Rumsfeld Quietly Sidesteps General Franks With Proven Airborne Ranger Warfighter.

WashTimes "Inside Ring" | Gertz/Scarborough

[MindBender26]

Pentagon chatter says Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld finally has his own man at U.S. Central Command to supervise a war against Iraq: Army Lt. Gen. John P. Abizaid.

Officials said the hard-charging Mr. Rumsfeld was not always happy with the way Gen. Tommy Franks ran the war in Afghanistan. He has worried that Gen. Franks, chief of U.S. Central Command, will not be innovative enough in waging war against Iraq.

Now, however, Mr. Rumsfeld has plucked a general from the Joint Staff at the Pentagon and sent him to Central Command as Mr. Franks' deputy. In fact, Gen. Abizaid is already at CentCom's warfighting command center in Qatar getting ready to direct a war.

It was an odd move, given that CentCom already had a deputy commander, who is staying at its Tampa headquarters. But it does give Mr. Rumsfeld a deputy in the Gulf region whom he fully trusts.

A favorite of the defense secretary, Gen. Abizaid is a West Point graduate and career infantryman who speaks fluent Arabic, a skill that should help with Persian Gulf allies.

He also speaks German and Italian, a skill that helped when he commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Germany in 1999-2000.

[patton]

No...but it is funny how many postings we have in common.

[yoe]

....didn't you feel the tug at your leg....?

[OldCorps]

great thread! this threa is an example of why FR is so valuable. We don't have to have news censored by fools in the media and can get the benefit of those who have expertise in a given field.

My two cents: Gen. Franks is probably looking over his shoulder. Agree with the comments that Syria will view this general as a threat, as that particular country was the cause of many Christian deaths in Lebanon.

Anyone know what christian denomination LTG Abizaid belongs to? The answer will provide insight into how he views the problems in the Middle East.

In response to several posts on the thread:

Divarty command is a brigade level command--consists of three arty battalions. In my experience as a mech infantry company commander, artillery officers are very competent and certainly have the training to command a mech or armored division. I would be more skeptical of an aviator commanding such a division, but that could just be my own prejudice. While at the NTC, as a mech company commander, the best lieutenant in my company/team was my FIST chief.

About the captain at Ft. Benning who said he didn't have to listen to GEN Franks (Fred) because he didn't have a ranger tab,- such comments indicate gross ignorance and lead me to question the professional competence of the officer who would say something so ignorant. Obviously cannot see the larger picture of the Army and should go somewhere else.

About SecDef Rumsfeld: I am a little leary of this guy. His press conferences are all about him and less about those who are risking their lives for our nation. He is too egotistical (which is why GEN Myers is always acting like a sidekick) and tends to ignore the senior uniformed leadership. In the long run this could lead to disaster. For example, we are now reading that special ops is now the latest and greatest and cost efficient method of winning wars.

I predict if this new trend comes to fruition, the CIA and the special ops community will get too cozy and you will see
1)atrocities-war crimes (which will be deniable) 2) mission failure because special ops does not have the depth to prosecute major land campaigns

I could go into more detail to support my position, but at this point I'll just throw that out.

[xzins]

No big deal for me.

I know that at the operational level the deputy (S or O) does NOT tell the Cdr what to do or how to do. That's a great way to have a short walk into oblivion.

At the NCA level, though, all bets are off. I don't know how those folks live in that rarified air. For all I know, Rummie's pulling ALL the strings. I hope not, because, even if he's a good guy, he's not a battlefield expert.

Our worst wars have been those where politicos pulled operational strings. The absolutely should be deciding broad objectives, but they shouldn't be telling the experts how to suck individual eggs.

[xzins]

I disagree. He had SpecOps on the ground in Afghan. His SpecOps Command is at MacDill EXACTLY an arms length from where he was. The SpecOps cdrs weren't on the ground either. Those special warriors didn't need to be worrying about protecting some brass hat.

They also had, initially, an operation brigade from 10th Mtn? in Uzbekistan? Now they have a piece of a division chasing bandits in the mountains. There was never a point at which the bulk of Franks forces were forward.

He did exactly the right thing, imho.

[xzins]

For what it's worth, I always felt like Texas should have annexed Abilene. It just always sounded like it shoulda been a texas town.

[lepton]

No. Christian.

Lots of people seem to have forgotten that while minorities, Jews and Christians were common in the middle-East until after WWII when most were exiled (not to mention the areas that were caught up in alliances with the Nazis).

[MindBender26]

Know what you mean. 5 of us in class had RVN time. 3 were career guys, one a WO rotor head. Other two, me included were newbies. Had been BCT, AIT, ABN School, 12 months RVN, then direct OCS. An "old guy" at 23. Made 02 in 12 months, 03 in 12 months back then.

RIF was most foolish. I got out when one year I was 17 months away from 0-4, next year I was minimum 7-9 years away.

Did you hear about the more than 300 guys who cut their own orders for DS. Most were reservists or retired reservists. Couldn't accept fact the Big Green Machine was going to throw war without them.

After months of applying for individual callup or reactivation, they simply cut themselves a set of orders, (what 20 year vet with a typewriter couldn't do that?!) xeroxed 50 copies and showed up at Maguire AFB or somewhere like that.

They were not in system, but since they were all E7, E8, O4-O5-O6, types, they knew who to talk to.......

They would be outshipped with understanding orders would "catch up with them." Same thing in Germany, etc.

When they finally got incountry in Saudi, would "see someone," get a quick physical, sign a few papers, and away we go........... 5th SF was at 280% strength day ground war started. 11ACR had an extra 4 experienced guys in the S-3 shop, 3 extra very experienced hands in the maint barns!

[arm958]

Wrong. Ike was 100% American.

Just as Gen Abizaid is 100% American. I've known a few Americans of Lebanese decent when I was in the Army. They were top notch, born in the U.S.A., and I never questioned their loyalty.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[rmvh]

Re your # 18

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

For what it's worth, I always felt like Texas should have annexed Abilene. It just always sounded like it shoulda been a texas town.

Heck we already have one! I quote from their website:

Abilene, Texas, is a progressive and diverse city located in Taylor County near the geographic center of West Texas. Abilene preserves the traditional heritage of the Old West while providing all the exciting advantages of a thriving, contemporary city.

Abilene also has a long and proud military history that dates back to the 1800s. As the home of Dyess Air Force Base and its fleet of B1 Bombers and C130 transport planes, we are honored to continue our relationship with the military into the twenty-first century.

[davidosborne]

Great move by Secretary Rumsfield..... Look out Saddam ! This single move should have Saddam Shaking in his Combat Boots... This also shows without a doubt that this is a serious WAR and not just a political move to intimidate Saddam.. Great Post !!

David

[Enterprise]

"General Abizaid is an Arab-American (of Lebanese descent)." What "%" American is General Abizaid?

[rmvh]

Re your #129... Just as Gen Abizaid is 100% American. I've known a few Americans of Lebanese decent when I was in the Army. They were top notch, born in the U.S.A., and I never questioned their loyalty.

You will always find people who, "out of hand", hate and distrust anyone connected to the Arab world no matter what their background or loyalty...true antiAmericans and morons to boot.

[lepton]

A Christian Arab (e.g. a direct descendant of Crusader Knights)

What makes you think that? Christians were populous in the Middle East long before the Crusaders came - especially in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.

[Yasotay]

I remember having lunch with then Major Abizaid and we were asking him about Grenada. I asked him several questions about the operation. After the Air Force aborted the first jump because of AAA, 'legend' has it that Abizaid unhooked his static line, went into the cockpit and ordered the pilots to return at gunpoint. Abizaid smiled and said that the Air Commander aborted the jump so that Spectre could silence the AAA. Another statement made by Abizaid that I remember is that as he was on the drop zone, under fire, for a little while, he just watched .... with pride .... because he knew the Rangers had got it right as he watched his Rangers form up into fireteams under contact and move to the sound of contact.

Abizaid also led the invasion of Northern Iraq during Operation Provide Comfort.

Abizaid is a stud, and a GREAT choice!

[flyer182]

How ridiculous to move a staff of thousands so a troop in the field can look up and see a four star standing there. Can you imagine the burden on logisitics and troops to protect moving a cinc to another theater. If that is what army troops worry about they need to look over the front sight post and not worry about Generals. Contrast that with the USMC Colonel who flew in with O'Graddy to calm the troops and instead pissed off every junior officer in the Corps for not being where he could best support .... the COC.

[Squantos]

Kewl......Thanks for the information.

Stay Safe !

[wideawake]

Maronite Christian (Roman Catholic) of Lebanese ancestry.