McChrystal Article Inquiry Leaves Questions Open

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON — An Army inquiry into a Rolling Stone magazine article about Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal has found that it was not the general or senior officers on his staff who made the most egregious comments that led to his abrupt dismissal as the top Afghan commander in June, according to Army and Pentagon officials.

But the review, commissioned after an embarrassing and disruptive episode, does not wholly resolve who was responsible for the inflammatory quotations, most of which were anonymous.

The Army review has been turned over to a higher-level inquiry by the Pentagon’s inspector general, because the matter involves not only a four-star general but several subordinates outside the Army.

The Army report, which has not been released, points some blame at a midlevel Navy special warfare officer who served as an aide to General McChrystal, according to Army, Pentagon and other military officials. But that officer was never interviewed by the Army’s investigators, and so was blamed based on the comments of others. The officer has told Navy officials that he did not make the offending comments, according to Pentagon officials.

more:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/world/asia/23military.html