Rumsfeld Blasts Top Brass

ny daily news ^ | 3.29.2 | RICHARD SISK

[Fury]

But concern is widespread at the Pentagon that U.S. forces may be overextended by worldwide commitments.

The most telling sentence of the article. One does have to consider that Secretary Rumsfeld has proposed further reductions in certain areas of the military that would add to the the military's "per person" workload. Op Tempo/Pers Tempo are too high right now. Do you think they will get any better in the future? I don't. I know of both Officers and Enlisted folks who have had enough of the TDYs and are not re-enlisting in the Guard/Reserve, even when offered much. It will get worse before it gets better.

[Satadru]

This time of the year (budget season), I will take anything with a grain of salt. Having said that, we are deployed in too many places. If Bush has any courage, he would pull out our troops from Bosnia and Japan, and deploy them elsewhere. But, then again, that takes balls.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

If an officer has a problem, he should address it to the chain of command. He shouldn't go griping to the media about it (unless the chain has blown it off and he feels strongly enough to put his job in jeopardy).

[texlok]

If Bush has any courage, he would pull out our troops from Bosnia and Japan, and deploy them elsewhere. But, then again, that takes balls.

Not just there, but many other places, remnants/continuations from clinton's nation-building. Hell, we probably still have troops in Haiti.

I'm sure that wherever Sally Struthers has done her latest "feed the children" ads, there are American troops right there.

[Robert_Paulson2]

yep... stay safe this weekend. celebrate resurrection PRIVATELY. Eat out at off hours. Avoid large religious gatherings.

[A Simple Soldier]

I served under Kernan. He is the best we have. Frankly, I wish it were him in command of CENTCOM right now. I'd jump into a pool of gasoline with a lit match in my teeth for him. Don't get wrapped up around when he was appointed.

[Mahone]

the bend in its attempt to stifle any honest examination of their conduct? What do y'all think?

I think you assume MUCH!

[A Simple Soldier]

I assume you wear (or have worn) a green or blue suit and have got the war all figured out? I assume you have the experience in combat old Buck has? I assume you know he was almost canned years ago for speaking the truth about using the Rangers in Desert Storm? I served under Kernan. He is a warrior unlike some others who wear 3 and 4 stars. I guess telling the truth only counts for something when Democrats are in office. Thank God we serve the Constitution to which we swear our oath to and not individuals.

[A Simple Soldier]

Yeah, I guess telling the truth in their professional judgement is a crime worthy of demotion and retirement. Only yes men need apply. Oh, that was only a crime under the Clinton regime. No way a Republican administration would in any way obscure or muddle the truth.

Read "Dereliction of Duty" by HR McMaster before you call for these guys heads.

[pray4liberty]

Madame, good detective work. So they were Clintonite press hounds. They obviously don't know how to keep their mouths shut.

[joyce11111]

Pancho...there is a chain of command in the Military. That's why!

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Thank you for that information.

[USNBandit]

After years of having flag officers say everything was okay in the 90's when the military was dying on the vine, this is a relief. As far as being tired, that is one of those things we will have to accept. It is a war, after all. If the Pres. said we were going to destroy country X tomorrow the military would pony up. It is a totally different story when it comes to munitions. If the operational commander for the Atlantic Fleet says he needs more JDAM, he is probably telling the truth. If Rumsfeld doesn't like what they said he should send some yes men to Congress.

[powderhorn]

Why is it so wrong for these top officers, responsible for the lives of so many to tell the truth as they see it to Congress?

Because you don't want to tempt the bad guys to push harder by saying that you are low on ammo. It'd be a lot wiser if they could say something like, "We almost ran low on ammo, but we talked in private with some key people in Congress who made sure that we got what we needed."

It's wrong when the truth can get more people killed.