McChrystal issues mea culpa for critical magazine profile
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, apologized for an upcoming profile in Rolling Stone magazine that portrays him and senior officials on his team as dismissive of top Obama administration officials. In the article, one aide refers to National Security Advisor Jim Jones as a "clown." Another official says that McChrystal considers Obama's special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke "a wounded animal," due to persistent rumors that he would be fired. Other aides were similarly critical of Vice President Joe Biden, who opposed plans to add 30,000 troops to the war effort in the country.
President Obama himself also did not escape criticism -- one advisor said that McChrystal was "disappointed" after his first Oval Office meeting, believing that the president had been unprepared.
Some of the harshest criticism was reserved for Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, whose leaked memos cast doubt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai's trustworthiness as an ally. McChrystal said that he felt "betrayed" by the ambassador, and that the leaked memos "covers his flank for the history books. Now if we fail, they can say 'I told you so.'"
The White House summoned McChrystal to Washington to explain his remarks. In a statement released Tuesday morning, McChrystal apologized for the article, saying that "[i]t was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and it should have never happened." He also reaffirmed his "enormous respect and admiration" for Obama, and his top national security officials.
American taxpayers fund "Warlord Inc.": A Congressional investigation released Monday claims that funds spent to protect U.S. convoys in Afghanistan were being funneled to the Taliban and other warlords. Private security subcontractors paid to transport U.S. supplies across the country are buying off local strongmen along the main highway to avoid being attacked, the report argues, strengthening warlords who are inimical to a strong Afghan government.
President Obama himself also did not escape criticism -- one advisor said that McChrystal was "disappointed" after his first Oval Office meeting, believing that the president had been unprepared.
Some of the harshest criticism was reserved for Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, whose leaked memos cast doubt on Afghan President Hamid Karzai's trustworthiness as an ally. McChrystal said that he felt "betrayed" by the ambassador, and that the leaked memos "covers his flank for the history books. Now if we fail, they can say 'I told you so.'"
The White House summoned McChrystal to Washington to explain his remarks. In a statement released Tuesday morning, McChrystal apologized for the article, saying that "[i]t was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and it should have never happened." He also reaffirmed his "enormous respect and admiration" for Obama, and his top national security officials.
American taxpayers fund "Warlord Inc.": A Congressional investigation released Monday claims that funds spent to protect U.S. convoys in Afghanistan were being funneled to the Taliban and other warlords. Private security subcontractors paid to transport U.S. supplies across the country are buying off local strongmen along the main highway to avoid being attacked, the report argues, strengthening warlords who are inimical to a strong Afghan government.
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