Retired generals challenge GOP in ads

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/9/07 | Philip Elliott - ap

[NormsRevenge]

CONCORD, N.H. - Three retired generals challenged a dozen members of Congress in a new ad campaign Wednesday, saying the politicians can't expect to win re-election if they support President Bush's policies in Iraq.

"I am outraged, as are the majority of Americans. I'm a lifelong Republican, but it's past time for change," retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste told reporters.

"Our strategy in Iraq today is more of the same, a slow grind to nowhere which totally ignores the reality of Iraq and the lessons of history," Batiste said. "Our president ignores sound military advice and surrounds himself with like-minded and compliant subordinates."

Batiste and Paul Eaton, also a retired major general, are featured in the ads by VoteVets.org. They challenge the president's argument that he listens to his commanders on the ground in Iraq and say the president's Iraq policies endanger U.S. security.

"The fact is, the president has never listened to the soldiers on the ground effectively," said retired NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley Clark, who ran for president in 2004. "This administration is not listening to the troops and is not supporting them."

Other veterans promoted the campaign at a news conference in Manchester, the start of a six-state publicity tour targeting Republican Sens. John Sununu (news, bio, voting record) of New Hampshire, Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record) of Maine, Norm Coleman (news, bio, voting record) of Minnesota and John Warner (news, bio, voting record) of Virginia, plus nine House members.

Many in the group, including Sununu, have criticized various aspects of administration policy, but all have opposed legislation to establish a timetable for withdrawing American troops.

"Telling members of al-Qaida, militias or insurgent groups the date we will begin and end troop withdrawals is irresponsible," Sununu said.

Separately in Manchester, about a dozen peace activists staged a sit-in at Sununu's office to oppose the war. They read the names of 22 New Hampshire troops who died in Iraq. They also stood around a pile of shoes. Attached to each pair was the name of an Iraqi killed in the conflict. Outside, about 30 protesters waved signs.

When VoteVets.org ran ads in February, Sununu said critics of the war have every right to speak out, "but no group or individual should claim to speak for all the patriotic Americans serving in Iraq and around the world in our armed forces."

The House members targeted by the new ads are Mary Bono (news, bio, voting record) of California, Phil English of Pennsylvania, Randy Kuhl (news, bio, voting record) and James Walsh (news, bio, voting record) of New York, Jo Ann Emerson (news, bio, voting record) of Missouri, Timothy Johnson (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois, Mike Rogers and Fred Upton (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan and Michael Castle (news, bio, voting record) of Delaware.

English's spokeswoman, Julia Wanzco, fired back.

"The congressman has long stated that he is for a political settlement not a surge, and at the end of the day, these ads are more about cheap Democratic political stunts than about solving the actual problem," she said.

___

Associated Press writer Beverley Wang in Manchester contributed to this report.

[NormsRevenge]

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Andrew Horne, right, at podium, speaks as members of VoteVets.org held news conference, Wednesday, May 9, 2007, in Manchester, N.H., to discuss their new Iraq war ad campaign. Three retired generals targeted a dozen members of Congress in a new ad campaign Wednesday, saying they can't support President Bush's policies in Iraq and expect to be re-elected next year. Brandon Friedman, 29, standing, left rear, an Army veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, and veteran Joshua Lansdale, standing at center, look on. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)

[ken21]

wesley clark is not a credible critic.

but, many others should be criticized, for example, general franks. he made big errors in judgement, not to mention that he’s a suck ass.

[JennysCool]

Gee. That’s some crowd.

[VeniVidiVici]

Three retired generals and Weasely Clark.

Looks like the makings of a circle jerk to me.

These generals, who suddenly find their balls in retirement, should be called back to active duty and assigned to Northern Afghanistan or Western Iraq. Their sole duty would be to draw up battle plans to win the war.

Each plan would then be placed on the net and voted on.

The most popular plan would be given to the winning general where he can gather pieces of the Iraqi army to lead into, um, battle.

[pissant]

Hang the m’fn treasonous, dirty bastards.

[EagleUSA]

Clark should be thrown back into active duty — in a chute out of the back of a C-130 over a hot zone -— the other guys, well hard to say what is motivating them — maybe some Soros money. Regardless of their feelings, they should have kept their mouths SHUT...if they had any concern for feelings for the guys who fought for them.

Their performance was disgusting to this vet.

[afnamvet]

Retired generals that run off at the mouth usally equate to REMFs that never led troops in battle. Just like that weasel Murtha.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Where were these men of integrity; these paragons of virtue when Clinton was gutting the military? Better men/women than these left rather than serve a man hell bent on destroying the military.

[printhead]

I became politically aware sometime in the mid-eighties. I had been an avid reader of newspapers for some ten years before that. I had never read an article of dissident(sp?) generals during that time. What has changed?

[Gene Eric]

Rwanda 1994, US turns its back, ~800,000 are slaughtered.

Rwanda 1994, US turns its back, ~800,000 are slaughtered.

Rwanda 1994, US turns its back, ~800,000 are slaughtered.

Rwanda 1994, US turns its back, ~800,000 are slaughtered.

Rwanda 1994, US turns its back, ~800,000 are slaughtered.

...

[neverhillorat]

Foes say that Bush and Franks made these mistakes in Iraq but, what were these mistakes? Never hear exactly what they were.

[ken21]

read:

Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by Michael R. Gordon and General Bernard Trainor (Paperback - Feb 27, 2007)

and then you’ll have an informed opinion.

[neverhillorat]

Thanks for the tip, but, I am not a big fan of the wisdom of recently passed over General Officers. As Tony Snow said, “Their memoirs could all be called’If Only They Would Have Listened To Me!””

[GlennBeck08]

And they say the plan isn’t working.. but don’t offer a different plan for victory, just a plan for defeat? These Generals should be smarter then this. Do they not know the ramnifications the whole world faces if we leave Iraq the way it is? It’s not that doggone hard to see.

[Maelstorm]

What needs to happen is have retired General Franks and others who support the effort to run an ad. I wonder where exactly Weasley Clark and these other arm chair generals get their information to reach the conclusions they have reached. It is shameful.

[DemEater]

I bet none of these generals were even in Iraq.

[truth_seeker]

“but, many others should be criticized, for example, general franks. he made big errors in judgement, not to mention that he’s a suck ass.”

Care to list the mistakes?

[jess35]

Of course the three former Generals are retired for a reason...and it most likely wasn’t their choice. Hell, Clark was fired by Clinton for attempting to start WWIII.

[paddles]

Batiste and Eaton were. Eaton was fired for poor performance and replaced by then-MG Petraeus.