Before/after pix: top Pentagon brass at White House today; worth 1000 words

Yahoo News photos via AP & Reuters ^ | 3/5/03 | Wolfstar

[Wolfstar]

All of the Pentagon's top brass met with the President this morning, including JCS Vice Chairman Peter Pace (USMC), who is not seen in these pix.

Before meeting with the President, all smiles:

Yahoo caption: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld shares a laugh with Attorney General John Ashcroft as U.S. military leaders gather outside the West Executive entrance of the White House before a private meeting with President Bush in the Oval Office, March 5, 2003. Ashcroft was departing as Rumsfeld and the others were arriving. From L-R are: Chairman JCS Gen. Richard B. Myers (USAF), U.S. Army Gen. Tommy Franks, Ashcroft (back to camera), Rumsfeld, and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. (Larry Downing/Reuters)

After meeting with the President, grim faces:

Yahoo caption: JCS Chairman Gen. Richard B. Myers (USAF), above right, and Gen. Tommy Franks (USA), foreground, commander of American forces in the Persian Gulf, leave the White House after a meeting with President Bush and his national security team Wednesday morning, March 5, 2003. In a strategy Pentagon officials are calling "shock and awe," U.S. forces plan to drop 10 times the bombs in the opening days of the air campaign in Iraq than they did in the first Persian Gulf war, officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Given that the top brass hates going to war (messes up golf, boating, junkets) I'd say they were told to move soon.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

What was Ascroft doing at this meeting???

Perhaps he wanted to know where Ensign Ashcroft was being assigned.

[only1percent]

Unfair -- I'd the brass don't like war because there's nothing to like about war. Billions spent that could be better spent elsewhere, young lives cut off. It may be necessary, but it is never anything to smile about.

[Wolfstar]

The operative word is 'IF'. And the eye of the beholder determines what a photo says to any individual. To my eye, the grim looks on the faces of Meyers and Franks says they are getting ready to order fine young Americans into harm's way very soon. However, the point of the thread is for you to make up your own mind as to the meaning of the contrast between the before and after shots. It's the kind of subtle news that you won't get from TV or radio talking heads, or columnists who want to tell you what they think. In other words, it's an opportunity for you to think for yourself.

[Shermy]

What was Ascroft doing at this meeting???

Discussing what color alert? Series stuff.

[Mike Darancette]

The "after picture" looks like men that have just been given a date certain and a plan of attack.

Go with God.

[Texas_Jarhead]

What was Ascroft doing at this meeting???

The caption says the Ashcroft was leaving the WH after a meeting while the brass were just arriving.

[Ecliptic]

On the way to St Ives, I met a man with seven wives......................

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I am very aware it is nothing to laugh about, however most of todays brass are paper pushers and personnel pukes. War makes a mess of their ordered lives, and BTW life isn't fair.

[pgkdan]

Pictures speak a thousand words, I think this says one word

War

Exactly!

[cajungirl]

Well, I don't know what better use could be put for those billions than to protect us and liberate Iraq. If we are prey to wmd held by terrorist nations intent on killing us or selling them to those who would use them,,,well, of what use are those billions. The most legitimate use of tax money is to maintain the national security.

[Dialup Llama]

There's a druge siren on. Drudge is saying that Bush made a decision Wednesday. The result of that meeting apparantly is captured in the pics.

[OXENinFLA]

Press conff on C-span NOW.

[ricpic]

What is this, a tea reading convention? These men spend their whole careers perfecting unreadable faces. There's no saying what went on in the meeting.

[VaBthang4]

Time to go to work.

[chiller]

...to be followed shortly by a major Saddam discovery of more MWD. "Look we we just found. So, sorry."

[marvlus]

For some reason, I'm not seeing the after pic.

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Game faces on!

[Pagey]

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