[3][4] Among the alleged targets were American Senators John McCain and Carl Levin, government ministers, and European diplomats.
Senators" authored by Michael Hastings who recently earned fame for his reporting on General Stanley McChrystal the previous year.
Hastings' article "The Run Away General" ultimately led to McChrystal's firing by President Obama.
[5] Media reports stated that the Holmes' IO unit was subjected to a retaliatory campaign when it resisted the order to influence the targets, including a subsequent reprimand against Lt. Col.
[6] After the Rolling Stone article was published, Gen. David Petraeus, then commander of U.S. and International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan, ordered an investigation to determine the legitimacy of illegal psychological operations claims made by Lt. Col Holmes as well as any retaliation for his whistleblowing.