McChrystal Relieved of Duty; Petraeus to Take Command in Afghanistan

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, under fire for comments made in a Rolling Stone profile, has resigned as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. Gen. David Petraeus, presently head of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees the operation in Afghanistan, has been nominated to take over the position but must first face Senate confirmation hearings.

The changes, announced by the president Wednesday afternoon, appeared to receive bipartisan support in Congress. They followed a morning meeting at the White House between McChrystal and Obama to discuss the general's incendiary remarks.

The president announced that he had accepted McChrystal's decision to step down, saying the general's "conduct represented in the article does not meet the standard that should be set by a commanding general. It undermines the civilian control of the military that is at the core of our democratic system. And it erodes the trust that is necessary for our team to work together to achieve our objectives in Afghanistan."

Obama sought to alleviate concerns about changing commanders in the midst of war, saying: "War is bigger than any one man or woman -- whether a private, a general, or a president. As difficult as it is to lose General McChrystal, I believe that it is the right decision for our national security." He added that he had discussed the change with his national security team, saying: "Now is the time for all of us to come together. I welcome debate among my team, but I won't tolerate division."

The president praised McChrystal's career of service, noting that he "has earned a reputation as one of our nation's finest soldiers. . . . It saddens me to lose the service of a soldier who I've come to respect and admire." He reiterated that the decision did not reflect a fundamental change in policy, but in personnel, explaining that Petraeus had helped "support and design" the current Afghanistan military policy. Obama lauded McChrystal's successor -- who implemented the surge strategy in Iraq: "He is setting an extraordinary example of service and patriotism by assuming this difficult post."

Earlier on Tuesday, Obama had said that McChrystal had used "poor judgment" in his comments critical of administration officials, but that he had not yet "made a final judgment" on what to do with the general. The same day, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced that "all options are on the table."

More Stanley McChrystal Coverage:

- Transcript of President Obama's Remarks on Gen. Stanley McChrystal
- Walter Shapiro: McChrystal, Afghanistan, and the Era of Foreign Policy Austerity
- David Wood: Washington Weighs Gen. McChrystal Replacement
- David Wood: Combat Troops Rally Behind McChrystal
- David Corn: Will a McChrystal Dismissal Be Bad News for War Critics?

McChrystal met the president in the Oval Office at 9:51 a.m., and their meeting lasted approximately 30 minutes. McChrystal had been scheduled to attend an 11:35 a.m. meeting in the Situation Room on Afghanistan and Pakistan, alongside senior administration officials -- many whom McChrystal derided in the Rolling Stone article -- but left the White House following his meeting with Obama.

It is unclear whether McChrystal had submitted his resignation prior to the meeting with Obama. Rumors that McChrystal had submitted his resignation on Tuesday appeared to be incorrect: As McChrystal entered the Pentagon earlier Wednesday for a meeting with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, he was asked by NBC News to confirm the submission of his resignation. He responded, "Come on, you know better than that. No!"

In a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) applauded the president's decision, with McCain saying, "We are confident that General Petraeus' leadership will have a very positive effect on the situation in the region," though he added, "We still have concerns about the civilian side" and went on to question the planned timetable for a drawdown of troops in July of 2011.

House Republican leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement that he respected the president's decision and that "House Republicans stand ready to work with the President to ensure our troops have all the resources and support from Congress they need to complete their mission successfully." And in a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) noted, "[The president's] decision to return General Petraeus to the battlefield provides not just continuity in philosophy, but tested diplomatic skill."