Posted on 05/22/2004 5:41:40 PM PDT by b4its2late
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Gen. Zinni: 'They've Screwed Up' May 21, 2004
Accusing top Pentagon officials of "dereliction of duty," retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni says staying the course in Iraq isn't a reasonable option.
"The course is headed over Niagara Falls. I think it's time to change course a little bit or at least hold somebody responsible for putting you on this course," he tells CBS News Correspondent Steve Kroft in an interview to be broadcast on 60 Minutes, Sunday, May 23, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
The current situation in Iraq was destined to happen, says Zinni, because planning for the war and its aftermath has been flawed all along.
"There has been poor strategic thinking in this...poor operational planning and execution on the ground," says Zinni, who served as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Central Command from 1997 to 2000.
Zinni blames the poor planning on the civilian policymakers in the administration, known as neo-conservatives, who saw the invasion as a way to stabilize the region and support Israel. He believes these people, who include Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith, the undersecretary of defense, have hijacked U.S. foreign policy.
"They promoted it and pushed [the war]... even to the point of creating their own intelligence to match their needs. Then they should bear the responsibility," Zinni tells Kroft.
In his upcoming book, "Battle Ready," written with Tom Clancy, Zinni writes of the poor planning in harsh terms. "In the lead-up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw, at minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility; at worst, lying, incompetence and corruption," he writes.
Zinni explains to Kroft, "I think there was dereliction in insufficient forces being put on the ground and [in not] fully understanding the military dimensions of the plan."
He still believes the situation is salvageable if the United States can communicate more effectively with the Iraqi people and demonstrate a better image to them.
The enlistment of the U.N. and other countries to participate in the mission is also crucial, he says. Without these things, says Zinni, "We are going to be looking for quick exits. I don't believe we're there now, and I wouldn't want to see us fail here."
Also central to success in Iraq is more troops, from the United States and especially other countries, to control violence and patrol borders, he says.
Zinni feels that undertaking the war with the minimum of troops paved the way for the security problems the U.S. faces there now, the violence Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recently admitted he hadn't anticipated.
"He should not have been surprised," says Zinni. "There were a number of people who before we even engaged in this conflict felt strongly that we underestimated...the scope of the problems we would have in [Iraq]."
The fact that no one in the administration has paid for the blunder irks Zinni. "But regardless of whose responsibility [it is]...it should be evident to everybody that they've screwed up, and whose heads are rolling on this?"
You know what they say about "opinions", don't you?
One has to debate from strength and with facts.
Is that something your therapist suggested?
Zinni is turning out to be a real POS backstabber.
Later he tries to Kerry around that with his neo-paleo double speak but still doesn't answer the question.
He uses the standard liberal anti-war talking points and also one of their trademarks, "k".
Hmmmmmm. If it walks like Michael Moore, talks like Michael Moore and smells like Michael Moore?
Zinni is a legend in his own mind. Powell appointed him as a Middle East envoy to act as an on-site go between with Sharon and Arafat to try to stop the intifada. I question his diplomatic skills and regional expertise. He is another one of these prima donna generals who think the only good ideas come from them. I received a briefing from him in 1999 and thought he was an arrogant a##hole.
Yes, to no surprise to anyone who knew anything about him before. Of course he does have his cheerleaders on this thread.
I did a quick search on just the term "Amerika" and found a whole plethora of instances of it on FR.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/search?s=Amerika&ok=Search&q=quick&m=any&o=score&SX=40b169f9c4fb435a37f17d5b7eccadc2ab594607
They even made a TV movie called "Amerika" something or other about the negative socialization in the country.
Obviously you don't know what you're talking about, so go yank someone elses chain...
So what "kamp" is the that you represent. You know, the "kamp" you claim is a majority over Conservative American's who support the war?
IIRC, it was a TV miniseries about a Soviet takeover of the US. It was made in the late 80's.
I tried it and all I got was a bunch of liberal anti-war BS.
(shrug) I think that he will probably have something valuable to contribute, and, given his experience in the ME, he might have a good plan. Worth a listen and a quick read.
I was part of the advance team at Bitburg. No speech writer ever set up the ceremony. It is a long story, but the media distorted what happened.
I've been involved in politics far longer than you have been and you're already disillusioned? Summer soldier?
Knowledge of history is indispensable for this kind of debate,so are facts and an understanding of politics.Opinions are a dine a dozen and really don't matter;not your's,not mine,not anyone's...unless they are fact based.
He's "popular"?
Might have just been timing, pat got the axe right after that. I know he was having a running battle with some of the younger writers at the time, folks like Peggy Noonan. Maybe that was his downfall.
As popular as the Kerryesque Poet here. Popular with the very same crowd.
Or just someone who thinks he's due the limelight now? I haven't figured this all out yet.
Opinions are a dine a dozen and really don't matter;not your's,not mine,not anyone's...unless they are fact based.
That's exactly why I posted the facts concerning Zinni...soemthing other people on this thread seemed to be sorely lacking in.
Agree or disagree with his position, don't attack the, or any, man with meritless slander.
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