Another general joins ranks opposing Rumsfeld (number 6)

CNN ^ | April 13 2006

[jmc1969]

The commander who led the elite 82nd Airborne Division during its mission in Iraq has joined the chorus of retired generals calling on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to leave the Pentagon.

"I really believe that we need a new secretary of defense because Secretary Rumsfeld carries way too much baggage with him," retired Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack told CNN's Barbara Starr on Thursday.

He also suggested other changes among the top brass at the Pentagon.

"I think we need senior military leaders who understand the principles of war and apply them ruthlessly, and when the time comes, they need to call it like it is,".

"Specifically, I feel he has micromanaged the generals who are leading our forces there," Swannack said in the telephone interview.

[NAVY84]

Just look at our history and how long we took to do things. Hell they might even get through their civil war before we even got our Constitution ratified. (From a timeline perspective obviously)

[brazzaville]

Good evening.
"Geesh, I am praying that Rumsfeld isn't just a charming version of McNamara!"

Bite your tongue!

Michael Frazier

[do the dhue]

You know, that blows my theory. I was thinking the top secret force field wasa a microwave. Microwaves have been known to explode things that are explodable. At first I thought it may be an EMP, but then I learned it knocks down RPGs. I figured EMPs were frying computer boards on missles. Then I heard it didn't work under water and that made me think microwave because microwaves don't work well under water. Now, I am wondering how it works again ....

[NAVY84]

I leave that to the Military-Industrial Complex. I'm more of an end user kind of guy. "Make it go away , please"

[do the dhue]

yea, but I think you will like this. It blows up before damage can be done and it looks kinda like star trak stuff. We are rolling it into Iraq, I think this week, on some of our tanks and we will be mounting it on choppers.

[NAVY84]

Cool. I'll pray that it works as advertised.

G'nite All

[do the dhue]

lol (make it go away)

I know that Ike warned us about the MIC, but I am a hawk and I love her. I have always believed in a strong economy to support a strong military. Still believe that too.

[do the dhue]

gnite

[do the dhue]

Hillery and Biden?

I wonder if I will be as vile as the Demoratic puke is today?

I damn sure hope I can live up to their standards ...

[no dems]

They did not appoint him and they cannot DIS-appoint him.

[jonrick46]

"He has a new wrinkle - do it on the cheap with equipment and manpower."

How many would be the first to be crying that the war is "costing too much and can't we just spend some of that gold toilet seat money on the homeless?"

[roses of sharon]

You? Vile? Never.

Leave it up to me!

[airedale]

That's why the regular Army would be really ticked off. Special Forces wouldn't be.

[do the dhue]

I understand. I am not ruling anything out. I honestly think the General from the 82nd just wants to step up the program and the politicans don't want to answer to the media, liberals, and the French (especially during an election year). I may be wrong about all that, but I sometimes think that the uncivilized need a spanking once in a while.

One thing to remember, the demorats hate our military. They attack her budget every chance they get. The rats attack her intelligence gathering every chance they get. The only reason why, I figure, is because McCarthy was right and they are Communist. Might be wrong, but until I see them acting like good Americans, I will call them Commies.

I have a blood brother (Ranger) who walk away from the Army in the Clinton years. He stated pretty much what your son says. As long as we keep Republicans in power, I believe our military will stay strong.

[FreeReign]

Rumsfeld"It is unknowable how long that conflict will last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months."

Rumsfeld said that in February 2003 before we went in. He was estimating the time it would take to defeat Saddam's army. Rumsfeld was correct. At that time nobody could have know that in addition to Saddam's army an Al Qaeda organized insurgency was being put together.

Nine days after the war started, Rumsfeld said this.

Rumsfeld | March 31, 2003 | NYTimes:Nobody should have any illusions that this is going to be a quick and easy victory. This is going to be a tough war, a tough slog yet, and no responsible officials I know has ever said anything different once this war has started.

Link

Paul Wolfowitz: "The Iraqi people understand what this crisis is about. Like the people of France in the 1940s, they view us as their hoped-for liberator."

Cheney "I really do believe we will be greeted as liberators,"

Most Iraqi's do view us as liberators. Most Iraqi's took our side and not the terrorist's and insurgent's side.

The MSM will tell you different.

You believe the MSM.

Meanwhile, the evidence is clear: Two-thirds of all eligible voters voted in Iraq's several elections. Millions voted -- only thousands were insurgents.

If you have been reading FreeRepublic instead of watching the MSM you would would have seen the hundreds of pictures posted here of Iraqi citizens treating us as liberators.

[jonrick46]

We hear what they are saying and it sounds like whiny girly boys crying that their soup has too many of those "nasty green peas" in it.

[ChiefBoatswain]

Don't dismiss these generals too lightly. I'm in the Army Reserve now, and generals(and admirals) are far from liberal. We owe it to them to at least take what they say seriously. They've earned that right.

[FreeReign]

The original objective of the administration (and the policy arm headed by Cheney, Wolfowitz, Pearle, Rumsfeld, etc...) was to establish a pro-western democracy in Iraq. It is years later and we are nowhere close to achieving that objective.

Two Constitutions three successful elections says that you are wrong.

[Donald Meaker]

Does anyone know how many Generals there are?

the 5 sided nut house has brigadiers carrying coffee.

and the dinosaur media can find 6 that don't like Rummy? Color me unimpressed. If they were all on the same jury, they couldn't swing a tort trial.

[FreeReign]

Rumsfeld and crew has done a good job with a tough problem.

Yes, the problem was tough.

People sit behind their computers and I don't think they appreciate the enormity of the task we are trying to accomplish. We're doing a good job -- that includes Rumsfeld.