Retired four-star general and Yale professor Stanley McChrystal praised the courage of both the soldiers and decision-makers involved with the recent United States military operation that led to Osama bin Laden’s death, according to the Associated Press. Though he was not aware of any specific details of the raid, McChrystal, the current senior fellow at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, said that he recognized the importance of making sure such an important operation is successful at a meeting of the American Iron and Steel Institute in Colorado Springs today.

“This mission sends a message about our will to stand up for what is right,” McChrystal said.

McChrystal was recently invited by the Obama administration to lead an advisory board called Joining Forces that will aim to provide support for military families. He was removed last summer from his post as top U.S. commander in Afghanistan due to comments he made in a Rolling Stone article but was cleared of wrongdoing by the Pentagon in April.

McChrystal declined to comment to the News today.