Posted on 05/26/2004 5:06:36 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
The latest retired general to voice his concerns over the strategy to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq has been Anthony Zinni. Naturally, the good general has co-authored a book with (surprise!) Tom Clancy, criticizing the war with Iraq. The anti-Semitic undercurrent of the general’s interview on 60 minutes is discussed at length in Richard Baehr’s excellent piece in The American Thinker. Most Americans know that Gen. Zinni was the former Commanding General of CENTCOM, but few know his previous military background in that theater of operations, nor do they completely understand his current political leanings on the subject of conflict and war.
Gen. Zinni had been Deputy Commanding General for Operation Provide Comfort, immediately after Gulf War I. But his first command in the region was as the I Marine Expeditionary Force Commander assigned to execute Operation UNITED SHIELD, which was USCENTCOM’s operation to withdraw all UN forces from Somalia in January 1995. By this time, all US forces had already withdrawn under orders from President Clinton and overseen by the CENTCOM commander, Marine Gen. Hoar (retired Gen. Hoar has also come out against Operation Iraqi Freedom).
In August 1997, Gen. Zinni assumed command of CENTCOM. During his command, the following major actions occurred in theater:
- Provided disaster relief to victims of flooding in Kenya.
- The U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Tanzania were bombed by terrorists; USCENTCOM responded to the bombings by conducting cruise missile strikes against aspirin factories and nearly deserted terrorist camps of Osama Bin Laden.
- The U.S.S. Cole was bombed in Aden by al Qaeda. The rules of engagement in force under General Zinni's command enabled the terrorists to approach the Cole close enough to kill our sailors and critically damage the ship.
- In December 1998, USCENTCOM launched Operation DESERT FOX which was a four-day operation theoretically to delay development of weapons of mass destruction, and to disrupt or destroy Iraq’s national command and control nodes.
- Gen. Zinni oversaw the large-scale, yet routine Bright Star Exercise, which can trace its origin to the early 80s Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF).
- Conducted “engagement” operations (whatever that means) with the recently independent Central Asian states of the Former Soviet Union.
So, it appears that Gen. Zinni and CENTCOM had become very proficient at troop withdrawals, disaster relief, and shooting cruise missiles at empty tents. To be fair, Gen. Zinni was but the last in line of three CENTCOM commanders (the others being Hoar and Peay), who were essentially outmaneuvered by Iran. Even worse, they allowed a build-up of Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf and the Horn of Africa. These moves were countered by nothing stronger than the strategies of withdrawal (Somalia), shows of force, and the ever-popular but widely misunderstood concept of “engagement.”
But Gen. Zinni’s current affiliations are even more interesting, given his severe criticism of the President’s actions in the War on Terror and the liberation of Iraq. It seems the General is a Distinguished Military Fellow on the Washington, D.C. staff of the Center for Defense Information www.cdi.org. The mission statement for this organization is:
dedicated to strengthening security through: international cooperation; reduced reliance on unilateral military power [emphasis mine] to resolve conflict; reduced reliance on nuclear weapons; a transformed and reformed military establishment; and, prudent oversight of, and spending on, defense programs.
A quick glance of the list of people on CDI’s Board of Advisors includes such great military thinkers and left wing activists and donors as:
- Ben Cohen - Founder, Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., South Burlington, Vt.
- Paul Newman - Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Joanne Woodward - Actress-Director, Westport, Conn.
An assessment of CDI during the height of the Cold War highlighted its founding and core philosophy:
Formed in 1973 as a project of the tax-exempt Fund for Peace(FFP). CDI and its sister FFP projects - the Center for National Security Studies(CNSS) and the Center for International Policy(CIP) - are spin-offs from projects initiated by the Institute for Policy Studies(IPS), the Washington-based , internationally active revolutionary think-tank.
CDI’s military members include former military officers, intelligence officers and academics who share attitudes of harsh antagonism toward the U.S. national defense, the U.S. military, the NATO alliance and American foreign policy.
CDI’s former military officers were frequently quoted by the Soviet propaganda organs to legitimize their attacks on NATO and U.S. defense forces as trigger-happy dangers to peace. Although CDI states it "supports a strong defense but opposes excessive expenditures or forces," it has opposed every major new U.S. weapons system developed during the past two decades - from the B-1 bomber and Trident submarine to cruise missiles, neutron warheads, and stealth bomber - as upsetting the U.S.-Soviet strategic balance while at the same time minimizing the Soviet military buildup.
To this day, CDI maintains an office in Moscow, Russia staffed by a Mr. Ivan Safranchuk, who is described as a “well-known nuclear analyst in Russia.” The purpose of the Moscow CDI office is to provide “the Russian media and public with independent, unfiltered information about U.S.-Russian security relations, from nuclear policy to NATO environmental issues.”
This begs the question: What would motivate a retired four-star Marine general to join such an organization as this?
That retired Gen. Zinni would fall in with this bunch makes perfect sense after a stint at CENTCOM that included half-measures against Saddam’s regime and disaster relief operations as his claim to fame. It’s a shame that he can’t see the failure of the false policy of containment and sanctions that were right in his own backyard, but it’s a scandal that his critique of the current war can’t get beyond the subtle anti-Semitic complaints against people who actually wanted to take action to solve the problem.
His actions demonstrate that he is in perfect company with Richard Clarke and Joe Wilson.
It was Zinni's decision to have the USS COle refuel at Aden, against all better judgement. he put that ship in danger, practically left it defenselss in that terrorist hellhole and then prevented any respectable retaliation. Zinni's had his head up his butt for years.
"Sean could have put the icing on the cake by asking Zinni how many American soldiers and sailors lying dead would it take before he recommended actions stronger than lobbing cruise missiles at camels butts in response to Khobar and the USS Cole."
I love to pose that question to liberals. If you time it right, they choke on whatever beverage they might be drinking.....(grin)
Nothing quite as fun as a Liberal thats flustered, and half drowning from a soft drink!
Being a good general did not stop Omar Bradley from stopping Patton and causing the Battle of the Bulge to happen because of his "belief" that Patton was wrong in how to KILL GERMANS. More people died at the Bulge than D Day. Being a good general once does not make you right forever.
Finally, despite damage inflicted by Operation DESERT FOX strikes, Iraq has not forgone its missile and WMD programs and continues to resist the reintroduction of United Nations arms inspectors.While Iraq's WMD capabilities were degraded under UN supervision and set back by Coalition strikes, some capabilities remain and others could quickly be regenerated. Despite claims that WMD efforts have ceased, Iraq probably is continuing clandestine nuclear research, retains stocks of chemical and biological munitions, and is concealing extended-range SCUD missiles, possibly equipped with CBW payloads. Even if Baghdad reversed its course and surrendered all WMD capabilities, it retains the scientific, technical, and industrial infrastructure to replace agents and munitions within weeks or months.
A special concern is the absence of a UN inspection and monitoring presence, which until December 1998 had been paramount to preventing large-scale resumption of prohibited weapons programs.A new disarmament regime must be reintroduced into Iraq as soon as possible and allowed to carry out the mandates dictated by the post-Gulf War UN resolutions. The Iraqi regime's high regard for WMD and long-range missiles is our best indicator that a peaceful regime under Saddam Hussein is unlikely.Clearly, the proliferation of advanced weapons and associated technology is reaching alarming proportions in the Central Region and impacting both our regional relationships and the execution of our mission.
I remain deeply concerned that extremists may turn to WMD in an effort to make more sensational political statements and overcome improved U.S. defenses against conventional attack. There is evidence that some elements in our region are exploring rudimentary chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Detecting plans for a specific WMD attack is extremely difficult, making it likely such an event would occur without warning.
Iraq remains the most significant near-term threat to U.S. interests in the Arabian Gulf region. This is primarily due to its large conventional military force, pursuit of WMD, oppressive treatment of Iraqi citizens, refusal to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR), persistent threats to enforcement of the No Fly Zones (NFZ), and continued efforts to violate UN Security Council sanctions through oil smuggling. On December 17, 1999, the United Nations Security Council passed United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1284. This resolution authorizes the replacement of the United Nations Special Commission on Monitoring with the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).
Iraq's conventional military force continues to pose a threat to our regional partners who do not individually possess the capability to deter or stop an Iraqi invasion without U.S. assistance. Saddam's air and air defense forces have repeatedly attempted to challenge the Coalition's air patrols in the Northern and Southern NFZ during the past year. Iraqi conventional air defense forces have been degraded as a result of Coalition responses to Iraqi attacks, in addition to the slow decline resulting from UN sanctions. Despite setbacks and problems, Iraq persists in its deliberate attempts to shoot down Coalition aircraft. Because of these attempts, we must continue to give our pilots the ability to respond effectively against these unprovoked attacks. Current Rules of Engagement are fully adequate to enable them to do that.
Iraq continues a pattern of selective compliance with UN sanctions. Past behavior indicates that Saddam Hussein abides by international obligations only when he perceives them to be in his personal best interest. I believe that Iraq is likely to remain a significant threat to the region for the foreseeable future.
Zinni Testimony to the Armed Services Committee
He's also an opportunist currently trying to sell a book that has no basis in fact. Savor that one...
Sean did the same thing to Robert Reich on his radio show about a week ago, although that time he used Kerry quotes. It was hilarious! It was in front of a live audience, and Reich was dumbfounded. He never recovered and simply digressed to attacking the audience for being a bunch of right wing fanatics.
Being a nice man, Rose did not ask Zinni why he sent those 17 sailors aboard the Cole into an indefensible position in the terrorist-infested Yemeni port of Aden.
One more of Hillry's generals.
Three rules that, if understood and heeded, lead to a long life:
1. Incoming fire has the right-of-way.
2. Once the pin is pulled, Mister Hand Grenade is no longer your friend.
3. An uncaged Sidewinder has no friends.
He already answered that question in 1998:
Asked about the military rules under which Zinni might have the authority to again re-target Iraq, he said he would only have the right to take action if Saddam Hussein's forces took some offensive action against U.S. military forces who are enforcing sanctions against Iraq through the no-fly zones in the north and south of Iraq or through the nearby maritime intercept operations.
Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction Capabilities Diminished
One more quote from 2000 for good measure:
What we ended up with after the Cold War was chaos. It is getting worse. The number of failed or incapable states are going to grow. The growth of extremism. The danger now with things like weapons of mass destruction. We are going to have a WMD event. Mark my words. Will it be on the battlefield or will it be back here in Tampa or New York City? I don’t know. But we will have one, and that is going to be a wake-up call. It is a dangerous world out there. We need to make the commitment and understand that if we want to maintain our position in the world, then we need the capability to provide for the world to be a safe place, to be a place that is stable.
General Anthony C. Zinni Commander in Chief, Central Command AFA Air Warfare Symposium 2000
He saw the threat back then...what happened? Oh that's right...he's trying to sell a book.
Nice research, very nice.
... and still willingly yoked in her service, apparently. :)
Why is this Zinni's doing? Seem like you are the bigot! Do you really think Clinton would have ordered anything different. The Commander in Chief decides what military actions are taken. Gen Zinni may have offered advice but you have no way of knowing what his advice was because it remains confidential and covered by executive privilege. BTW, more of the advice would have come from the Pentagon, not CENTCOM. That level decides how to execute the commands, not what the commands should be. That is like blaming General Tommy Franks for deciding to invade Iraq.
Bush has a habit of reaching out to his critics (which his critics do not have the grace to reciprocate in, another reason why W will win in November), inviting Teddy to the WH to the movies at the WH, etc., The fact is, in a time of war, Zinni is involved in a project demoralizing to our troops, second guessing everything about the war. People in Iraq want to kill my son. Those people are drawing strength, hope and encouragement from Anthony Zinni. Forty years of service does not grant one an exemption from being responsible and supporting our troops.
Where was he before the war? Why wasn't he hitting the talk circuit then? Why wasn't he telling us that the WMD intel was "phoney?" It was exactly the same intel he had in 2000.
One thing for certain is Zinni doesn't care for 'neocon' Jews... American or Israeli.
Zinni is and was stuck so far up Toon's behind you'd need a scanning electron proctoscope to locate the general when he's at home.
Zinni ordered the USS Cole to refuel in Yemen instead of refueling underway, and gave a lot of advance notice to the Yemeni government (and, hence, to al-Qaeda). He then opposed any retaliation for the attack on the Cole, stating that it would annoy the Pakistanis.
He now is a director in a Pakistani telecommunications venture.
He got his golden parachute. All it cost was 17 American sailors.
Zinni would be a perfect fit in John F'n Kerry's Joint Chiefs.....
I'm certainly "bigoted" against American military men gleefully hopping into bed with the Moscow-centered CDI. Why; aren't you...?
Do you really think Clinton would have ordered anything different.
I don't hold my CICs (or the men supposedly serving faithfully under them) to the standards of a Bill Clinton. I set the bar a good deal higher than that, actually.
Apparently: you and I differ on that score.
Thanks for your insight and analysis?
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