Quote :

"Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq in 2003-2004, has written a new memoir, Wiser in Battle: A Soldier's Story, an account of his life and his service in Iraq. Sanchez was a three-star general — and the military's senior Hispanic officer — when he led U.S. forces in the first year of the war. He was relieved of his command by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in 2004 following the revelations of the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison. In 2005, Marine General Peter Pace, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called him to say his career was over and he wouldn't get the promotion to a full general — four stars — that Sanchez says he was promised. Six months later, at Rumsfeld's request, he showed up at the Pentagon for a meeting with the defense secretary shortly before retiring. In this exclusive excerpt, Sanchez details what happened next:"

Quote :

"In the memo, Rumsfeld stated that one of the biggest strategic mistakes of the war was ordering the major redeployment of forces and allowing the departure of the CENTCOM and CFLCC staffs in May-June 2003."

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1736831-1,00.html

From what this brief snip it from Sanchez's book seems to say is that there wasn't substantial manpower to manage all of the US forces that were in Iraq after CENTCOMM pulled out in June 2003. And that the higher ups knew about the problems, nobody did anything about it, and then later on they pretend that they didn't know about it when it was happening.

Seems like the generals in Iraq, as well as the troops, didn't have the proper support that they needed from DC from the very beginning.

5/2/2008 11:22:13 AM

dirty

5/2/2008 11:36:44 AM

Seems like Rumsfeld was trying to cover his ass pretty hard towards the end there.

5/2/2008 11:38:40 AM

yeah, in his line of business that's called a good days work

5/2/2008 12:00:44 PM

It reinforces the fact that this is probably one of the most chronically inept administrations in recent history. For the secretary of defense to assert that he didn't know who was really in charge of Iraq is either a bald face lie, or criminally incompetent.

5/2/2008 12:25:19 PM

bttt. this thread deserves more input

5/16/2008 10:58:23 PM

what causes more volatility in crude oil prices? stability in Iraq or disorder in Iraq?

5/16/2008 11:01:32 PM

5/17/2008 12:14:37 AM

Quote :

"It reinforces the fact that this is probably one of the most chronically inept administrations in recent history."

basically just no leadership qualities whatsoever, no conviction. I feel like they just "use" the positions and america to accomplish what they want. makes me sick.

5/17/2008 8:54:10 AM

^which woudl be what terd?

5/17/2008 9:18:48 AM

^huh

5/17/2008 9:20:20 AM

Quote :

"I feel like they just "use" the positions and america to accomplish what they want. "

5/17/2008 9:24:21 AM

CENTCOMM is bullshit. All you need to kick ass is SOCOM and USASOC.

wow, and we have yet another republican conspiracy thread.

make sure we never fight any war again liberals

5/17/2008 9:27:12 AM

Looking back over this adminstration I just cant wrap my mind around some of the decisions they made. How could you make those decisions if you are acting in the best interest of America?

(some of those decisions being the war, the spending, misleading the public on the war)

Obviously Hindsight is 20/20 so maybe I am being harsh. I just feel like a lot of politicians today dont serve for the public good but for their own.

thats really nothing new though, i guess


as far as what they are trying to accomplish - I have no idea. Like most things it boils down to money probably though. When facing a critical decision, they dont ask "what is good for america" but what is good for me and my buddies on wall street.

Not trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist here.

You cant always condemn that either though b/c when those companies profit so do the americans that work for them. This system has made our lives very comfortable which is why it will probably never change.

I just feel that america's wealth is propped up on some decisions that the government has made instead of letting a free market decide, which in my mind is more concrete and would give us a better economic base.

[Edited on May 17, 2008 at 9:41 AM. Reason : hope that makes some sense ]

[Edited on May 17, 2008 at 9:42 AM. Reason : nm]

5/17/2008 9:31:30 AM

So its 1. War and 2. Spending..

You think the public was mislead by the bush admin to go to war in iraq? For what purpose? Ive heard everything to make gas CHEAPER, remember that one?, for revenge for his daddy, or to make Bush more money.

It just couldnt be an error in intel and a mistake on our part, in your opinion?

Terd, i agree with you on your outlook of politicians, and I really HATE defending this admin, bc of the spending issue, but I get frustrated when you constantly hear these blanket statements that are based on emotion.

For example just look at the thread on how much bush money bush made from oil while president.

How do you feel america's wealth is propped up on decisions? Other than lobbiest, I cant think of an example.

[Edited on May 17, 2008 at 9:43 AM. Reason : .]

5/17/2008 9:42:04 AM

no doubt, it could have been bad Intel, Shit does Happen!!

Im not a bandwagon BUSH basher, sometimes its just hard not to see the errors.

I see the Iraq war more as a subsidy to oil companies. Theres a reason we have a base in most middle eastern countries. I think the thought is that it stabilizes the region so that more oil can be pumped out of there, making it a little easier on oil companies. It just backfired a little in Iraq.

Bush is not the first to do this, In america and throughout History. Take the colonies that Britain had, only back then it was spices and stuff not oil.

Consider if we let free markets (we have no bases in Middle east) decide the price of oil. The Middle East would get its act together and sell us oil or the instability that has always been in that region would make the price higher even that what it is now. There is no telling what kind of alternative fuels we could be running on, instead of plastics we would could be using renewable wood fibers etc.

At the same time you have to consider we may not be living as comfortable lives as we do now with oil as our major energy source.

5/17/2008 9:54:46 AM

Quote :

"I see the Iraq war more as a subsidy to oil companies. Theres a reason we have a base in most middle eastern countries. I think the thought is that it stabilizes the region so that more oil can be pumped out of there, making it a little easier on oil companies."

There is no doubt we have bases there to stablize the region, I think the main reason is bc of the oil in that region.. but I disagree its to help oil companies. We have over 700 overseas bases, a shitload, I dont think they all are necessary or there to help out businesses either.

I really think we went on the offensive after 9/11 and went after terror groups. Then we stepped in it with Iraq and have been trying to make the best of it ever since. But, as a country, we were scared and didnt want to just sit around and wait. And bombing cliffs and desert wasnt going to get the message across. Remember we send a couple cruise missles to osamas camps after the Cole... wasnt much of a deterant. Hind sight is always 20/20, and I dont know if we would repeat Iraq if we could have forseen the outcome... but you never know, Iraq could turn out to be the best thing we did during this time period...but it just dont see that happening.

5/17/2008 10:03:23 AM