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I guess I am missing your point here. I agree with much of what you say on the Cole, though I think you are exaggerating the level of force protection levels. You make it sound as if there was no force protection at all. There was some, though I of course will agree with you that there obviously was not enough.

But what does that have to do with the original post?

I think we do a disservice to GEN Zinni to claim he is either some sort of nut or a coward. He clearly is a great man who has given much to his country.

BUT, that does not mean he is right about everything, just as none of our retired (or active) 4-Star Generals is right about everything. If they were, by definition they would all have to agree on all issues.

He did think we would need more troops for the war, but he was clearly WRONG about why. I heard him say many times we would need more forces to (1) keep Saddam from burning down all the oilfields and thus ruining the Iraqi economy for many years, as well as causing great environmental damage, and (2) to keep the Kurds and Shia and Sunni from immediately starting a major country-wide civil war. The civil war theory is why he was so nervous about using force against Saddam. I would say he badly missed on both those theories. Becasue he was wrong does not mean he is a bad guy...most of us feared those two issues. That is why Pres Bush made certain we had covered those two bases in our war planning. But it does show that he was more wrong than right, and that Bush nevertheless listened to him.

Zinni did not say anything in the 30+ months I was working beneath him about post-war insurgency (other than the three aforementioned groups against each other). I challenge you or anyone to find any reverence to that in any speech or briefing he or Centcom gave.

Again, does not mean he is a bad guy. Just shows how even Zinni guessed wrong! We all do the best we can, and adapt as we go.

I do think that Zinni and some of the rest, including those on FR, should do less Monday morning quarterbacking and more supporting of our troops. Those of us who have been there or are in contact with someone over there know just how much of a moral killer statements by Zinni and others can be. Zinni had the same thing happen to him earlier in his career, and was very bitter about it. I am surprised how he seems to have forgotten. And you would be surprised how many troops over there read FR.

Whew. Having said all that, do you have an opinion as to what we should do? (Other than complain about the President).