By Tom Ryan, Kansas City Star Reader Advisory Panel

I hope this doesn’t get personal, but the Washington Post hasn’t helped the discussion, by releasing General McChrystal’s confidential memo asking for more troops and using the “F bomb”…worse than that one…his bomb was failure.

Bob Woodward reports, but below, read the General’s unclassified words and judge for yourself.

1.General McChrystal’s assessment

2.Woodward’s article in the Post today

3. and a good assessment from the BBC…we should listen to how this affects our allies, too

I hope this flap doesn’t affect the General’s position as commander. He has a great deal to do today and in the future. Sure, he’s used to the bright lights and microphones, but what I sense is that some media organizations want to make this personal and send the General packing in the process.

The Post’s timing is perfect with the G20 this week. Timing is everything.