Freedom of speech, yes. But make fun of the President’s advisors when you are the U.S. General in charge of NATO operations in Afghanistan? Not the best career move. I think that yesterday’s article on Politics Report did a superb job of pointing out how boneheaded it is for a General to insult the President during wartime. 

It is most definitely inexcusable, and there is really no excuse- especially for someone who works in a field that is all about following orders and not asking too many questions about what your superiors have to say about what they want you to do.

But I want to take another angle on the issue: is it illegal to say those things? Is it a violation of the First Ammendment for Obama or anyone else to fire him from his position because he doesn’t like what he has to say? And what about the Rolling Stone reporter? While journalism is all about getting the scoop and exposing the truth, is it in bad taste and form to publish something that inflammatory that you know is going to cause a brewhaha?

McChrystal authored Obama’s war strategy in Afghanistan, which some view as flawed in and of itself. And now he is facing what is being called an “enormous mistake” in talking like he did.

"I think it is clear that the article in which he and his team appear showed poor judgment ... but I also want to make sure I talk to him directly before I make any final decision," said Obama.

Fair enough. Obama is all about considering things from all angles and making the best decision, not reacting emotionally to something that is obviously a mistake. We are all aware that this was a stupid thing for McChrystal to do, and officials think that he will offer his resignation to Obama and Obama will decide whether or not to accept it. That will sidestep the issue of whether it is legal for Obama to fire him from his post because of something stupid he said- which I actually think would not be legal.

As for the First Ammendment, McChrystal is protected in the legal sense.

Unless it were dubbed treason, I suppose.

"The White House has to make it pretty tough on (McChrystal) because he was clearly insubordinate. Then they have to decide what to do with him," said a senior Obama administration official. "It's a real dilemma."

Agreed. Which leads me to question whether the Rolling Stone reporter had a responsibility to keep some of the disparaging remarks out of the magazine. What comes up in this whole debate is whether the military commanders are, in fact, mature enough to be in charge of a major operation with massive political implications, and whether the military should be talking to the press at all at this point. Was it bad judgment on the part of the reporter to publish this story at this juncture in the war? I would say yes. Do I fault him for it? As a fellow reporter, I have to admit, no.

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