Posted on 02/25/2003 8:24:47 AM PST by HAL9000
[Translation note - "WAD Arab" = "Mad Arab"]
Soon does US general "WAD Arab" prevail over Bagdad?
Does it become Saddam Husseins successor? The American three-star general John Abizaid speaks flowing Arab, has combat experience in the Gulf region and a Harvard conclusion in Middle East studies. It is acted after a victory of the USA as a possible interim government boss.
Washington - like Douglas MacArthur once the reconstruction in Japan after the Second World War managte, then John Abizaid could be the crucial man for the USA, if it concerns the time to a victory in the Iraq. The 51-jaehrige three-star general stands for a new generation of military, which peacekeaping measures do not mean less than the correct strategy in open combat.
Vice-Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz saw himself forced on Sunday to disclaim plans for a long-term commitment of its country in the Iraq. Before a group of Iraqi immigrants into the USA said Wolfowitz, which wanted to release the USA the Iraq, not become however a crew power. They would remain as necessary "as for a long time and as soon as possible again would disappear".
But the media report long on plans of the USA, which proceed from an operational readiness level of the country also several years after end of war. The "Financial Times" sees also the personnel question already clarified. Abizaid has the best chances in opinion of the newspaper to provide after the collapse of the Saddam regime in the Iraq for security and order.
The Kalifornier of Lebanese descent has the best conditions for the task: Graduate of the renowned west POINT military academy, a Harvard conclusion in Middle East studies, in addition an exemplary military career, which brought in the rank of a three-star general for it. It was with its knowledge of the Gulf region the USA already several times from use: In the seventies it left its US elite unit, in order to instruct Jordanian special forces in Amman.
And also in the Iraq Abizaid already was in the use: In the summer, its Air Force unit, Iraqi army units of the area of the Kurds back urge helped 1991, directly after the end of the last Gulf War. Not in the open fight, but as peace-receiving measure.
Its pointed name "WAD Arab" (crazy person Arab) deceives. Straight its peace and controllingness brought in much appreciation for Abizaid. The pentagon knows: It is not of the old striking swords, which have still another old calculation in the Iraq openly. Already 1991 wrote Abizaid over its employment: "the soldiers had to understand, how much discipline is necessary to retain also under the most provoking circumstances peace. We made errors, but we learned from them and some very much gewitzte, capable Peacekeeper trained."
It needs so a highest Peacekeeper now again, so that no endless number of small skirmishes follows a moelichen victory of the USA. Also the search for massenvernichtungswaffen must be calmly however thoroughly continued. Abizaid stands thereby for a new generation of generals, highly-qualified in the thing and with the durable readiness to consider once learned Doktrine.
Because military supervision alone is not sufficient. To Abizaids also co-operation with a new civil administration would belong to tasks in the Iraq. The planned "authority for reconstruction and humanitarian assistance" would be subordinate also to the pentagon. Leader became probably Jay Garner, a general in the retirement. The tasks of the authority however knits separately from the peace-receiving employment general of the Abizaid. Each of the three departments of the authority, humanitarian assistance, reconstruction and civil administration, would have a civilian co-ordinator. The American Department of Defense stresses however the fact that the authority do not lead the reconstruction but only the international efforts to supervise is.
Even if the pentagon separates military and civilian tasks thus strictly, the Ministry of Defense stresses naturally the dependence of the civil authorities on the military monitoring. Without necessary security is hardly to be thought of reconstruction. And straight there do not want to lose the USA time. Douglas Feith, Pentagon man for the reconstruction, opposite the "Financial Times": "we hope the fact that we can begin the humanitarian assistance and the work on the reconstruction without delay, as soon as an area released and is secured." Here Garners civil authorities comes into the play: In close co-operation with the command in Washington it must tighten centers, when an area is safe of enough, so that the reconstruction can begin.
The pentagon stresses that the work of the authority is independent of the education of a new Iraqi government. The authority is to fill only the gap after the collapse of the regime of Saddam Hussein. In addition the civil administration is to use first different commissions, that would work on a new condition, a juridical system and the summoning of a delegate meeting. The USA estimate the time, until a new government would be selected and authorized to act, however on up to two years.
Two years, in which Abizaid would have to provide for peace in the Iraq. But difficult tasks come, with its new job as deputies of general Tommy Franks, to the director/conductor of the US central command already before to the general. Franks is that, which would state the US troops with a war in the Iraq. When it made Abizaid its deputy, it brought with it first Secretaries of Defense to Donald Rumsfeld against itself up. Not that Rumsfeld would have doubted the qualification of the three-star general. In the opposite: Abizaid is indispensable in its post as a director of the US general staff.
But Rumsfeld finally gave in. It probably recognized that Abizaid it would be useful at its new post also. Observers believe that Rumsfeld in the Harvard graduate sees a counterweight to Franks, a general of the old school. Differently than with the comparatively slow troop movements in the last Gulf War it would be this time important to make fast decisions if the US troops with high speed of direction Bagdad march. A task as production for John Abizaid.
Its presence of mind already proved 1983 to Abizaid with the invasion of Grenada. At that time it let one of its officers rise into a bulldozer, which zufahren shovel raising and thus on the enemy. The building vehicle offered the following soldier protection against the hostile fire. The anecdote became so famous that Clint Eastwood took over it for its film over the invasion, "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986).
so he could have a "camel lot" like his brother.
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