The journalist and General McChrystal

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 23: Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal steps off a viewing stand during his retirement ceremony at Fort McNair July 23, 2010 in Washington, DC.(Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

In June of 2010, journalist Michael Hastings spent several days in Europe with Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s inner circle as they worked to drum up support for the campaign under the general’s command: the war in Afghanistan.

Hastings was working on a Rolling Stone magazine profile of the unorthodox commander of the Afghan war. What he found was a military leadership divided from the State Department who seemed to have a rift with figures in the White House.

The resulting article, “The Runaway General,” caused such a stir that McChrystal was ousted from his command.

Hastings tells Steve Fast that McChrystal’s attempt to use the press for his own agenda backfired, but it revealed much about what isn’t known about the military strategy and progress in the 10-year old war.

Listen to the interview below:

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