McChrystal and aides crossed the line

Patricia Hershwitzky, Las Vegas

Thursday, June 24, 2010 | 2:04 a.m.

Our Founders understood history and the danger of an overzealous and armed military. Protocols were established over time to neutralize even public political speech. Those have become too lax during our time.

I can still recall being a naive teen Army brat who aspired to support a presidential candidate and being told that my friend and I could not form a club for this individual’s re-election, as it could be construed to reflect my parent’s political viewpoint.

Of course, what is stated in private at the Pentagon, White House or at home is a different matter. In forums with commanding officers or the commander in chief, good soldiers bravely speak the truth, regardless of consequences. But Rolling Stone magazine hardly offered an avenue for wise and prudent discourse. Unfortunately, Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his aides crossed the line and disrespected the office of the commander in chief.

Gen. McChrystal was well aware of his own predicament and he rightly accepted responsibility for the outcome, as he was relieved of his command when President Barack Obama accepted the general’s resignation Wednesday. As for the argument that we are at a crucial time in the Afghanistan war and that McChrystal shouldn’t have been relieved of his command, if we are that reliant on just one person in the military, we have a much bigger problem of a whole different nature.