McCain, Lieberman, Graham: McChrystal Comments Inappropriate

Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) just put out a joint statement calling comments made by General Stanley McChrystal in a Rolling Stone article "inappropriate."

"We have the highest respect for General McChrystal and honor his brave service and sacrifice to our nation," they said. "General McChrystal's comments, as reported in Rolling Stone, are inappropriate and inconsistent with the traditional relationship between Commander-in-Chief and the military."

Added the trio, addressing speculation that McChrystal might be fired or resign: "The decision concerning General McChrystal's future is a decision to be made by the President of the United States."

McChrystal has apologized for the profile in which he expresses concerns about President Obama, appears to mock Vice President Joe Biden and is described by an aide as seeing Richard C. Holbrooke, Obama's senior envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, as a "wounded animal." In the story, McChrystal's aides are quoted calling national security adviser James L. Jones a "clown" who remains "stuck in 1985" and mocking other officials.

"All of us would be best served by just backing off and staying cool and calm and not, sort of succumbing to the normal Washington twitter about this for the next 24 hours," he said today.

"I have enormous respect for General McChrystal I think he's a terrific soldier and this is a critical moment in Afghanistan and as far as I am concerned personally the top priority is our mission in Afghanistan and our ability to proceed forward competently," Kerry added. "...we have troops on the front lines we have a major mission that we're in the middle of and I think the priorities of that mission are best served by letting the president and his top general have their conversation and make a determination as to how we proceed forward."

In a separate statement, Kerry warned against a "premature Washington feeding frenzy."