I disagree. Peer pressure is a valid exercise of the rights of individuals as well. Your right to say what you want doesn't preclude my right to make you look like an idiot for saying or doing stupid things.
My objection is to an agent of the government, a high-ranking military official particularly, threatening a citizen's exercise of their freedom of speech by blaming them ahead of time for the deaths of soldiers.
It may not have been quite as eggregious if he had simply noted that attacks on the Muslim faith do stir up opposition to our efforts to placate the local population, without singling out the guy and suggesting that dead soldier's families should blame the guy for their deaths.
No government official should have ANY comment about a specific individual's exercise of their freedoms, because it serves a chilling effect. Comment on the message, not on whether or not the person should be making the message.
But other private citizens have every right to attack the guy for his actions, to call him a fool, and to make public pleas for him to change his course of action.
So far I agree with everything you are saying. Are we talking past each other here, FRiend?