Posted on 05/25/2004 12:38:07 PM PDT by Rams82
Tom Clancy new book criticises Iraq war May 26, 2004
A celebrated author with many admirers in the military has criticised the US-led invasion of Iraq, citing it as proof that "good men make mistakes".
Tom Clancy also said he almost "came to blows" with a leading war supporter, former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle.
The hawkish master of such million-selling thrillers as Patriot Games and The Hunt for Red October has added his own name to critics of the Iraq war, and not only through his own comments.
His latest book, Battle Ready, is a collaboration with another war critic, retired Marine General Anthony Zinni.
Battle Ready looks at Zinni's long military career, dating back to the Vietnam War, and includes harsh remarks by Zinni about the current conflict.
In an interview today with The Associated Press, Clancy and Zinni sat side by side in a hotel conference room in Manhattan, mutual admirers who said they agreed on most issues, despite "one or two" spirited "discussions" during the book's planning.
Zinni has openly attacked the war, but Clancy reluctantly acknowledged his own concerns. He declined repeatedly to comment on the war, before saying that it lacked a "casus belli," or suitable provocation.
"It troubles me greatly to say that, because I've met President (George W) Bush," Clancy said. "He's a good guy. ... I think he's well-grounded, both morally and philosophically. But good men make mistakes."
Battle Ready was published in the United States today with a first printing of 438,700. It is the fourth in Clancy's "Commanders" series, in which military leaders reflect on their careers and discuss military strategy.
"In the movies, military leaders are all drunken Nazis," said Clancy, who has worked on books about retired General Chuck Horner, who led US Central Command Air Forces during the Gulf War, and retired General Carl Stiner, whose missions included the capture of Panama leader Manuel Noriega.
"In fact, these are very bright people who regard the soldiers and Marines under them as their own kids. I thought the people needed to know about that. These are good guys, and smart guys."
Zinni served as commander in chief of the US Central Command from 1997 to 2000 and as a special Middle East envoy from 2001-2003.
But even as an envoy, Zinni spoke out against invading Iraq, regarding it as disastrous for Middle East peace and a distraction from the war against terrorism. Today, he said getting rid of Saddam Hussein was not worth the price.
"He's a bad guy. He's a terrible guy and he should go," Zinni said.
"But I don't think it's worth 800 troops dead, 4500 wounded - some of them terribly - $US200 billion ($286.8 billion) of our treasury and counting, and our reputation and our image in the world, particularly in that region, shattered."
In discussing the Iraq war, both Clancy and Zinni singled out the Department of Defence for criticism.
Clancy recalled a prewar encounter in Washington during which he "almost came to blows" with Richard Perle, a Pentagon adviser at the time and a longtime advocate of the invasion.
Clancy was on Hannity last night and made an idiot of himself by trying to impress all with how intelligent he himself is while trying to trip up Sean with his reply.
Who knows what in the world he was saying? Such a pompous man. He does not care how much he helps trash Bush as long as he gets the book deal. Well - this person will sure not buy it.
B.O.
Tom Pansy is just another in the long line of conservative media figures who sell out their principles in order to gain respectability from the liberal establishment.
He ought to be ashamed of himself.
In every war mistakes get made, from corporal to commander-in-chief. When the dust settles, this will be one for military academies worldwide to study. I know some people over there, and it's gone amazingly well.
Perhaps to the short sighted Zinni, the goal was the end of the Sadaam era. How about if you add to that providing a stable government that rejects terrorism, keeping the oil flowing to the world, isolating Iran and Syria, and signalling Pakistan that extremist Islam will not win the day. Because those are the stakes, and those are the results we seek as we move forward in Iraq.
The dominoe theory was scoffed at in the 60s in Southeast Asia, but make no mistake, it is alive and well in the expanded Middle East and Central Asia. If we fail now and retreat, one by one, beginning with the Saudi royal family, governmnets moderate toward the West will fall.
Just as with Al Qaeda, there was a time when Nazi Germany could have been stopped But her weaknesses transformed into parity and finally superiority. Likewise, there will come a time in that region of the world when Al Qaeda will merge with every terrorist group in the world, and as those countries finally come under their control, they will develop and use weapons of mass destruction to achieve their goal of total control of that part of the world. It will then result in a war that even the peaceniks who believe we can talk to these people will understand.
But on the bright side, it will give Clancy one hell of a plotline to work on.
I am disappointed by Clancy's position here because he always seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. However, I am happy to see that this man can at least provide one good example of loyal and civil dissent in this country, in direct contrast to all of the treasonous hyperbole and propaganda we've been seeing. I'm all for free speech, and everyone is entitled to his opinion. At least this guy shows (as far as I've seen so far, not having seen his book or seen him much on TV) how a loyal American citizen goes about expressing his disagreement. I wish the Left would take note.
His books have been going downhill for years now, a disappointment because I used to be a solid fan. I won't ever touch his books after this, though, he should know better.
Just think what a spectacular ending Clancy can make in his next book.
I'm not too sure how short sighted Zinni is. Once the identity of the terrorists who bombed the USS Cole was identified he actively opposed any military action against them. He claimed it would threaten a growing relationship between us and Pakistan. (Even though it was his own policy that had place the USS Cole in a defenseless in a port known to harbor terrorists.)
After Zinni retired he brokered a commercial business deal in Muslim Pakistan that has the potential to earn him and the investors $150 million.
Looks like Zinni has the long range picture.
I have a great ending for his book...in the end it's revealed that a retired general, who had caused the murder of some of our sailors strictly for political reasons, later insists on no retaliation against the terrorists then retires and makes millions from them. He's joined in this venture by a burnt out has-been writer.
OK General, how many will die if we don't act? (besides the 5,000 Iraqis/month you don't seem to care about). How many will die if Saddam gets to pick the time and place for our next engagement?
Well General, if you can't answer that question, you understand the gravity of the decision facing the President. If someone knew last February that the invasion and first year of occupation would cost 800 dead would we have voted for it? Would an esimate of 800 KIA have been considered wildly optimistic? The more vocal ex-generals were predicting 3,000 KIA to take Baghdad.
Zinni has turned out to be an antisemitic bigot of the worst kind. Your post suggests why--because he is making big money through his Muslim connections.
oh THIS is gonna go over SOOO well when he comes to the NAS Norfolk Exchange on June 5th to sign copies of this book....
What mistake? Taking out Sadaam and the Baathists was a great decision, and a great achievement.
Sadly it would appear that the value Zinni placed on the troops he was responsible for was about $8.8 million dollars profit off each sailor's body.
It is just possible that Clancy is one of those investors and that the war on Iraq is hurting their business profits.
Good Post LS
Clancy was playing footsies with the Clinton/Zinni crowd. I wouldn't be surprised at all that Clancy joined Zinni in his bloody profits.
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