Americans `conned' into backing war, ex-general asserts

Chicago Tribune ^ | Dec. 31, 2003 | Thomas Ricks

[Rennes Templar]

Former Central Command chief Anthony Zinni denounces `ideologues' in Bush administration

Anthony Zinni's opposition to U.S. policy on Iraq began on the monsoon-ridden afternoon of Nov. 3, 1970. He was lying on a Vietnamese mountainside west of Da Nang, three rounds from an AK-47 assault rifle in his side and back. He could feel his lifeblood seeping into the ground as he slipped in and out of consciousness.

He had plenty of time to think in the following months while recuperating in a military hospital in Hawaii. Among other things, he promised himself that, "If I'm ever in a position to say what I think is right, I will. . . . I don't care what happens to my career."

[woofie]

I guess all Democrat wars are good all Republican wars are bad...

[cynicom]

Just a hint about general officers that have a problem in civilian life. Friend of mine bought a home in DC. Next door lived a retired admiral and across the street a retired navy captain. My friend use to mow his lawn wearing an old fatigue jacket with corporal stripes just to bug the guys. The admiral sold and moved to a better neighborhood.

[antaresequity]

Going on 3 weeks...the trolling must be killing you...

Probably less than another 3 weeks before your unquenchable thirst to hate conservatives comes spilling out.

[cynicom]

Really????? Would it surprise you to know that I could care less about what you would or would not do. Why not stick to the topic instead of personal asides. If you dont, you wont last long here.

[Oztrich Boy]

Among other things, he promised himself that, "If I'm ever in a position to say what I think is right, I will. . . . I don't care what happens to my career."
Zinni believes that time has arrived.
Over the past year, the retired Marine Corps general has become one of the most prominent opponents of Bush administration policy on Iraq, which he fears is drifting toward disaster.

And he was never in the situation where his integrity would have required him to risk his career for 30 years, and it came up within months after his retirement. What are the odds?

[F16Fighter]

"Why do they keep putting Clintonites like Zinni or Wilson in a position to embarass them? This is almost as bad as putting Souter on the Supreme Court."

Good question...

ALL Clinton appointees -- whether it's the courts OR military should be sent packing for obvious reasons.

[jagrmeister]

>"I don't care what happens to my career."

Bold remarks coming from a retiree! LOL. What a joke.

[CyberAnt]

I believe X-GENERAL is the clue here!

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

I like the fact that he's stunned that no one planning the war in 2002 had heard of his 1999 plans. As if the Pentagon doesn't update important plans more than once every three years.

This guy seems like the type of narcissist who generally did well under The 'Toon's administration. Thank goodness this man is no longer leading our combat troops.

[desertcry]

A clinton general? As a matter of fact he is. Another one, is the Weasel Clark.

[desertcry]

Very convenient, indeed.

[okie01]

"The State Department has assigned political advisors (POLADS) to the CINCs to provide them with foreign affairs expertise, but their impact has largely been ineffective."

I've always found the pairing of Amb. Joseph C. Wilson IV and Gen. Wesley Clark, when he was SACEUR, especially intriguing.

[okie01]

"Saddam was hardly the leader of an Arab terrorist movement."

But he was a supporter and harborer of same.

In other words, equally culpable.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Kind of hard to update a plan that you don't know about.

I'm confident that the Pentagon made plans for a temporary occupation of Iraq before initiating the current phase of the Iraq War.