Then upon further reflection I had another insight. I suspect that the non-PC behavior came from the Special Forces backgrounds of many of his officers. As an outsider looking in, it seems to me that the mentality of special forces troops is much less rule-driven, less by-the-book than would be true for most branches of the service.
Someone wisecracked that McChrystal and his merry band literally knew where the bodies were buried as they'd done the burying, after first cutting the throats. Successfully operating in the dark, behind enemy lines, with little or no backup requires great initiative, independence, and ruthlessness.
I'm reminded of Wyoming ranchers' attitude toward the stock-eating wolves the Park Service has reintroduced as a protected species. The ranchers' bumper sticker says "Wolves - Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up." I'm guessing special forces fosters that same amoral attitude.
