June 23, 2010: Gen. McChrystal is relieved of duty

>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," FROM THE FIRING LINE TO FIRED.

PLUS THE DEBATE OVER CASINOS, AND HOW THE MASHPEE WAMPANOAGS ARE DEMANDING THEIR CUT.

AND 3D COMES TO YOUR HOME TELEVISION.

COULD IT BE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH?

>> Rooney: GOOD EVENING, IT WAS A TENSION-FILLED TWO HOURS BEFORE NEWS BROKE THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA WOULD, INDEED, RELIEVE HIS TOP MILITARY COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN OF HIS DUTIES.

SAYING THAT DISMISSAL WAS NOT OVER WAR POLICY, BUT RATHER THAT THE COMMENTS THAT STANLEY McCHRYSTAL MADE IN ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE DID NOT MEET THE STANDARDS OF A MILITARY COMMANDER.

>> President Obama: IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION, COME THE CONCLUSION THAT I HAVE MADE TODAY.

INDEED, IT SADDENS ME TO LOSE THE SERVICE OF A SOLDIER WHO I'VE COME TO RESPECT AND ADMIRE.

BUT THE REASONS THAT LED ME TO THIS DECISION ARE THE SAME PRINCIPALS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THE STRENGTH OF OUR MILITARY AND OUR NATION SINCE THE FOUNDING.

SO, ONCE AGAIN, I THANK GENERAL McCHRYSTAL FOR HIS ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SECURITY OF THIS NATION, AND TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH GENERAL PETRAEUS AND MY ENTIRE NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM TO SUCCEED IN OUR MISSION.

AND I REAFFIRM THAT AMERICA STANDS AS ONE IN OUR SUPPORT FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DEFEND IT.

>> Rooney: JOINING ME NOW ARE RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL KEVIN RYAN, AND BOSTON COLLEGE PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN PATRICK MANY.

WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Rooney: THIS HAPPENED SO QUICKLY.

TIDBITS OF THIS ARTICLE STARTED LEAKING OUT ON MONDAY.

THE THING ACTUALLY GOT POSTED YESTERDAY MORNING SOMETIME.

THE GENERAL GETS CALLED TO A MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE MEETING WENT 20 MINUTES.

BY THEN THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECULATION THAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO WORK OUT FOR HIM.

HE DID NOT ATTEND THE CABINET LEVEL BRIEFING ON THE WAR -- THE WAR CABINET MEETING AT 11:30.

IT SEEMED OBVIOUS AT THAT POINT.

BUT THEN PEOPLE STILL DIDN'T KNOW.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

IT IS FAST AS THIS MOMENT FOR EVENTS THAT YOU JUST NAMED, BUT CLEARLY THERE WAS SOME BACK STORY GOING ON BEFORE THIS --

>> Rooney: YOU THINK SO?

BEFORE THE ARTICLE CAME OUT?

>> I THINK THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS SOME DYSFUNCTION BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS AND THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WERE EXECUTING THE POLICY IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> Rooney: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KEPT COMING OUT TODAY WAS THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT UPSETTING THE BALANCE OF CIVILIAN VERSUS MILITARY COMMAND.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

WHERE DID THE CIVILIANS PLAY INTO IT?

>> ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT LEVELS.

ONE WOULD BE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FIELD COMMANDER AND THE PRESIDENT, WHO IS HIS DIRECT BOSS THERE.

AND FOR ANYONE WHO THOUGHT THAT McCHRYSTAL WAS BEING INSUBORDINATE OR INPROMOTE IN -- IN APPROPRIATE IN THAT RELATIONSHIP.

AND BETWEEN McCHRYSTAL AND EICHENBERRY.

>> Rooney: THAT WAS THE CONFUSION.

THIS IS NOT UNPRECEDENTED, AS YOU'VE STUDIED THIS IN THE PAST.

HARRY S.TRUMAN RELIEVED McCARTHUR.

>> LINCOLN CERTAINLY HAD HIS SHARE OF PROBLEMS WITH HIS GENERALS.

IT IS NOT WELL-KNOWN, BUT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT HAD A MINI REVOLT ON HIS HANDS WHEN HE DELAYED THE INVASION OF NORMANDY, BUT HIS GENERALS WERE MORE DISCRETE AND WEREN'T TALKING TO THE PRESS.

SO THIS IS A CONFLICT BUILT INTO AMERICAN HISTORY.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A CORE PRINCIPLE OF CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE MILITARY, WHICH IS CERTAINLY WORTH PRESERVING, AND I THINK TODAY WAS AN ELOQUENT ENUNCIATION OF THAT PRINCIPLE.

>> Rooney: YESTERDAY THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECULATION THAT HE WOULD RETAIN LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMAND AND REPORT BACK IN DECEMBER, GIVEN THIS YEAR TO SEE WHETHER THIS COIN OPERATION WAS WORKING, AND JUST TO PULL THAT OUT.

AND THE THING THAT STRUCK ME THE ODDEST WAS THAT THE ARTICLE ITSELF WAS RELATIVELY BENIGN.

YOU KNOW, THE WORDS WERE NOT REALLY IN THIS MOUTH.

BUT APPARENTLY IT WAS ENOUGH THAT THEY ALLOWED THAT ATMOSPHERE TO FESTER.

>> YEAH.

I THINK THAT -- YOUR LAST INSIGHT IS THE RIGHT ONE.

THE NUMBER OF QUOTES THAT McCHRYSTAL ACTUALLY HAS IN THE ARTICLE ARE VERY SMALL, AND HE IS NOT DISRESPECTFUL TO THE PRESIDENT OR ANYBODY.

>> Rooney: HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO THAT DINNER, BUT HE WASN'T BEING DISMISSIVE OR CRITICAL OF FRANCE OR THE AMBASSADOR THERE, BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO THE DINNER.

>> RIGHT.

BUT CLEARLY THE BIG QUOTES, WHICH CAME OUT OF HIS STAFF, ARE REFLECTIVE OF AT LEAST THE ENVIRONMENT THAT EXISTED IN THE COMMAND, WHICH IS PARTLY HIS, IF NOT TOTALLY HIS, RESPONSIBILITY.

THEY TOTALLY REFLECTED THE COMMANDER'S OPINION OR THEY WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING IT --

>> AT NO POINT DID SHE TAKE -- HE TAKE BACK ANY OF THE COMMENTS.

SAYING I'VE BEEN MISQUOTED OR MY TAF -- STAFF HAS BEEN MISQUOTED.

I WAS STRUCK BY THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE THAT THAT SUGGESTED.

IT RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS LEADERSHIP.

>> Rooney: HE HAD BEEN, OF COURSE, IN CHARGE OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS FOR YEARS.

WHICH IS ABOUT AS SECRETIVE AN OUTFIT AS YOU CAN GET.

HE NEVER SPOKE.

HE GETS THIS VERY PROMINENT POSITION.

THIS WHOLE THING WITH REPORTERS BEING EMBEDDED WITH THE MILITARY, AND A LOT OF REPORTERS COME IN AND OUT OF THE HEADQUARTERS IN EITHER IRAQ OR BAGHDAD OR AFGHANISTAN, AND THIS IS A VERY TEMPTING SITUATION FOR HIM, IS MY GUESS.

A REPORTER FROM ROLLING STONE, A MAGAZINE, KIND OF OFF-BEAT, AND SUDDENLY HE FINDS HIMSELF LIVING WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS RECORDING HIS EVERY WORD FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

>> THE KEY WAS RECORDING.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE IT WAS AN INFORMAL COMMENT MADE OVER DINNER OR AT A BAR, WHICH WAS THE IMPRESSION I GOT INITIALLY.

THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.

I HEARD THIS AFTERNOON THE SUGGESTION HE WAS DOING IT DELIBERATELY OR ALLOWED THIS TO BE DONE DELIBERATELY TO KIND OF SEND A MESSAGE.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, A MESSAGE WAS CENTER.

NOT THE ONE HE WANTED, PROBABLY.

>> I THINK TO TRY TO CLARIFY, THOUGH, IF THE NUMBER OF QUOTES FROM HIM ARE VERY SMALL AND THE MAJORITY ARE FROM HIS STAFF, WHAT VERY WELL MAY HAVE HAPPENED IS HE MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE DISCIPLINED IN HIS APPROACH TO THE JOURNALIST, AND THE JOURNALIST MAY HAVE HAD A MUCH EASIER TIME TALKING TO THE STAFF.

AND THEN HE COMBINES THE FEW QUOTES WITH McCHRYSTAL, TOGETHER WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT HE GETS OUT OF THE STAFF, WHICH WAS MUCH FREER IN THEIR CONVERSATION.

I THINK THE DISCIPLINE THAT THEY SHOW WITH REGARD TO A PRESS AGENT SHOULDN'T BE CONFUSED WITH THE DISCIPLINE THAT THEY'RE USING IN THE EXECUTION OF MILITARY OPERATIONS.

>> Rooney: DO YOU THINK IN A WAY -- I DON'T MEAN TO SUGGEST, BY ANY STRETCH OF THE MAGICIAN, THAT HE WAS INTENDING TO GET HIMSELF FIRED.

BUT HE HAS CALLED ATTENTION TO THE POLICY NOW, THE WAR POLICY IN IRAQ.

FORGET ALL OF THE NONSENSE THAT WENT ON WITH BIDEN AND BARRY, BUT HE HAS NOW CALLED ATTENTION TO POLICY.

DO YOU THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PART OF HIS INTENT?

>> NO.

I DON'T THINK THERE WAS AN ORCHESTRATED THING WITH LET'S USE THIS JOURNALIST TO GET OUR POINT OUT ABOUT THE POLICY AND MAKE SURE IT GOES IN OUR DIRECTION.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME -- NOT WITH THIS JOURNALIST.

I THINK WHAT THE JOURNALIST SHOWED US WAS THAT THERE IS A CAMP -- AND I DON'T MEAN TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE, YOU KNOW, A CAMP THAT'S WRONG -- BUT THERE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT THE POLICY NEEDS TO EDGE TOWARDS ONE DIRECTION, AND ANOTHER GROUP, IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.

AND THAT'S THE STORY THAT THE JOURNALIST TELLS US, AND THAT REALLY REVEALS THAT TO US.

AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.

THAT'S A BENEFIT OF THE ARTICLE.

>> I DIDN'T THINK THAT THE ISSUES WERE CLARIFIED.

I'LL TELL YOU, THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES ABOUT OUR POLICY THERE.

BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM -- THE COMMENTS SEEMED SO PERSONAL THAT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO ME THAT THIS WAS OVER MUCH SUBSTANCE.

THAT'S WHAT WAS REALLY PUZZLING TO ME ABOUT THIS.

HAD THERE BEEN -- THE PRESIDENT HAS ENDORSED THAT POLICY, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT -- THAT THIS IS SORT OF AN INGREAT KIND OF RESPONSE TO HAVING YOUR OWN PROGRAM ENDORSED BY THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.

>> Rooney: IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS, WHO WAS ALSO VERY ACCESSIBLE WHEN HE WAS IN IRAQ.

HE IS LIKELY MORE MEASURED, BUT HE WAS VERY ACCESSIBLE IN IRAQ.

>> I THINK HE'LL CONTINUE THE SAME POLICIES, THE SAME METHODS OF COMMAND THAT HE USED THERE.

AND REGARDING THE POLICY, THE ISSUE ISN'T THAT THE POLICIES ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

THE ISSUE IS THE END GAME IN THE POLICY.

THE STRATEGY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS BUILDING UP AND CONDUCTING CERTAIN KINDS OF OPERATIONS.

BUT IN AUGUST 2011, THIS IS WHERE THE DIVISION COMES.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING WE'RE GOING OUT AND WE'RE GETTING OUT.

AND SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AT THAT POINT.

PETRAEUS IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LEANS TOWARDS WE NEED TO DECIDE.

THAT'S NOT THE IMPRESSION THAT I GET THAT OBAMA AND BIDEN ARE LEANING TOWARDS.

>> I THINK IT DID SEEM TO ME WITH THAT POLICY AND WITH THIS PRESIDENCY, THIS WAS ONE OF THE FINEST MOMENTS.

AND I CAN'T HELP CONTRASTING THE PRESIDENT'S RESPONSE TO THIS, REALLY WINDING THIS UP IN 24 HOURS WITH THE DRIP, DRIP, DRIP FROM THE GULF OIL.

>> Rooney: IT MAY HAVE A CONNECTION.

ALL RIGHT, PATRICK MANY AND KEVIN RYAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

WHEN WE CONTINUE, THE DEBATE OVER CASINOS, AND HOW THE MASHPEE WAMPANOAGS WANT THEIR CUT.