The Low-Down On Zinni (Unsavory Associations, Background Revealed! BUSTED!)

The American Thinker ^ | 5/26/04 | Douglas Hanson

[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 By this time, all US forces had already withdrawn under orders from President Clinton and overseen by the CENTCOM commander, Marine Gen.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.

[Dave S]

I wasn't aware, certainly, that refusing to swap spit with the comrades over at the CDI translated so readily into "sabotaging his career."

I of course was not referring to that but to his following the Commander in Chiefs orders as head of CENTCOM. Lobbing the cruise missles rather than refusing to do so.

[jwalsh07]

I of course was not referring to that but to his following the Commander in Chiefs orders as head of CENTCOM. Lobbing the cruise missles rather than refusing to do so.

Zinni was a soldier who followed orders. He was als Commander of CENTCOM who offered advice and counsel to the CIC on how to retaliate against jihadists. He followed orders and his advice sucked. His advice still sucks and whats more he's either consciously or unconsciously lying about the Bush Administration when he states that they "lied" about WMD in Iraq.

[LiteKeeper]

read later

[Dave S]

He was als Commander of CENTCOM who offered advice and counsel to the CIC on how to retaliate against jihadists.

I believe you are wrong on him offering advice. That would be the job of the joint chiefs. His role would be to implement the decisions coming out of White House and Pentagon. Might he be consulted? Could have but I dont see any evidence that he was or that the actions taken where his recommended actions.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

I of course was not referring to that but to his following the Commander in Chiefs orders as head of CENTCOM.

[;;shrugs::] Then the confusion was (clearly) all on your end, then, and not my own. Nothing whatsoever in any of my postings even addresses the CENTCOM issue.

I'm still waiting, of course, for whatever whitewash is going to be presented by the Zinnites, inevitably, re: the utterly damning CDI revelation; the topic which I HAVE specifically singled out, repeatedly. Will it be forthcoming at any point in the immediate future, do you suppose? The dog is making his preference for a morning walk known to me.

[Slings and Arrows]

Thanks for the ping.

I've been told that every man has his price; in Zinni's case, we know it to the nearest million dollars.

[Miss Marple]

Well, I consider notifying the Yemeni government that the Cole would be docking at his orders, complete with refueliing with inappropriate security, followed by RECOMMENDING that no retaliation be taken because of atangonizing the Pakistanis, damning enough evidence.

[MamaLucci]

.....consciously or unconsciously lying about the Bush Administration when he states that they "lied" about WMD in Iraq.

I would say from this 2000 Zinni quote, it is the former.

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.

There are more good Zinni quotes in post 24 by ravingnutter.

It is very telling that most of the people (Clarke, Ritter Wilson,Zinni,Clinton,Kerry,.......etc.,etc.) who have done 360 degree turns on Iraq's WMD capabilities, and are on the record a few years ago stating the exact opposite opinion, do not hesitate to now publicly join the "Bush lied" chorus, or even write books on the subject. Only certain knowledge that the MSM will cover up their inconsistencies explains it, IMHO. I was happy to read that Sean Hannity called Zinni on it.

[Howlin]

We're surrounded!

[Steve_Seattle]

Zinni is damned by his own congressional testimony (post #24) which contradicts everything he's saying now.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Only certain knowledge that the MSM will cover up their inconsistencies explains it . . . "

Absolutely true; the mainstream media is only interested in real or imagined inconsistencies within the Bush administration. When it comes to Bush's critics, inconsistencies are almost totally ignored, even when they are as blatant as Zinni's.

[bethelgrad]

As a former Marine who served under Gen. Zinni, I am terribly disapointed. I am even more disapointed that Clancy is associated with him now.

[Miss Marple]

I understand your disappointment. To me, this is contemptible. To undermine morale while we have troops in the field, all for a book deal and for political purposes, is simply disgusting.

Clancy has seen his last dime from me, that's for sure!

[Valin]

Ben Cohen - Founder, Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., South Burlington, Vt.
Paul Newman - Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, Calif.
Joanne Woodward - Actress-Director, Westport, Conn.

Three of the greatest military thinkers of the last 200 years.
I understand Ben Cohen is going to be writing a book of strategy that is destined to replace "The Art Of War".

[VaBthang4]

Zinni smacks of another bitter Loserdopian type.
Incompetent = Out of the loop [See: Power & Influence] = Bitter.

Tale as old as time.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for posting this.

If al Querry is elected as president, al Zinni will probably be his Secretary of Defense.

[VaBthang4]

Was this Clinton's fault as well? Was Zinni simply being a good little soldier when he gave 'sworn' testimony as to the facts, a few months before GW was elected?

" Clearly, the proliferation of advanced weapons and associated technology is reaching alarming proportions......"

"...... Detecting plans for a specific WMD attack is extremely difficult, making it likely such an event would occur without warning.

[VaBthang4]

"Most of the people trying to trash Gen. Zinni wouldn't make a pimple on a Parris Island sh*tbird's butt."

Is that a fact?

Well, I feel safe in stacking up my stay @ Parris Island against you or anyone else here who'd pretend to defend this idiot Zinni.

[Grampa Dave]

That is a great nugget that should be passed on to Sean Hannity.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the ping.

I ran a Yahoo search on al Zinni yesterday, and it showed his true left wing nature.