General McCrystal Removed as Commander in Afghanistan

In an article published in Rolling Stone, GEN Stanley McCrystal, former commander of all US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, made critical remarks of senior Obama administration officials.  Michael Hastings, the author of the article, spent a month with McCrystal and his staff, including a visit to an Irish Pub during extended stay over in Paris due to the Iceland volcano this summer, where “much of Team America [McCrystal's self-named staff, a nod to the 2004 film Team America:  World Police] is completely shitfaced.”  The General or his staff are on the record calling the Vice President “Bite Me,” saying that McCrystal was “disappointed” after his first meeting with the President, accusing Jim Jones of being a “‘clown’ who remains ‘stuck in 1985,’” and the General complains of getting emails from Special Representative Holbrooke.  The article claims that McCrystal’s most strained relationship was with Ambassador Eikenberry, who McCrystal accused of “cover[ing] his flank for the history books.”  Duncan Boothby, a civilian on McCrystal’s PR staff who set up the interview, has already resigned.

This afternoon, President Obama announced that he had accepted McCrystal’s resignation as ISAF commander.  The President announced that he would nominate GEN David Petraeus to replace McCrystal in Afghanistan.  Mr. Obama stated that US policy in Afghanistan would not change as a result of the change in command.

Read more at NYTimes.com