Stephen Wayne, a Georgetown University expert on the American presidency, has written 11 books, including “The Road to the White House.” He discussed with McClatchy-Tribune foreign-affairs columnist John C. Bersia the firing of Afghanistan war commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal because of statements critical of the Obama administration that he and others made in Rolling Stone magazine.

Question: Did President Barack Obama do the right thing?

Answer: Indeed. The McChrystal situation provided the president with an opportunity not only to say he was angry but to show he was tough. To succeed, a president has to be both loved and feared.

Q: And has Obama been too much of a conciliator?

A: He has had a bipartisan approach. He has been friendly to everyone. But that has demonstrated only one personality dimension. He had to show the other side. He did that to some extent on health care with members of his own party; he has now done it with BP and the military. He has signaled that he is commander in chief, that if there’s going to be a robust discussion, it will have to stay in-house. In sum, he’s open and conciliatory, but he’s also tough.

Q: Will there be any lasting effect from the dismissal?

A: I anticipate none. Even conservatives were suggesting the general had gone too far. But there’s another dimension of the story that’s important. McChrystal and his staff were expressing the frustration of the boots on the ground. I think Obama is going to have to reconsider some of these military issues. Perhaps the administration may have to rethink its rules for engagement, when and how to respond to hostile fire. Those rules may be the lasting effect. That’s the debate we need to have.

Q: How could this situation affect the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan?

A: It is important to emphasize that, with McChrystal’s dismissal and his replacement by Gen. David Petraeus, the war strategy has not been changed. Rather, the public dimension and explanation of the war has now been put more directly under presidential control. The one relationship that may have suffered and will have to be repaired is the one with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who was a strong supporter of the general. The person Obama must designate to fix that problem is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the only major player in the administration not targeted in the Rolling Stone article.

Q: What is the lesson for U.S. military leaders in the future?

A: One, the president is the commander in chief. Two, if you have an administration that is internally open, it must be externally closed. Three, beware of reporters. If one is present, what you are saying is all potentially for the public record.

Q: For Obama, what is the long-term significance?

A: Once you deal in this manner and keep open lines of authority, there’s much less of a chance for this kind of situation to repeat itself. If you don’t address it, though, it’s apt to happen again and again. During his first year and a half in office, not enough people feared Obama. His action with McChrystal will help change the perception.

Stephen Wayne can be reached at waynes@georgetown.edu.