable long before this. You all are forgetting he was responsible for the Tilden cover up.
Here's another theory; McCrystal is such a chicken he wanted off his post and the only way he could figure out how to do it was to demean the President. HMMMMM.
My suggestion for McC is to eat more than one meal a day. It's obvious his brain is not nourished enough to make proper and clear decisions. Not only should he have been fired he should have been demoted.

Willard of CA 3:10PM June 23, 2010

@ Aaron King: Your comments say more than I could ever have to show why McChrystal should have been fired. The POTUS IS commander in chief, and we the people elected him. All generals serve at his pleasure. I wish your military career great success, and in your upward career trajectory do not forget this simple lesson, lest something like McChrystal happen to you. That would be very unfortunate. Keeping our country the greatest democracy in the world has it's costs. By not firing McChrystal, we would have been one step closer to a dictatorship someday.

Civilian of IL 2:51PM June 23, 2010

Where are the freedoms that we once held so dear. Freedom of speech is now being challanged.. What next?

simple man of TX 2:40PM June 23, 2010

We are faced with the worst president in the history of our country, only surpassing Clinton by a small margin. I'm not surprised in your statements; they are in line with the rest of your liberal media contemporaries. McChrystal may have crossed a line with his comments, but taking the theater commander out of the war zone because the "commander is chief" is offended about a Rolling Stone article is a joke (only no one is laughing). What do you think Patton would have said if he were in McChrystal's shoes? Do you think McArthur would have sat back and watched the POTUS ruin our country? I have nothing but respect for McChrystal and I think the only mistake he's made is apologizing. How dare Obama send our troops into a place like Afghanistan with less support than they need. I'm sick of critical noncontributors ruining this country. Go do something for the U.S. instead of criticizing the people who keep you safe at night.
-Aaron King, USMA class of 2005

Aaron King of MS 2:40PM June 23, 2010

To illustrate how meaningless all of this is - ask anyone you want to three months from now: who was the commanding general in Afghanistan in May of 2010? And see if they can answer it.

Average American of NC 2:19PM June 23, 2010

this president should just stay out of military affairs. the commander in cheif is almost a joke title. obama has no idea whats going on over there on ground or in our soldiers minds. personnally i think a general has spent way more time in the political curciut than most presidents i mean to be that high rank he would have to be in for upwards of 40 years. he doesnt need obama telling him to do his job. Granted i do agree mcchrystal should watch what he says that was dumb on his part. but im not saying it wasnt true.

SPC Benjamin Sommers, US ARMY of OR 2:18PM June 23, 2010

Did I hear the pres. and the view talk about military tradition?
Are these hypocrits the same ones that want gays in the military or to distroy the tradition of marriage?

bill of CA 2:11PM June 23, 2010

I don't know if you recall or if you even bother with the news, but Bush fired his theater commander after the man disagreed with his policy. But of course, Bush modified history so you didn't have access to the truth.

Earl Grant of WV 2:03PM June 23, 2010