What's up with the Pentagon, and various generals, criticizing the President's position in Syria?

They are all talking about "boots on the ground," and how it will probably be necessary for the U.S. to go that route. That is a total contradiction on what the president emphatically stated about no ground troops. Last I heard the president was still the commander in chief. I hope to hell there are repercussions for that crap.
Then on tonight's news I see Leon Panetta saying, "I told you so" about Iraq. What a bunch of backstabbers in DC.