"Dishonorably Discharged"

I've just finished reading the now infamous General McChrystal interview in Rolling Stone magazine.  The truth is that it's much more disturbing than I thought, because it goes far beyond being an example of indiscretions in high places and contempt of the President and some of his staff.  That, in and of itself, is just cause for immediate dismissal of the General and his staff involved in such stupid, insensitive and disrespectful behavior.

But, what is much worse, in my opinion, is what it reveals of the military culture that makes it possible for a guy like McChrystal to reach the rank of general and be appointed to posts and given missions of such high responsibility.  This is a guy who was, in essence, a hooligan at West Point - no model institution, anyway - and who, along the way, did pretty much as he pleased, while having no respect for authority, except his own.  The article reminds us of a couple of major incidents - one being the cover-up of Pat Tillman's killing by U.S. forces - which should've put people on notice about the General's true colors.   In true megalomaniac fashion, he thought and acted as if he was the Commander-in-Chief, and Obama and Biden had no bearing on these issues.

He finally went too far, but he had come too far for too long a time.