ianstone
06-23-2010, 01:44 PM
President Axes General Over Magazine Article
Comments (24) (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/US-General-Stanley-McChrystal-Sacked-By-President-Barack-Obama-Over-Rolling-Stone-Interview/Article/201006415653486?lpos=World_News_News_Your_Way_Regi on_1&lid=NewsYourWay_ARTICLE_15653486_US%3A_General#com ments)
Alex Watts and Julia Reid, Sky News Online
President Obama has sacked his top US commander in Afghanistan over the disparaging comments he made in a magazine interview.
Mr Obama accepted Gen McChrystal's resignation after his public criticism of the President's administration in an interview with Rolling Stone.
He will be replaced by 57-year-old General David Petraeus, the head of US central command, who will oversee the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr Obama said last night he would talk directly to Gen McChrystal before making his final decision.
McChrystal is the one American in Afghanistan that President Karzai listens to. He’s also the architect of the surge strategy, and is credited with re-energising the whole war effort. Getting rid of him in the middle of the surge could damage the strategy. (http://blogs.news.sky.com/foreignmatters/Post:62262e19-9ed2-48c3-a3c4-fb52268e5995#)
Read Tim Marshall's blog on Karzai's intervention
"I think it's clear the article in which he and his team appeared showed poor judgement," he said.
"I want everybody to keep in mind what our central focus is - and that is success in making sure that al Qaeda and its affiliates cannot attack the United States and its allies.
"We've got young men and women there who are making enormous sacrifices; families back home who are making enormous sacrifices."
Gen McChrystal told the magazine he felt "disappointment" after his initial one-to-one meeting with the President last year, but issued a swift apology after recognising his mistake.
In a statement, he said: "I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgement and should never have happened."
But his apology has done little to calm rumours that he will be axed.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Oct/Week1/15398173.jpg General McChrystal and President Obama had a one-on-one meeting last year
Earlier Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged President Obama not to sack Gen McChrystal, stressing the need for stability.
His spokesman said: "We hope there is not a change of leadership of the international forces here in Afghanistan and that we continue to partner with Gen. McChrystal."
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said earlier this week that "all options" remained on the table with regard to Gen McChrystal's future and refused to rule out that he could be sacked.
Sky News US correspondent Greg Milam (http://blogs.news.sky.com/americanpie) said the commander called Secretary for Defence Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to apologise for his comments - but his apologies were likely to have fallen on deaf ears.
"It is clear that there is some difficult talking ahead and the feeling here is that if an Army man criticises the Commander-in-Chief there is only one winner," Milam said.
The article portrays a split between the US military and Mr Obama's advisers at a sensitive time for the Pentagon, which is fending off criticism of its strategy to turn around the war in Afghanistan.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Sep/Week1/15375693.jpg Gen McChrystal has said he regrets his interviews with Rolling Stone
It quotes a member of Gen McChrystal's team making jokes about Vice President Joe Biden, who was seen as critical of the General's efforts to escalate the conflict.
"Biden?" the aide was quoted as saying. "Did you say: Bite me?"
Gen McChrystal also appears to accuse Karl Eikenberry, the US ambassador to Kabul, of trying to protect himself from possible future criticism in the eight-page article.
"I like Karl, I've known him for years, but they'd never said anything like that to us before," Gen McChrystal told the magazine. "Here's one that covers his flank for the history books. Now if we fail, they can say, 'I told you so'."
Video
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Oct/Week1/15398176.jpg 2:00 (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/US-General-Could-Be-Fired-After-Remarks/Video/201006415653416?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_1&lid=VIDEO_15653416_US_General_Could_Be_Fired_After _Remarks_)
Jun 22,2010
US General Could Be Fired After Remarks http://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/img/chv_12_red.gif (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/US-General-Could-Be-Fired-After-Remarks/Video/201006415653416?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_1&lid=VIDEO_15653416_US_General_Could_Be_Fired_After _Remarks_)
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Sep/Week1/15375695.jpg (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Fast-Food-Ban-For-Military-After-General-Stanley-McChrystal-Wages-War-On-Burgers/Article/201003415588898?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Co ntent_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15588898_Fast_Food_Ban_For_Military_Af ter_General_Stanley_McChrystal_Wages_War_On_Burger s)Mar 30,2010
Fast Food Ban For US Troops http://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/img/chv_12_red.gif (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Fast-Food-Ban-For-Military-After-General-Stanley-McChrystal-Wages-War-On-Burgers/Article/201003415588898?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Co ntent_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15588898_Fast_Food_Ban_For_Military_Af ter_General_Stanley_McChrystal_Wages_War_On_Burger s)
<LI class=endColumn>Video
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Aug/Week3/15364188.jpg 2:00 (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/General-Stanley-McChrystal-Troop-Levels-Must-Rise/Video/200910415413984?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_3&lid=VIDEO_15413984_General_Stanley_McChrystal%3A_T roop_Levels_Must_Rise)
Oct 23,2009
McChrystal: Troop Levels Must Risehttp://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/img/chv_12_red.gif (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/General-Stanley-McChrystal-Troop-Levels-Must-Rise/Video/200910415413984?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_3&lid=VIDEO_15413984_General_Stanley_McChrystal%3A_T roop_Levels_Must_Rise)
Bye Bye to a distinguished career, he managed to get both feet in his mouth at the same time
Comments (24) (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/US-General-Stanley-McChrystal-Sacked-By-President-Barack-Obama-Over-Rolling-Stone-Interview/Article/201006415653486?lpos=World_News_News_Your_Way_Regi on_1&lid=NewsYourWay_ARTICLE_15653486_US%3A_General#com ments)
Alex Watts and Julia Reid, Sky News Online
President Obama has sacked his top US commander in Afghanistan over the disparaging comments he made in a magazine interview.
Mr Obama accepted Gen McChrystal's resignation after his public criticism of the President's administration in an interview with Rolling Stone.
He will be replaced by 57-year-old General David Petraeus, the head of US central command, who will oversee the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr Obama said last night he would talk directly to Gen McChrystal before making his final decision.
McChrystal is the one American in Afghanistan that President Karzai listens to. He’s also the architect of the surge strategy, and is credited with re-energising the whole war effort. Getting rid of him in the middle of the surge could damage the strategy. (http://blogs.news.sky.com/foreignmatters/Post:62262e19-9ed2-48c3-a3c4-fb52268e5995#)
Read Tim Marshall's blog on Karzai's intervention
"I think it's clear the article in which he and his team appeared showed poor judgement," he said.
"I want everybody to keep in mind what our central focus is - and that is success in making sure that al Qaeda and its affiliates cannot attack the United States and its allies.
"We've got young men and women there who are making enormous sacrifices; families back home who are making enormous sacrifices."
Gen McChrystal told the magazine he felt "disappointment" after his initial one-to-one meeting with the President last year, but issued a swift apology after recognising his mistake.
In a statement, he said: "I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgement and should never have happened."
But his apology has done little to calm rumours that he will be axed.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Oct/Week1/15398173.jpg General McChrystal and President Obama had a one-on-one meeting last year
Earlier Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged President Obama not to sack Gen McChrystal, stressing the need for stability.
His spokesman said: "We hope there is not a change of leadership of the international forces here in Afghanistan and that we continue to partner with Gen. McChrystal."
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said earlier this week that "all options" remained on the table with regard to Gen McChrystal's future and refused to rule out that he could be sacked.
Sky News US correspondent Greg Milam (http://blogs.news.sky.com/americanpie) said the commander called Secretary for Defence Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to apologise for his comments - but his apologies were likely to have fallen on deaf ears.
"It is clear that there is some difficult talking ahead and the feeling here is that if an Army man criticises the Commander-in-Chief there is only one winner," Milam said.
The article portrays a split between the US military and Mr Obama's advisers at a sensitive time for the Pentagon, which is fending off criticism of its strategy to turn around the war in Afghanistan.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Sep/Week1/15375693.jpg Gen McChrystal has said he regrets his interviews with Rolling Stone
It quotes a member of Gen McChrystal's team making jokes about Vice President Joe Biden, who was seen as critical of the General's efforts to escalate the conflict.
"Biden?" the aide was quoted as saying. "Did you say: Bite me?"
Gen McChrystal also appears to accuse Karl Eikenberry, the US ambassador to Kabul, of trying to protect himself from possible future criticism in the eight-page article.
"I like Karl, I've known him for years, but they'd never said anything like that to us before," Gen McChrystal told the magazine. "Here's one that covers his flank for the history books. Now if we fail, they can say, 'I told you so'."
Video
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Oct/Week1/15398176.jpg 2:00 (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/US-General-Could-Be-Fired-After-Remarks/Video/201006415653416?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_1&lid=VIDEO_15653416_US_General_Could_Be_Fired_After _Remarks_)
Jun 22,2010
US General Could Be Fired After Remarks http://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/img/chv_12_red.gif (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/US-General-Could-Be-Fired-After-Remarks/Video/201006415653416?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_1&lid=VIDEO_15653416_US_General_Could_Be_Fired_After _Remarks_)
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Sep/Week1/15375695.jpg (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Fast-Food-Ban-For-Military-After-General-Stanley-McChrystal-Wages-War-On-Burgers/Article/201003415588898?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Co ntent_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15588898_Fast_Food_Ban_For_Military_Af ter_General_Stanley_McChrystal_Wages_War_On_Burger s)Mar 30,2010
Fast Food Ban For US Troops http://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/img/chv_12_red.gif (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Fast-Food-Ban-For-Military-After-General-Stanley-McChrystal-Wages-War-On-Burgers/Article/201003415588898?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Co ntent_Region_2&lid=ARTICLE_15588898_Fast_Food_Ban_For_Military_Af ter_General_Stanley_McChrystal_Wages_War_On_Burger s)
<LI class=endColumn>Video
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2009/Aug/Week3/15364188.jpg 2:00 (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/General-Stanley-McChrystal-Troop-Levels-Must-Rise/Video/200910415413984?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_3&lid=VIDEO_15413984_General_Stanley_McChrystal%3A_T roop_Levels_Must_Rise)
Oct 23,2009
McChrystal: Troop Levels Must Risehttp://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/img/chv_12_red.gif (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/General-Stanley-McChrystal-Troop-Levels-Must-Rise/Video/200910415413984?lpos=video_Article_Related_Content _Region_3&lid=VIDEO_15413984_General_Stanley_McChrystal%3A_T roop_Levels_Must_Rise)
Bye Bye to a distinguished career, he managed to get both feet in his mouth at the same time