Legal Commentary

McChrystal's Contempt

By Big Tent Democrat

The American commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has, as Barbara Morrill points out, committed contempt towards officials, in violation of Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, by speaking contemptuously of his civilian authority as quoted in an article in Rolling Stone. The NYTimes reports that McChrystal, who has issued a public apology, has been ordered back to the United States:

An angry President Obama summoned his top commander in Afghanistan to Washington on Tuesday after a magazine article portrayed the general and his staff as openly contemptuous of some senior members of the Obama administration. An administration official said the commander, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, would meet with President Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House on Wednesday “to explain to the Pentagon and the commander in chief his quotes in the piece,” which appears in the July 8-22 edition of Rolling Stone.

The President would be justified in dismissing McChrystal. At the very least, McChrystal should receive a public rebuke from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 22, 2010 (boomark / email).