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Throwing Gen. Pace Under the Tank
Opinion Editorials ^ | June 10, 2007 | Chuck Muth

Posted on 06/11/2007 10:41:16 AM PDT by conservativecorner

Back in July 2003, President Bush, in response to a question about stepped up attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq, famously and defiantly declared, “Bring ‘em on!” Oh, how that tune has changed.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates - using the old tactic of releasing controversial news just before the weekend in the hope of minimizing press coverage - announced Friday afternoon that “he will advise President Bush to replace Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (this fall), fearing that a contentious renomination hearing in the Senate would focus too heavily on six years of war.”

Apparently, President Bush has accepted the advice.

So let me get this straight, and borrow a famous scene from the movie “Animal House.” The Bush administration’s old attitude toward mass-murdering tyrants and terrorists around the world has been akin to this: “Hussein. He’s a dead man. Bin Laden? Dead. Kim Jung ll? Dead. AHMADINEJAD!!!”

But when it comes to standing up to pasty-faced Harry Reid and the Democrats in the Senate?

“I have decided that at this moment in our history, the nation, our men and women in uniform, and Gen. Pace himself would not be well-served by a divisive ordeal in selecting the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” said Gates.

What a crock.

Pace was/is eminently qualified (http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=85) to run the nation’s joint military operations. Which is not to say Pace’s replacement isn’t an eminently qualified military professional, as well. He is. But the success or failure of the U.S. effort in Iraq will ultimately be determined by what happens over the next year or so following the “surge.” Why change horses midstream?

As CBS News reports, “Pace’s departure will put nearly an entirely new slate of leaders and military commanders in charge of the war.” Why oust Pace at this critical juncture and bring in a whole new team? It makes no sense.

And it’s a first-degree insult for Gates to suggest that he’s trying to save this Marine general from “a divisive ordeal” before Congress, as though Gen. Pace might not be able handle such a traumatic experience. Get real.

We’re talking about a guy with military decorations up the wazoo, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, with two oak leaf clusters; Defense Superior Service Medal; the Legion of Merit; Bronze Star Medal with Combat V; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with gold star; Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V”; Navy Achievement Medal with gold star; and the Combat Action Ribbon.

I’m pretty sure Gen. Pace didn’t earn all those medals for baking cookies.

A lot of us have been losing faith in this administration’s ability to wage this war for some time now, fearing that political considerations were taking precedence over military ones. If President “Bring ‘em On!” Bush is willing to throw Gen. Pace under the tank for the sole reason of avoiding a political fight with Senate Majority Leader Harry “The War is Lost” Reid and his band of cheese-eating surrender monkeys, then maybe it IS time to bring the troops home immediately.

Semper fi.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: fthemilitary; jointchiefs; peterpace; politicalcorrectness; sacrificallamb; usmc
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To: what's up

“Hillary is drooling too...she would love to have her face plastered on TV 24/7 plus she would have the added benefit of distracting the General from his war duties.”

You don’t think Hillary will be wearing Pace’s skull on her belt when she appears behind doors with her favorite leaders from “Queer Nation”? You’re crazy.


101 posted on 06/11/2007 3:00:25 PM PDT by RavenATB
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To: RavenATB
You don’t think Hillary will be wearing Pace’s skull on her belt

No, Hillary is going to be nice and polite and never say a negative word against Pace.

Sheesh. Some people are dreamers. You still don't get Hillary even after all these years.

102 posted on 06/11/2007 3:06:19 PM PDT by what's up
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To: what's up

I think he brought this vitriol from the right by himself. He had no reason to call the conservative opponents stupid or bad citizens or bigoted Americans. That just pissed them off. He has made no gesture to apologize for those statements, so we must assume he meant them. C’et la vie. He’s political toast and a true lame duck.


103 posted on 06/11/2007 3:13:24 PM PDT by TommyDale (Rudy Giuliani’s candidacy is fading faster than an abortionist’s conscience.)
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To: napscoordinator
Please provide proof of your slander to a 4 star Admiral in the Active duty United States Navy. This is really uncalled for and let’s see what you can provide...(crickets)

The first line of my post (post #19) has a link. Use a computer much?

By the way, Elaine Donnelly can be trusted, absolutely.
If she says Mullen is a stiff, then Mullen is a stiff.

Thank you, William Jefferson Bush. (spit)

104 posted on 06/11/2007 3:24:14 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: TommyDale
call the conservative opponents stupid or bad citizens or bigoted Americans

Actual words uttered by the President? Don't think so. More hyperbole.

That's what you get with people who tend to be vitriolic. Hyperbole.

105 posted on 06/11/2007 3:25:21 PM PDT by what's up
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To: what's up

Sort of like GWB’s amnesty program. Hyperbole.


106 posted on 06/11/2007 3:44:56 PM PDT by TommyDale (Rudy Giuliani’s candidacy is fading faster than an abortionist’s conscience.)
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To: TommyDale
Sort of like GWB’s amnesty program. Hyperbole.

LOL. Whatever in the world that's supposed to mean.

107 posted on 06/11/2007 3:46:09 PM PDT by what's up
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To: DallasSun
I certainly know, and read about, people who have lost loved ones to drunken drivers. Those drunken drivers were born here. They are anglo saxon American born citizens of this country.

You must be a relative of the president or an illegal yourself.

108 posted on 06/11/2007 3:59:32 PM PDT by ladyjane
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To: petitfour

Thank you Mr. or Mrs. intellectual. MORON!


109 posted on 06/11/2007 7:06:29 PM PDT by conservativecorner
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To: conservativecorner

XOXOXOXOX


110 posted on 06/12/2007 1:54:26 AM PDT by petitfour
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To: petitfour

Watch it there lover, you have very few brain cells to play around with.


111 posted on 06/12/2007 8:31:46 AM PDT by conservativecorner
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