Pentagon inquiry clears McChrystal of wrongdoing

They take Rolling Stone's word for it, punish him and then investigate. Hell of a way to do things but not surprising.
I am also not surprised that Gen. McChrystal was found to have done nothing wrong.
 
I thought it was a very unfortunate situation and, reading between the lines, that General McChrystal (a fine officer) appeared to have been brought down by some dumb comments by staffers who had been drinking with a reporter and forgot to say "off the record." (Happens more often than you would think.) However, reading the article about this investigation, and drawing on experience as a veteran and a trial lawyer for many years, I was not blown away by the fact that in certain cases nobody admitted saying or hearing the most damaging comments. In and out of the military, when careers and livelihoods are at stake people will often say "I don't recall" or "I didn't say that" to get off the hook. It may be that the reporter made things up out of whole cloth, but it also may be that individuals who made the most damaging comments wouldn't admit it later. If I had to guess I bet they said things like "I don't recall that being said" -- any trial lawyer will tell you that the number 1 falsehood people tell under oath is "I don't recall X" (because it doesn't "feel" that bad to say it and/or it is terribly hard to disprove).

Again, I thought it was a sad situation, nor am I trying to pick a fight with those who found the Pentagon investigation and conclusions more convincing then I did. Perhaps I am just overly cynical.
 
AcademyFriend1, you may be a bit overly cynical. As a trial lawyer myself, my experience is that most people tell the truth the best they can (dirtbags who lie invariably get called on it through documentary and other evidence) -- even defendants. I have seen no evidence whatsover to impute the character of Gen. McChrystal. Until that happens, we should assume that he was forthright as most Army officers are.
 
They take Rolling Stone's word for it, punish him and then investigate.

You got this all wrong. Gen McChrystal and his staff embarrassed the administration.
If you read the Rolling Stone article - they never claimed he did anything wrong.

I have seen no evidence whatsover to impute the character of Gen. McChrystal. Until that happens, we should assume that he was forthright as most Army officers are.
However - there is still an unrelated cloud over him - the Pat Tillman case. Patentesq - Some may disagree with you on this one.
 
However - there is still an unrelated cloud over him - the Pat Tillman case. Patentesq - Some may disagree with you on this one.

Just_A_Mom, I admittedly have not followed this very closely. I wasn't aware there were bad facts on this guy.
 
You got this all wrong. Gen McChrystal and his staff embarrassed the administration.
If you read the Rolling Stone article - they never claimed he did anything wrong.
The statements he and his staff supposedly made is what he did wrong. If he and his staff did indeed make the statements his dismissal was the correct thing to do. I don't think I have "this all wrong". If I do set me straight!
 
you can google McChrystal and Pat Tillman. The Tillman case has nothing to do with the Rolling Stone article and happened years prior.

Packer -
They take Rolling Stone's word for it, punish him and then investigate. Hell of a way to do things but not surprising.
Yes, it a Hell of a way but the correct way. They could not wait for an investigation. He caused embarrassment regardless if he, himself did anything *wrong*.
IIRC, the article never stated that he was insubordinate - but that the staff made insubordinate comments.
 
I believe the investigation was unable to conclude that the comments were indeed made.
 
With regards to Pat Tillman, many heads should have rolled, General McChristal's likely being one of them.
 
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