No one doubts that the reporter, Michael Hastings, reported on conversations that were 'off the record' and that the fact checkers at Rolling Stone set a deliberate trap for McCrystal's staff.
The real problem is Rolling Stone. The owner/publisher is the most immoral man I have ever personally met. I wrote about Jann Wenner who held a grudge against me for years because I considered him immoral and wouldn't help him get a bank loan. He held a grudge against Max Palevsky for fifty years; Max wanted a small personal loan repaid. A major Lefty magazine, Salon, called him the worst slime in publishing, eleven years ago. Jann is a big Democratic contributor.
There is evil in our society and you can find it in the person of every human who works for or kisses-up to Jann Wenner.