Shamelessness And Service (w. Stanley McChrystal)

In this episode of How to Fix It, General Stanley McChrystal joins John Avlon to reflect on the themes of his latest book on character and how personal integrity shapes public leadership. McChrystal argues that character isn’t just about ideals—it’s the product of values and the discipline to live them out. He believes America is suffering a national character erosion, and that rebuilding democratic norms must start from the ground up—through civic education, grassroots engagement, and personal accountability.

Looking back at U.S. military engagements, McChrystal shares candid reflections. He defends the initial intervention in Afghanistan post-9/11 but says its long-term failure was heartbreaking and due to missed opportunities and poor leadership—both by Afghans and Americans. On Iraq, he calls the 2003 invasion a mistake: unnecessary and poorly thought through, arguing Saddam would’ve collapsed on his own. Regarding Iran, he sees the current regime as extreme and ineffective but believes a more democratic future is possible if the West remains engaged. On Ukraine, McChrystal says the U.S. should have backed Kyiv more forcefully and early, suggesting that a “blank check” approach could have weakened Putin faster and potentially led to regime change in Russia.

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