Pentagon inquiry
McChrystal and aides are cleared of wrongdoing in a report released by Pentagon investigators. The Pentagon finds “insufficient” evidence that the general violated Department of Defense standards. The report also questions the accuracy of the Rolling Stone profile by Hastings:
Not all of the events at issue occurred as reported in the article. In some instances, we found no witness who acknowledged making or hearing the comments as reported. In other instances, we confirmed that the general substance of an incident at issue occurred, but not in the exact context described in the article.
Quotes were from junior staff
A source says that the quotes in Hastings’s Rolling Stone profile of McChrystal come from junior staff:
Men who “make tea, keep the principal on time and carry bags” — who had no reason to believe their words would end up in print…
Resignation
Obama accepts McChrystal’s resignation after summoning the general to the White House. McChrystal releases a statement saying he is stepping down out of
a desire to see the mission succeed.
Obama says Americans should be grateful for McChrystal’s time in uniform. Referring to the Rolling Stone profile of the general by Michael Hastings, Obama adds:
The conduct represented in the recently published article does not meet the standard that should be set by a commanding general.
Written apology
McChrystal releases a written statement in response to the profile by Hastings:
I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened. Throughout my career, I have lived by the principles of personal honor and professional integrity. What is reflected in this article falls far short of that standard. I have enormous respect and admiration for President Obama and his national security team, and for the civilian leaders and troops fighting this war and I remain committed to ensuring its successful outcome.
The Runaway General
Hastings publishes a Rolling Stone profile of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of all U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. The article includes descriptions of McChrystal and his team mocking Biden, Obama, and others:
Are you asking about Vice President Biden?” McChrystal says with a laugh. “Who’s that?”
“Biden?” suggests a top adviser. “Did you say: Bite Me?”
Another aide describes McChrystal’s response to a meeting with Obama:
It was a 10-minute photo op, Obama clearly didn’t know anything about him, who he was. Here’s the guy who’s going to run his f-cking war, but he didn’t seem very engaged. The Boss was pretty disappointed.