Top general who was fired after attacking Biden endorses him for president

Former general mocked Mr Biden in Rolling Stone profile

A top general who was fired after attacking Joe Biden in a 2010 profile for the Rolling Stone magazine has backed the Democratic challenger for president.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal was given his marching orders by then-president Barack Obama following the piece, in which he mocked Mr Biden and other officials.

Mr Biden, should he win in November, “would surround himself with an effective team of good people,” McChrystal said during an appearance on MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe' show on Thursday.

He added: “I think he would set a tone in which he brings out the best of people. Again, not everybody will agree with every policy ― nobody ever will ― and that’s healthy in a democracy. 

"But we have to believe in our values. You have to believe that your commander-in-chief, at the end of the day, is someone you can trust. And I can trust Joe Biden.”

In the 2010 piece Mr McChrystal, then commander of multinational forces in Afghanistan, pretended he did not know Mr Biden, who was at that point vice president.

The former general also criticised Mr Obama over his strategy in the Middle East. He was replaced with  Gen. David Petraeus, who led the "surge" in Iraq.

Mr Obama at that time insisted the switch was "a change in personnel but not a change in policy".

He said he had made the decision to replace  McChrystal "with considerable regret" but added that he had failed to "meet the standard that should be set by a commanding general".

It came after the pair met in the White House for talks following publication of the piece.

McChrystal said in a statement he had resigned out of a "desire to see the mission succeed".

"I strongly support the president's strategy in Afghanistan and am deeply committed to our coalition forces, our partner nations, and the Afghan people."

A day earlier McChrystal had apologised for the article, admitting: "It was a mistake reflecting poor judgement and should never have happened."

He has been critical of the Trump administration and earlier this year said he thinks the commander-in-chief is not fit for office.

"I don't think he tells the truth," McChrystal told ABC's Martha Raddatz on ‘This Week.’  When asked if he thought Mr Trump was immoral, McChrystal responded, "I think he is."