Ousted Army Chief Blasts Bush Iraq Policy

Yahoo! News ^ | 09/02/03 | ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer

[CoolGuyVic]

Ousted Army Chief Blasts Bush Iraq Policy Tue Sep 2, 4:49 PM ET

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON - Thomas E. White, forced to resign as Army secretary in May, has fired back in a book that describes the Bush administration's postwar effort in Iraq (news - web sites) as "anemic" and "totally inadequate."

The book, which presents a blueprint for revitalizing Iraq, asserts that the administration underestimated the difficulty of putting that country back on its feet after the fall of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).

"Clearly the view that the war to `liberate' Iraq would instantly produce a pro-United States citizenry ready for economic and political rebirth ignored the harsh realities on the ground," White wrote in a preface to "Reconstructing Eden," which is to be published Thursday.

In a letter to news organizations announcing the book's release, White was even tougher on the administration. "Unbelievably, American lives are being lost daily," he wrote. White said the administration lacks a cohesive, integrated plan to stabilize and rebuild the country.

"We did not conduct the war this way and we should not continue rebuilding the country in a haphazard manner," he wrote. "The result will be a financial disaster, more lives lost, chaos in Iraq and squandered American goodwill."

White, who as a civilian service secretary was not in the military chain of command, served as Army secretary from May 2001 to May 2003. He clashed with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on a number of issues, including the service's plan for the Crusader artillery system, which Rumsfeld viewed as too heavy and cumbersome for the lighter, more agile Army he envisioned.

A Defense Department spokesman, Lt. Col. Jim Cassella, said that as a matter of policy the department does not comment on books. He acknowledged that U.S. occupation authorities in Baghdad face severe problems with security in Iraq but believe they are on track toward success.

In the book, White noted the postwar spasms of violence in Iraq.

"It is quite clear in the immediate aftermath of hostilities that the plan for winning the peace is totally inadequate," he wrote.

White wrote that the administration's Iraq policy "threatens to turn what was a major military victory into a potential humanitarian, political and economic disaster." The administration's "anemic attempts at nation building" will be viewed with disdain by other countries, he said.

White is a co-author of the book with three associates of CountryWatch Inc., a Houston firm that describes itself as a provider of global information to businesses, schools and government organizations.

The authors say U.S. troops ought to remain in Iraq until June 2005, and they estimate that by then the total cost of the war and the occupation would be about $150 billion, including money to revitalize the Iraqi oil industry.

White submitted his resignation on April 25. Later it became known that Rumsfeld had forced the resignation. White left May 9; his replacement, James Roche, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate.

While saying there is still a chance to make a success of postwar Iraq, White wrote in his book that the record on U.S. efforts at rebuilding Afghanistan (news - web sites), which it invaded in October 2001, is "dismal."

Afghanistan, he said, is experiencing a resurgence of Taliban influence and rule by warlords. He criticized "artificial caps" that the administration placed on U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, where about 9,600 American forces are now engaged in combat and stability operations.

[groundhog]

You make the statement that there is an "Air Force officer in charge of the ground war." You must know something that I don't - just who is this Air Force officer that you are talking about?

[brazzaville]

Good morning.

I was outraged when Shinseki turned the good Ranger black beret into an everyman hat. As is often the case, the move backfired and the Rangers got something better in the tan beret.

Shinseki went along with bill clinton's emasculation of the military. He and the other clintonista generals hate the current administration.

"any of you ever serve in the army?"

That's a silly question.

Shouldn't the 'A' in Army be capitalized? A Marine correctly pointed that out to me in another thread about the Marine Corps.

[Justa]

I probably should have written aviator instead as Rumsfeld was a Naval aviator, not Air Force. Please check the date on the article and discussion. My point was that not enough credence was given to long-term ground operations beyond the initial war. Mr. Rumsfeld recently admitted to this as well.