personally , I thought Rumsfeld dragged his ass on troops numbers in the lead up to the fight . We should have overwhelmed them . We should have totally pressured Turkey
to allow a complete second front utilizing the 4th ID and we should have never put the situation into the hands of the inept Interm Authority after the initial victory . They really screwed the pooch . This always happens , over & over again , whenever the CIV’s are put in authority over Mil ops .
.Until we learn to fight with the gloves off and use our Mil assets the way they are supposed to be used ,we will never experience clear cut victories again . Perhaps there needs to be a Constitutional amendment in this country that allows for 2 leaderships ? one CIV , one MIL ?
agree
You make some good points and you and I can agree to disagree over specifics, but what O'Reilly did tonight was to impugn Rumsfeld's and Bush's motives. I'm not conceding your point but incompetence is vastly different than malevolence. And that is what O'Reilly did tonight. He accused Secretary Rumsfeld of being EVIL!
Regards,
TS
All of this shows just how difficult war is. You do have to make some decisions that will always be against some in the administration, much less with the public.
He did a good job while he was in charge. There may be those who disagree here, but you have to understand that you are looking back with hindsight. Things were not so clear when he make his decisions.
So, my advice is that you hold your criticism and let history decide. It will probably be much more kind to him than many here... He did his best under the circumstances and did a reasonably good - actually great - job.
Personally, I think Roethlisberger should have held on to those two time-outs in the second half. He really screwed the pooch on that one!
The Turkey thing came down at the last moment -- the 4th ID was already in Alexandretta awaiting permission to debark. What stopped the action was a vote in the Turkish legislature -- something like 251-249, which we now know was largely engineered and bankrolled by France.
The Department of Defense had plans to establish a military government upon the defeat of Hussein. The personnel were chosen and in place. But Colin Powell and the State Department usurped the authority -- against Rumsfeld's recommendation.
The blame belongs to France and Colin Powell.
I would recommend that you read his book. I think you'll come away with a different impression.
Fair enough.
We should have totally pressured Turkey to allow a complete second front utilizing the 4th ID
NOT Rummy's fault, but rather Colon Powell's. Prior to Desert Storm, James Baker visited Turkey TWICE and had Bush call the PM 8 times. Powell? Did not visit, made 4 calls, NO Dubya calls, AND they threatened to withhold a $15b loan guarantee. Turkish cartoons railed against "American arrogance". And it cost many lives as a result. Tragic stupidity from a career idiot: Colon Powell.
we should have never put the situation into the hands of the inept Interm Authority after the initial victory
Blame Bush and Bush ALONE for appointing Paul "Pussy" Bremer after firing Garner. We needed a MacArthur, and instead Bush gave us Mr. Rogers, with disastrous results, among which was Muqtada al-Sadr senselessly left alive.
This always happens , over & over again , whenever the CIV’s are put in authority over Mil ops . .Until we learn to fight with the gloves off and use our Mil assets the way they are supposed to be used ,we will never experience clear cut victories again
Amen, brother.