The Franks Strategy: Fast and Flexible (Good read!)

Washington Post ^ | 04/01/03 | Jim Hoagland

[Pokey78]

In the long months of planning Operation Iraqi Freedom, Gen. Tommy Franks had a ready answer when challenged on his unorthodox concept of starting his attack with light, fast-moving forces and augmenting them while the battle grew. "Speed kills -- the enemy," Franks said several times at the secret planning sessions, a colleague recalls.

But for all his foresight, Franks did not anticipate beginning the war in Iraq exactly as he did, or becoming the target of controversy and criticism over his battle plans. Franks's surprise is understandable on the first point. But he should have been better prepared for the doctrinal challenges he now faces on the home front.

The Army four-star, who is the theater commander for the Iraq war, never dared to hope that the CIA would come to him on March 19 with this huge golden nugget: Two Iraqi officers the agency had recruited from Saddam Hussein's inner circle had pinpointed a leadership compound where the dictator was expected to turn up that night. But that is exactly what happened, according to a reliable and detailed account of the opening hours of the war

[Reagan Man]

Right. Good read.

[vbmoneyspender]

BTTT

[Diva]

Thanks for posting it is a good read. Learned more about the attack on Saddam's bunker.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Bump for comparison to your Hersh article thread.

[Valin]

bump