McChrystal

Everyone is dissing the general for dissing the CinC in probably the only news source he actually reads, but I believe I see a method in this. McChrystal is in the position of running a war under conditions that guarantee his failure. No matter what he does, the administration has already scheduled a pullout date which the enemy need only wait patiently for.

Publicly pointing this out and getting fired for it is only a moderate discomfort for McChrystal, he can no doubt find a position in industry that pays significantly more than he's making now. It embarrasses and weakens the President at no extra charge. Sure, McChrystal is a bit young to be retiring, but then so was Eisenhower.