The Commander: How Tommy Franks won the Iraq war

The Weekly Standard ^ | 06/02/03 | Fred Barnes

[SwatTeam]

Thanks for the ping. This is a great read. I think I will keep it so I can read it again and send it to a few old military friends.

[maica]

Franks would make a great stage magician -- he has already mastered the art of misdirection and sleight of hand necessary. Glad he is on our side!

I always thought that the true "Shock & Awe" were all the events that we did NOT see, such as taking out the Scud launchers sites before March 19; such as Marines going 300 miles on amphib vehicles; such as virtually instantaneous communication between identification of a bombing opportunity and a bomber flying onto it.

You get my drift? The media kept saying "Where's the Shock and Awe" "I don't see the Shock and Awe" etc. And it was happening under their noses.

Remember - the troops are moving too fast, they are outstripping their supply lines -

Next day - the troops are in a quagmire, they are not moving -

Vice President Cheney said on a Sunday morning show that Baghdad would fall from within. Of course, the pundits disregarded what he said. I believed him, and I was still shocked and in awe at the speed with which it happened.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[Spirited]

Pokey:
Appreciate the article posted. Enormous insight.

Sparta:
Please add me to your Military History Ping List. Thanks.

[Dog Gone]

If I ever get the chance to go to Midland Texas, I'm going to force my 2 Grandsons to drink lots of their water, as the Mazda commercial says "Sumtins Up" in Midland Texas :-)

The tap water in Midland tastes horrible, and if you make ice cubes out of it, you'll have a white residue at the bottom of your drink when you're done. Many of the residents have reverse osmosis units for drinking water.

But the town is filled with wonderful people. If we could make one city an honorary Freeper, it would be Midland. I don't know where the George W Bush Presidential library will be built, but Midland would be an excellent choice.

[MeekOneGOP]

You bet.

I hope while you were in Albuquerque you got a chance to run up to Santa Fe ! That is neatest little town, imho !

I don't think they're too keen on Texans, but that's mostly because Texans own half of the city/homes, etc. I think, lol!

[MeekOneGOP]

You're welcomed. I'm sure your military buddies will appreciate this article.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Midland, Texas, is our secret weapon.

And ten thousand years from now when Rome, Athens and Babylon are forgotten, people will speak of it as "the cradle of civilization."

[WaterDragon]

We are so blessed to have Tommy Franks. He may be retiring now, but the military will never, ever be the same. I'd like to find a good photo of him and add him to my gallery of great American military leaders.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Jonathon Spectre]

Good read about Operation Iraqi Freedom ping.

[RJL]

Bump

[VaBthang4]

I must repent for also being a Franks-doubter. Though I never voiced it...I thought he was an incompetent Clintonite/Heavy Armor/hey didle diddle straight up the middle/Schwarzkopf type.

Apparently he isnt. Hopefully in spite of his soon coming retirement, there is still a place for him to serve this and future administrations.

Great job General Franks, your Nation thanks you.

[ralph rotten]

Totally absorbing. I want more! Can't wait till the books on tactics begin to come out
.--YOU SHOULD READ " BOYD THE FIGHTER PILOT WHO CHANGE THE ART OF WAR"===THIS BOOK IS REQUIRED READING AT WAR COLLEGE--

[VaBthang4]

The only difference anyone needs to know:

One is Conservative
One is Liberal

If you step off from that salient foundation...then the outcome is easy to discern.

[jwalsh07]

What General Franks and his troops did was a sight to behold.

A big snappy salute to all, from E1 to O11(?)

[Gritty]

It's a shame Tommy Franks is retiring. We have other wars to fight and his leadership will be sorely missed.

I was pretty mad at him about the Mullah Omar fiasco, where he let the lawyers dither the operation away and Omar and his henchmen escaped. I had Franks figured for a failure, or mediocre at best.

I was wrong. This man is a class act. He is a winner in all ways!

[maxwell]

Well I kinda ran THROUGH Santa Fe on my way up... Took the back road, highway 4, back down to Albuquerque... Didn't get a chance to spend time in Santa Fe but if I end up moving out there, which is probable, I reckon I'll have to run around and see what's up...

Yeah I've heard about this NM versus TX thing... Me, I got my pre-existing alliances so I'll just keep my mouth shut. ;)

[FreedomPoster]

It is borderline sacreligious to depict Rumsfeld in an apparent "peers and equals" way like that, with that scum. I'm sure that's not what you intended. ;-)