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The Generals' revolt
WND ^ | Ap 15 06 | Buchanan

Posted on 04/15/2006 8:14:44 AM PDT by churchillbuff

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To: churchillbuff
What do generals know about war?

Well, this implies that every retired general will be right when talking about 'war' as you say. That, of course, is not realistic. These generals may be right, time will tell.

But, there are something like 9,000 retired generals of all stars as reported by FNC. So, 6 out of 9,000??

Also, have you seen any reporting on retired generals that support the war, the approach and Rumsfeld? No? Does that mean there aren't any? Of course not. That means the antique media is not reporting on them.

I know it appears that hundreds of generals are against this because the lame stream media has had these 6 on camera hundreds of times. Do not get suckered into the antique media game plan.

41 posted on 04/15/2006 8:36:55 AM PDT by technomage (NEVER underestimate the depths to which liberals will stoop for power.)
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To: churchillbuff

Courage? LOL! He's selling a book.


42 posted on 04/15/2006 8:37:16 AM PDT by Right_in_Virginia
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To: churchillbuff

"BUsh and Rummy were publicly warned by more than one general that they weren't sending enough troops."

Too bad you cannot read the meaning of the demand for more troops. It is WASHINGTON SPEAK!!!! Get It?

It means that we needed a draft. We do have have sufficient forces in the services to field the ARMY the Shinsheki's and Zinni's were demanding. That means, NO WAR!

A draft, training, coordinating, logistics....DEFEATISM BEFORE WE START!

Got it? A WASHINGTON RUN AROUND!


43 posted on 04/15/2006 8:37:23 AM PDT by Prost1 (Sandy Berger can steal, Clinton can cheat, but Bush can't listen!)
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To: churchillbuff
For a long time, I have felt that this war closely resembled Viet Nam because we followed the tactics of "nation-building", "pacification", "winning the hearts of the people", etc. Perhaps this is Rumsfeld's vision, but I have been equally unimpressed by the generals, who have been little more than "yes-men" bureaucrats. Maybe they got their stars by attending cocktail parties and kissing a$$.

Our military should never be placed in a nation-building role, they should be warriors. Leave peace-keeping, nation-building, etc. to someone else.

44 posted on 04/15/2006 8:37:42 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (Former SAC Trained Killer)
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To: Edgerunner
Most Generals don't like civilian control, but that's the way we've always done it...

And that's the right way to do it, which is the huge dilemma as I see things. Rumsfeld is manifestly incompetent (and I've been saying that since 2003) but it's not right for the civilian leadership to be overthrown at the demand of the military..

My personal opinion is that the damage in Iraq itself is already done, and replacing Rumsfeld won't help now, so Rumsfeld should stay because civilian rule is paramount. Even incompetent civilian rule is better than a military coup, IMHO.

PS. Yeah, I know my opinion is in the definite minority here, so that's all I'm gonna say about this.

45 posted on 04/15/2006 8:37:45 AM PDT by AntiGuv (The 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty is bad for America and bad for humanity - DUMP IT!)
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To: churchillbuff
The main argument seems to be we needed more troops. If we invaded with a million man Army, we would still have troops in Iraq and thousands more casualties. Having a combat team on every street corner would not have discouraged Saddam's leftovers from fighting back.
46 posted on 04/15/2006 8:37:48 AM PDT by operation clinton cleanup
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To: Meadow Muffin
Are these generals hold overs from the Kinton regime and have some sort of axe to grind?

A typical excuse that holds ZERO truth. These officers served under Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush1, Clinton and Bush2. The problem is Rumsfeld ... he was and is .... WRONG! Active duty Generals did speak up and Rumsfeld insulted them and the army .... publicly and often. People here on FR would claim that they knew nothing .... that they were Clinton hold overs ....

Rumsfeld is trying to complete the mistakes he many over thirty years ago. Then he left the military in a shambles and those "Hold overs" took that destroyed military and made it into the best in the world. We don't need Rumsfeld to destroyed it.

47 posted on 04/15/2006 8:38:08 AM PDT by Yasotay
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To: churchillbuff
What do Tommy Franks, Casey and dozens of other Generals know since they say these guys are full of crap. But of course the Chamberlain buff is always desperate for some validation of his Neo Isolationist dogma. I am sorry but when a former Major General of Infantry goes on the today show and whines that Rummy "is abusive", this is a PR stunt, not a serious commentary on policy. This is a Cindy Sheehan moment, another Leftist PR stunt the the usual nut jobs are trying to exploit rather then admit they have always been complete clueless about Iraq.
48 posted on 04/15/2006 8:39:33 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The Democrat Party. For those who value slogans over solutions.)
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To: Yasotay
Sorry but when Casey, Franks and dozens of other Generals say these guys are full of crap, kind of obvious this is a staged PR stunt, not a serious commentary. Sorry but you Neo Isolationists simply need to grow up. Your world view failed us and lead to 9-11. You cannot hide you head up your rear and wish this all away.
49 posted on 04/15/2006 8:41:10 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The Democrat Party. For those who value slogans over solutions.)
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To: nevergore
"Not all generals are great military men....just good pentagon politicians...."

Can't speak of the particular officers, but I have heard some things.

The military has a lot of trouble retaining O2s and O3s.

There is a reason.

50 posted on 04/15/2006 8:41:12 AM PDT by Radix (Stop domestic violence. Beat abroad.)
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To: churchillbuff

Swannack did not make a great reputation in Iraq, Good reason he didn't get his third star, and it wasn't because he wasn't a Team" player.


51 posted on 04/15/2006 8:41:17 AM PDT by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)
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To: churchillbuff

Enemies among us, even on FR.


52 posted on 04/15/2006 8:42:19 AM PDT by showme_the_Glory (No more rhyming, and I mean it! ..Anybody want a peanut.....)
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To: Meadow Muffin

Are they holdovers? Are you kidding? Of course they are.

With over 900 stars and admirals in current service and 15 20% retiring at any time, there are literally thousands of ex top brass in civis.

There is as much brass now as there was in WW11 with less than half of the number of servicemen. Maybe one tenth of the servicemen.

I consider those numbers a ringing endoresement of Rummy, considering the percentages


53 posted on 04/15/2006 8:43:13 AM PDT by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: MNJohnnie
I am sorry but when a former Major General of Infantry goes on the today show and whines that Rummy "is abusive", this is a PR stunt, not a serious commentary on policy.

No apology is necessary. The "abusive" line against Rumsfeld reminds me of the same line used by Carl Ford in the Bolton hearings.

Coincidence? I think not.

54 posted on 04/15/2006 8:43:15 AM PDT by Right_in_Virginia
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To: churchillbuff
The reality is SecDef Rumsfeld has overseen a needed change within the Old Big Green....and some people's feelings were hurt (tough sh*t).

These men have showed a clear sign of themselves by running to the MSM (a group "they know" is against our military....they know it...yet the sunk there when they thought it could help them!?!)..that speaks volumes about these men not SecDef Rumsfeld.

And the reality is there is always going to be a few dozen Gen's or so (and here we have less then 10) that aren't happy with the SecDef.

There is always going to be infighting at State and the Pentagon. People acting as if this is something new is utterly silly.

As another FReeper already pointed out in the Department of Defense there are roughly:

34 - four star generals/admirals

124 - three star generals/admirals

278 - two star generals/admirals

439 - one star generals/admirals

Throw in the U.S. Coast Guard and you have 900 generals and admirals on active duty today. Each year roughly 15-20% of those will retire for various reasons, not all willingly.

That SecDef Rumsfeld tweaked a couple of these guys or hurt a few of their "feelings".....is a good thing! No leader hard charging leader could be effective if they weren't. That is just called reality.

We have fought and continue to fight the most effective unconventional war in history. Our enemies have suffered one strategic defeat after another.....we have not suffered one.

55 posted on 04/15/2006 8:43:17 AM PDT by SevenMinusOne
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To: churchillbuff

Well, now I know these generals are 100% wrong. Crazy Pat is on the same page as them.

Pat Buchannan, reliably carrying out attacks for Ted Turner and his CFR billionaire friends for 3 decades.


56 posted on 04/15/2006 8:43:29 AM PDT by Phsstpok (There are lies, damned lies, statistics and presentation graphics, in descending order of truth)
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To: MizSterious
And speaking of revolting, why, heeere's PAT!

Yep!


:D

57 posted on 04/15/2006 8:43:30 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: churchillbuff

OK, six generals don't come out in 2 weeks to speak against Rumsfield unless there is something more going on. What are their political affiliations? I suspect they are all Democrats. Why did they come out in such a short period of time? I highly doubt they all retired in the last 2 weeks.

Methinks this is part of a political plan. If so, who is behind it and what are their goals?


58 posted on 04/15/2006 8:43:32 AM PDT by CitizenUSA
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

There have been approximately two combat-related deaths per day over three years. Should be fewer, but.


59 posted on 04/15/2006 8:44:35 AM PDT by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)
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To: churchillbuff

I think that dropping nukes on China may have been a bit over the edge, don't you?


60 posted on 04/15/2006 8:44:56 AM PDT by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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