Obama relieves US Commander

US President Obama ousted his top commander in Afghanistan Wednesday after officials determined that comments he and his staff made in a Rolling Stone magazine article amounted to insubordination.

Obama said he accepted Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's resignation and, in an equally stunning move, said he had appointed Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, who once led US. forces in Iraq, as his successor.

"War is bigger than any one man or woman, whether a private, a general or a president," Obama said. "As difficult as it is to lose Gen. McChrystal, I believe it is the right decision for our national security."

Officials concluded that keeping McChrystal in his job was not a viable option after he and his staff were quoted making comments that disparaged US. civilian leaders who oversee the war effort.

In his remarks, Obama emphasized several times that removing McChrystal was necessary to preserve civilian control of the military and to ensure that the national security team was working together.

"I welcome debate," Obama said, "but I won't tolerate division."