On the Radar
Retired General Stanley McChrystal's military career came to an abrupt end in 2010 after "Rolling Stone" published an article showing the general's close advisers openly criticizing the Obama White House. Now, nearly three years after President Obama accepted his resignation as the U.S. Commander in Afghanistan, McChrystal tells On the Radar, it’s still painful.
"It felt surreal, because my whole career I'd thought that I could be fired for incompetence, or I could be killed, or I could have any number of things happen, but I never thought I could be painted with any brush of disrespect or disloyalty, because I didn't see myself that way. And I still don't," says McChrystal, who offers a detailed account of his tensions with the Obama administration in his new book "My Share of the Task: A Memoir."
In his memoir, the retired general focuses on the lessons in leadership he learned throughout his military career. And leadership, McChrystal says, is essential as the military now adapts to allow women the opportunity to serve in combat roles.
"Leadership has to start, because in reality you got several factors here. One, you are going to have women in a formal role they've been doing informally now for some time...and then you're going to have a wider, philosophical issue that if a female is given the right to serve in combat, then suddenly you are opening the idea that all females have the responsibility," says McChrystal.
McChrystal goes on to say that the military needs to modernize some outdated standards that may unfairly discriminate against women, while also remaining realistic to ensure that every individual is equipped for the mission to which he or she is assigned.
To hear more about McChrystal views on the evolving military and Al Qaeda's expanding reach in North Africa, check out this week's episode of On the Radar.