Riedel: McChrystal Affair 'Tragic'

"I think it borders on sheer stupidity." That was the initial reaction of Bruce Riedel, a former adviser to Barack Obama (and current Daily Beast contributor) upon reading the now-infamous Rolling Stone article that lost General Stanley McChrystal his job. Speaking candidly to German magazine Der Spiegel, Riedel shared his thoughts on Obama's tough decision to can the general, from its hidden silver lining—increased "unity of effort" in the remaining national security team—to its nearly unprecedented boldness. "McChrystal has made a fool of himself. It's very tragic in many ways," Riedel added. As for McChrystal's replacement, General David Petraeus, Riedel expresses enthusiastic support. "He is a remarkably patriotic person," he says. "Petraeus is a winner, and he will find a way to win."