Former Iraq Commander Faults Bush

[J Wolfsberger]

"In related news, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said President George Bush is considering a plan to form a Retired Officer Strike Force to “take advantage of the wisdom and insight that some of our military leaders gain once they leave their jobs.”

" “The president thinks it’s a shame,” said Ms. Perino, “that we don’t get some of the best strategic analysis from our officers until they retire and hit the public speaking circuit.” "

http://www.scrappleface.com/?p=2731

[Ken White]

claimed his reporting date to Baghdad was the day things started downhill. Too hard on himself; that downhill trend started the day Bremer reported. Sanchez just exacerbated it...

This, after all, is the guy that waltzed a week or so late into Kosovo and then, I've been told, put out an edict that any patrols going out would be accompanied by a Field Grade Officer.

Beating up on your Intel folks and demanding more Intel is sort of a guarantee of excess. Shooters of messengers rarely realize how much damage they do to themselves and their job.

Scary. Even more scary is that he's apparently working BCTP. The Onion may be more correct than they know...

[Merv Benson]

In January 2004 Gen. Sanchez said, "I really believe that the only way we are going to lose here, is if we walk away from it like we did in Vietnam."

[Rank amateur]

I've said it before, but it seems like generals are more willing to sacrifice their lives than their pension. I don't know why your being so hard on Sanchez. From a distance, it seem to be part of the Pentagon's culture. (Unless you're suggesting that he should keep his mouth shut, but if the public doesn't learn what mistakes were made they're going to believe that future wars will turn out like OIF and I don't see how that is good for anyone.)

[SWJED]

I've said it before, but it seems like generals are more willing to sacrifice their lives than their pension. I don't know why your being so hard on Sanchez. From a distance, it seem to be part of the Pentagon's culture. (Unless you're suggesting that he should keep his mouth shut, but if the public doesn't learn what mistakes were made they're going to believe that future wars will turn out like OIF and I don't see how that is good for anyone.)

... you learn from history - nonfiction - not from revisionist versions of history. Read Tom Ricks Fiasco - for a primer. Ricks nailed what happened for a book on 'recent history'. Thanks.

[Ken White]

I've said it before, but it seems like generals are more willing to sacrifice their lives than their pension. I don't know why your being so hard on Sanchez. From a distance, it seem to be part of the Pentagon's culture. (Unless you're suggesting that he should keep his mouth shut, but if the public doesn't learn what mistakes were made they're going to believe that future wars will turn out like OIF and I don't see how that is good for anyone.)

know that the system will take care of their family if they die but if they just resign in protest, their family will be out in the cold with no protection and that grand protest and resignation will make not a lick of difference -- the same system will just find another guy to do it. Plus, as I said before; their egos get in the way.

He's a target because he made a number of errors on an operational and command basis, he's just being called on them. He shouldn't keep his mouth shut, he or any of the others. It would be nice though if all were a trifle more honest.

You appear to have more faith in the desire for and retention of military knowledge on the part of the public than I have.