"I know we've made tactical errors—thousands of them, I'm sure. But when you look back in history, what will be judged is did you make the right strategic decisions." –Rice, 3/31/2006.

"Condoleezza Rice's recent statement that "we" made the "right strategic decisions" but made thousands of "tactical errors" is an outrage. It reflects an effort to obscure gross errors in strategy ... Our forces are successful in spite of the strategic guidance they receive, not because of it." –Lt. General Newbold, 4/9/20006.

zPoint: Rumsfeld and the Administration still deny their Iraq strategy was unrealistic. In a nutshell, it consisted of a "shock and awe" air campaign followed by a five or six week war, with huge support from the Iraqi population, leading promptly to a Western-style democracy. This overconfidence led to the strategic mistakes, related to shock and awe, that the Generals below are reacting to.

A Ninth General and a Rear Admiral join the ranks

"Over the last several months I've had conversations with dozens of retired flag officers -- one, two, three stars. I have yet to talk to anyone who is a Rumsfeld fan." —Brig. Gen. David R. Irvine details

"A number of leaders seem to be coming to the same conclusions at the same time about how poorly the war is going. We're allocating precious assets to it that are needed elsewhere, and there is no clear end in sight." —Rear Adm. John D. Hutson

8 Generals Call for Rumsfeld to Resign

Retired Lieut. Gen. Gregory Newbold

Newbold: "As a first step, replace Rumsfeld"

"I retired from the military four months before the invasion, in part because of my opposition to those who had used 9/11's tragedy to hijack our security policy. Until now, I have resisted speaking out in public. I've been silent long enough...

"My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions--or bury the results...

"The consequence was that a fundamentally flawed plan was executed for an invented war..." Go to article

Zinni: "Accept Rumsfeld's resignation"

In remarks April 2, 2006 on the NBC News program ''Meet the Press,'' Gen. Zinni, who once led the United States Central Command and retired from the Marines in 2000, said Mr. Rumsfeld, among others, should be held accountable for tactical mistakes in Iraq. Go to article

(Doug Struck)

Batiste: "We need a fresh start at the Pentagon"

"We need a leader who understands teamwork, a leader who knows how to build teams, a leader that does it without intimidation," said Maj. Gen. John Batiste, two-star general who just a year ago commanded a U.S. Army division in Iraq. On April 12 Gen. Batiste joined a small but growing list of former senior officers to call on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign. He said many of his peers agree that Rumsfeld should be replaced. Go to article

"Father" of Iraqi Army

Eaton: Rumsfeld is "incompetent strategically ..."

Retired Maj. General Paul D. Eaton. "In sum, he has shown himself incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically, and is far more than anyone else responsible for what has happened to our important mission in Iraq. Mr. Rumsfeld must step down.

"In the five years Mr. Rumsfeld has presided over the Pentagon, I have seen a climate of groupthink become dominant and a growing reluctance by experienced military men and civilians to challenge the notions of the senior leadership." Go to article

Swannack: Rumsfeld unqualified to lead war on terror

Ma. Gen. Charles H. Swannack Jr., U.S. Army (retired). Served in Iraq as commander of 82nd Airborne Division.

Swannack stated the U.S. needs "to continue to fight the global war on terror and keep it off our shores. But I do not believe Secretary Rumsfeld is the right person to fight that war based on his absolute failures in managing the war against Saddam in Iraq." (New York Times, April 14, 2006).

Riggs: Rumsfeld and civilian war planners driven by own agenda

Maj. Gen. John Riggs, U.S. Army (retired). Former director, Objective Force Task Force.

Referring to Rumsfeld and civilian war planners: "They only need the military advice when it satisfies their agenda. I think that's a mistake, and that's why I think [Rumsfeld] should resign." (National Public Radio, April 13, 2006)

Van Riper: Rumsfeld has failed

Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Paul K. Van Riper: "I admire those who have stepped forward, and I agree with the arguments they are making," said in an interview April 14. "I count myself in the same camp."

Van Riper, a lifelong Republican who voted for Bush in 2000 but did not vote in the 2004 election, said Rumsfeld has failed in a number of ways, including "disastrous" war planning and execution and fostering a poor command climate.

Clark: "The war in Iraq was unnecessary ... a strategic blunder."

On April 15, 2006 on Fox News: "We should have fought in Afghanistan and finished off Osama bin Laden. ... Secretary Rumsfeld hasn't done an adequate job. He should go. Go to article

Calls for Rumsfeld's resignation have come from retired senior officers, several of whom have served in Iraq. As of April 15, 2006 the following 8 generals have gone public:

Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton
Gen. Anthony C. Zinni
Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold
Maj. Gen. John Batiste

Maj. Gen. John Riggs
Maj. Gen. Charles H. Swannack Jr.
Lt. Gen. Paul K. Van Riper
Gen. Wesley K. Clark

Rumsfeld explains that Condi forgot the enemy has a brain

In response to Condi's remark about thousands of tactical mistakes, Rumsfeld replied:
[=P,in=2 I don't know what she was talking about, to be perfectly honest. ...

If you had a static situation and you made a mistake in how you addressed the static situation that would be one thing. What you have here is not a static situation, you have a dynamic situation with an enemy that thinks, uses their brain, constantly adjusts, and therefore our commanders have to constantly make tactical adjustments.
–Rumsfeld, 4/6/2006


	Younger officers	Younger officers voice opinions on Iraq

http://zfacts.com/p/533.html | 01/18/12 07:26 GMT
Modified: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 23:29:23 GMT