Stanley McChrystal Reflects On His Ouster: 'There Are Days It Hurts'

Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal reflected on his abrupt ouster from the military in an interview with Yahoo News this week.

The former commanding general of international and U.S. forces in Afghanistan tendered his resignation in 2010 after a Rolling Stone article by the late Michael Hastings quoted him speaking critically of civilian leaders, including President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

“There are days it hurts. There are days I feel like I was treated unfairly,” he said about the controversy. “But, you know, that’s really not very important. The only person who really cares about that is me.”

McChrystal also addressed the episode in an April op-ed, saying he viewed his portrayal as "unfair."

"In June 2010, after more than 38 years in uniform, in the midst of commanding a 46-nation coalition in a complex war in Afghanistan, my world changed suddenly -- and profoundly," he wrote. "An article in Rolling Stone magazine depicting me, and people I admired, in a manner that felt as unfamiliar as it was unfair, ignited a firestorm."

Asked by Yahoo News if he missed his job, McChrystal responded: "Absolutely."

“I miss the soldiers every day. I miss the mission. I loved Afghanistan. I miss that deeply,” he said.

McChrystal also weighed in on the Obama administration's decision to swap five senior Taliban leaders for U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, America's only prisoner of war in Afghanistan.

“We’re going to have to wait and talk to Sgt. Bergdahl now and get his side of the story,” he said. “One of the great things about America is we should not judge until we know the facts. And after we know the facts, then we should make a mature judgment on how we should handle it.”

Ultimately, McChrystal said, “We don’t leave Americans behind. That’s unequivocal.”