McChrystal's Rolling Stone Interview: General's Team SLAMS Key Obama Officials (SLIDESHOW)

Gen. Stanley McChrystal's candid Rolling Stone interview prompted the White House to summon McChrystal, the most senior military commander in Afghanistan, to the capital for a standing meeting. McChrystal usually participates via teleconference.

Below are some of the most notable quotes and details from Michael Hastings' profile of McChrystal, his staff, and the war that the U.S. is fighting in Afghanistan.

1 of 13

President Obama

1 of 14

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

The interview describes McChrystal, 55, as "disappointed" in his first Oval Office meeting with Obama. The article says that although McChrystal voted for Obama, the two failed to connect from the start. McChrystal's first meeting with Obama:

According to sources familiar with the meeting, "McChrystal thought Obama looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by the roomful of military brass.

McChrystal's first one-on-one meeting with Obama:

It was a 10-minute photo op," says 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 fucking war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed."

Controversial Immigration Laws

Inside Guantanamo's Prison Facility

Biggest Political Hypocrites

U.S. Service Women Through The Years

The Faces Of Military Sexual Assault

Legal Marijuana Across The U.S.

The interview describes McChrystal, 55, as "disappointed" in his first Oval Office meeting with Obama. The article says that although McChrystal voted for Obama, the two failed to connect from the start.

McChrystal's first meeting with Obama:

According to sources familiar with the meeting, "McChrystal thought Obama looked "uncomfortable and intimidated" by the roomful of military brass.

McChrystal's first one-on-one meeting with Obama:

It was a 10-minute photo op," says 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 fucking war, but he didn't seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed."

comments(3906)

Total comments: 3906 | Post a Comment

1 of 14

Rate This Slide

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

He'll get past this He's screwed

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Current Top 5 Slides

loading...

Choose your Top 5 Slides

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[novictim]

10:09 PM on 06/25/2010

Clearly, we should leave Afganistan. Period. But that's a Obama and US policy decision, not the General's job.

If we stay to fight, we should kill, kill, kill, press be damned.

And if we're smart as a country, we get out ASAP.
Tha's why we should be very disappointed in Obam Bam. There are many other reasons, but this it tops.

[BlueDog1]

06:02 PM on 07/29/2010

You know what ese? a tough vato like you should take a deep breath.

Now head down to the enlistment depot and sign up for the killing, killing stuff.

Try the 82nd or 101st Airborne they are paying $1.27 and hour, that is of course a 24 and 7 contract.

[novictim]

09:59 PM on 06/25/2010

So bottom line for those of you who can't add or subtract (almost all of you):

By getting "fired", McCrystal effectively crowned Gen. Petraeus.

Now Gen P. can "get the job done" without some whiny clown from the White House nibbling at his heals.

Thank you, Gen McCrystal...your masterful chess move check-mated Obama and likely saved some US troops.

[grn1]

09:53 AM on 07/25/2010

what job????? capturing osama? Securing oil? all are insane

[novictim]

09:39 PM on 06/25/2010

Gotta respond to your nonsense, Chuck,
“More of a statement about General McChrystal's leadership.” We, me included, blew it when we voted for Obama(…should’a been Clinton). But to suggest that the man running this complex operation in Afganistan can be compared to this useless sack of a community organizer, Obama, is stupid.

Chucky, it’s like going into a hospital and thinking your nurse is running the show and not the doctor.

Obama inherited this quagmire and by agreeing to the general's recommendations on the surge, compromised his position.
God, I could almost go with that…little a-hue Bush rammed it in, didn’t he…but Our Community Organizer-in-Chief inherited this, so now it’s his, for better or worse. Again Chuck, get the thoughs in line, alright?

Now it is not going as well as the military's rosy optimism suggested, he booked. Perhaps. Or perhaps he feels he is more effective out of the seen? I draw your attention to the top priority of Gen. Petraeus…getting the rules of engagement, the ones pooped out by some Hippy flower-power aparatchik, FIXED! By getting sacked, he just granted unlimmited political power to Gen. P …you get that?

Enough about Obama and his lack of leadership, because W. and his fascist administration got us to where we are. So, do you have any concern for the young, brave morons who are fighting for us?

Seriously Chuckles! Get real!

[eilish]

01:17 AM on 06/29/2010

My young brave moron was Army National Guard and did not expect to be called into war. He did go work on the Mexican border wall, though. Lots of drug lords shooting.

I don't appreciate your comment; you have no feeling for those who are against the war but will be jailed should they say so.

[Magic Fingers]

01:06 PM on 07/03/2010

Before you sign on the dotted line you should have the expectation that you'll likely be activated, especially in today's climate. Putting on the uniform alienates certain freedoms that a private citizen has, such as the privilege of dissing your chain of command.
J. Burks SK1(SW) USNR (Ret.)

[INDIVIDUALTERRY]

11:07 AM on 06/25/2010

I believe the General was ready to go , didnt want to hang around under Obama and go through the motions. It was a weak way to make a statement about the administrations leadership , but you gotta admit, using Rolling Stone was an unexpected beaut !

[Charles Shackelford]

03:31 PM on 06/25/2010

More of a statement about General McChrystal's leadership. Obama inherited this quagmire and by agreeing to the general's recommendations on the surge, compromised his position. Now it is not going as well as the military's rosy optimism suggested, he booked. Enough about Obama and his lack of leadership, because W. and his fascist administration got us to where we are.

[novictim]

10:17 PM on 06/25/2010

Chuck,
“More of a statement about General McChrystal's leadership.”
We, me included, blew it when we voted for Obama(…should’a been Clinton). But to suggest that the man running this complex operation in Afganistan can be compared to this useless sack of a community organizer, Obama, is wrong.

It's like going into a hospital and thinking your nurse is running the show and not the doctor.

"Obama inherited this quagmire and by agreeing to the general's recommendations on the surge, compromised his position."
God, I could almost go with that…little a-hue Bush did us, didn’t he?…but Our Community Organizer-in-Chief inherited this, so now it’s his, for better or worse.

"Now it is not going as well as the military's rosy optimism suggested, he booked." Wrong. McCrystal feels he is more effective out of the seen?

I draw your attention to the top priority of Gen. Petraeus…getting the rules of engagement, the ones pooped out by some Hippy flower-power aparatchik, FIXED! By getting sacked, he just granted unlimmited political power to Gen. P …make sense to you?

"Enough about Obama and his lack of leadership, because W. and his fascist administration got us to where we are."

So, Chuck, do you have any concern for the young, brave fools who are fighting for us?

[allanbrake]

10:46 AM on 06/25/2010

I feel that general McChrystal is a great general who has lost focus of his role as an officer.

[novictim]

10:27 PM on 06/25/2010

Please! Take a deeper view...these top brass are truly gifted and honorable.

No "accidents" like this occur by accident. McCrystal must have seen no other option...and that says a lot about how poor the White House involvement in the execution of the was has been, as seen by our Generals.

McCrystal, a tremendously talented man, arranged to have a reporter publish disrespectful comments concerning the White House. In so doing, he has freed his replacement to make the changes he needs without fear of White House objections.
It is Brilliant!

[ggmome]

10:25 AM on 06/25/2010

As I said before, this person (McChrystal) is so Cheneyesque, and programed to be what the puppeteer is so about...I just can't believe this isn't another one of Cheney's "Miester Plans"!

Whatever happened to the estate Cheney was building in Montana? Is he still in DC, trying to 'orchestrate' another takeover like the other one

[polysci101]

10:21 AM on 06/25/2010

It is time to leave.

[gemshews]

10:14 AM on 06/25/2010

Remember all of those bumper stickers " Question Authority "
man those were groovy

[Warren J Warren]

09:38 AM on 06/25/2010

President The-rock Obama. The first thing you have to ask the hamburger soldier is, "he a conservative or not." Knowing that "conservatives are lower then cheap," he would have side step the question like most conservatives does. He maybe in cohose with Rush Lamebrains and his do.do head. The Tea-liars will take up for that knucklehead just because he went against you .You just can't win. The right wing in this country will always be against you and anyone for you just because of your color. Remember the words of Wise Words Of Warren, "This country is a white man's country and wherever it taken to keep it that way is what the right wing will do." Ain't that right? WWW

[INDIVIDUALTERRY]

11:03 AM on 06/25/2010

Were you crying when you typed that ?

[Trueheart]

09:27 AM on 06/25/2010

Have you asked yourself HOW Rolling Stone Magazine got permission to embed with McChrystal's operation and gain such high level access? We're talking about RS, not the NYT or Washington Post. Something smells not quite right.

[novictim]

10:02 PM on 06/25/2010

I see you may have half a brain. This was a calculated move by McCrystal to grant unfettered power to his replacment.

That will be $5.

[Trueheart]

11:07 PM on 06/25/2010

I can't ignore the fact that you spelled "replacement" incorrectly, but I will ignore the insult about my intelligence. :)

[Kizichka]

08:23 AM on 06/25/2010

This is politics as usual. The General and his staff knew exactly what would happen when this went public. I think they want to walk away from the war without being seen as losers, then begin the political career.

[TWhitley]

10:23 AM on 06/25/2010

Good luck to Stan with his political career after dissing everybody up the chain-of-command and being dismissed for it. Not the greatest strategy, I'd say.

[novictim]

11:05 PM on 06/25/2010

lol

[cha-6]

07:12 AM on 06/25/2010

The General & his staff knew what he was doing by making those disrespectful and inappropriate comments to R.S on the record. I wonder if he did it on purpose so as to get fired from a job he didn't want or directive he didn't want to follow. Poor taste and no class in this approach. No respect for the democratically elected office of the President/Commander-in-Chief. Doesn't say much for military honor, protocol, discipline, chain of command etc.

[pottedferne]

10:23 AM on 06/25/2010

every Army soldier and civilian attends SAEDA briefings (sabotage and espionage directed at the Army) and watched videos of the exact same thing that reporter got away with.....which makes me wonder what else these "aides" may have said and to whom......they should be reprimanded severely.......

[novictim]

10:36 PM on 06/25/2010

Doesn't anyone get this?!!! I thought we had some smarts at Huffpo!?

McCrystal did this for his troops. Now they'll get the rules of engagement changed as was needed for a long time.

If we're going to stay, we have to make the Talibs hurt bad. Real bad. (of course, we should get out...I know that. But if we're staying, it;s war.)

[John Hay]

06:35 AM on 06/25/2010

Afghanistan: When will they ever Learn?

One day after seeing Julia Gillard become Australia’s 27th Prime Minister, it was disappointing to read that President Obama and Ms Gillard, have “agreed to work closely on the Afghanistan war during their first official phone call ”.

Julia Gillard needs to be aware that Australians in growing numbers do not support the Afghanistan policies of the Labor Party in government or the Coalition in Opposition.

Responsibility for the flawed military strategy in Afghanistan rests with the Obama White House for pursuing a quicksand policy of believing, as did the disastrous Bush -Cheney administration, that conventional military action can prevail in such an environment.

In North America and Europe, opposition to the war in Afghanistan has already seen Canada and the Netherlands announce the withdrawal of their troops.

Nine years on, Australian troops remain trapped in the corrupt and hellish environment that is Afghanistan, and for what? The Government and the Opposition need to tell the Americans they are wrong about Afghanistan. A good sensible ally – would and should.

Australia needs to bring its troops home. And so should the US. As certain as every incoming tide, Afghanistan's neighbours will move in as soon as the US forces are gone.As history will reveal, it is only the Afghan people who can decide their future.

The experience of America's Vietnam compared to Vietnam today is living proof.

John Hay
Australia
http://www.tellingthoughts.com/speaking-candidly /afghanistan-when-will-they-ever-learn

[Charles Shackelford]

03:45 PM on 06/25/2010

Words of wisdom. History is replete with failed military attempts, for various motivations, in Afghanistan with the most recent being the Soviet misadventure which ultimately humbled their ambitions of Empire there. Our only legitimate reason for violating their border was initially following 9/11 as we had special forces directly engaging al Qaeda but W. Bush/Cheney pulled our troops, allowing bin Laden to escape at Tora Bora and focused on their nefarious schemes for Iraq. Most Americans do not even realize the facts and circumstances of our involvement in Vietnam as they cheer on our troops now unfairly put in a non tenable situation . Without a sense of history or knowledge of the culture of these nations any foreign military and "nation building" attempts are doomed before they even begin.

[DenaSilver]

06:00 AM on 06/25/2010

The whole article comes off as a report on hearsay. Very little directly from McChrystal. However, the tone set by Gen. McChrystal was obviously juvenile. Very low level.

[Seafarer61]

03:15 AM on 06/25/2010

After reading the article, I like the general. Says what he means, means what he says. However, his judgment was off in giving an interview to a journalist and then slamming his commander in chief. Some things you just don't do while on active duty and that is probably...for a general at least...number one.