Refuse McChrystal’s resignation. The general is a man of honor, and no idiot. There’s a good chance he’ll show up in Washington with a resignation letter in hand. President Obama could refuse it, and then go to the public and say something like, “our efforts in Afghanistan are too important to let an unfortunate lapse of judgment like this undermine them. So I told General McChrystal that he must finish his task, and that I would not accept his resignation at this time.”

This might allow Obama to look like the bigger man while having it both ways. He’d avoid adding instability to his command structure at a crucial juncture in the war in Afghanistan, and avoid looking weak by not dismissing an insubordinate general.

The messaging would be: McChrystal knew he goofed up, and came to me with his gun and his badge. But this was my call, and I did what was best for the country.