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.

[aculeus]

Great post, great thread.

[Keith]

62 was Henry, Donelson, and Shiloh. 63 was Vicksburg. late in the year was Chattanooga. 64 was commander of the Army, which led to the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, the disaster at Cold Harbor, and the Petersburg siege.

[rangerX]

Hmmmmmmm.......Anybody know this guy ?

He and I overlapped for about a year in 1st Ranger Bn in the early 80s. He started off in the 3 shop, and then I think he took over C Company from Dave Grange (memory is pretty hazy). He was definitely squared away.

[Squantos]

Good Deal... As you well know. The most dangerous thing that can happen is to work for those that have no clue. Rummy is getting his ducks in a row . This is good news indeed.

Thanks and Stay Safe !

[dighton]

... great thread.

Indeed. Thanks for the ping.

[Yasotay]

He took command of A Co 1/75th ... his last position ... I think was Director of Operations at the JCS ....I can't think of a better person to have in that position then Abizaid.

[rangerX]

Thanks. I couldn't remember for sure. That means that he took over from Stecker, who was also one hell of a guy.

[AFreeBird]

I think you're thinking of Commodore Grace Hopper. Now there was a military intelligence professional.

Yep. I think she was also (at least partly) respnsible for helping to develop either COBAL or FORTRAN programming languages. I can't remember which.

[Norman Arbuthnot]

Muslim??? I did not find that, but with first name of John, I suspect he is Christian.

Abizaid is a Catholic. 75% of the 3 million Americans of Arab descent are Christians, but most Arabs immigrating to the U.S. now are muslim. There aren't too many Christians left in the ME, most of them moved out to the U.S., Europe and South America long ago.

[Mustang]

Mega Bravo Zulu's to you Captain!

I couldn't state it better. Your post is a #1 wire landing.

Best FReegards...Mustang sends.

[JackelopeBreeder]

COBOL -- one of her smaller achievements. I had the privilege of meeting her once after a lecture. We oughta put her face on a coin.

The Navy named an Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer after her. DDG 70, USS Grace Hopper, nicknamed "Amazing Grace".

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks for the ping, david. Great thread. (^:

[basque69]

I'm with you but think the article is garbled. I just sense that Franks will be theater commander with the new guy as tactical commander a la Eisenhower over Montgomery and Bradley. If there was a problem with Franks, appointing a officer junior to him to conduct the battle would muck up the action. Besides Franks is ready for retirement and could be gently canned. Vietnam was my war so I join you in eschewing civilian tactical directionn.

[xzins]

We are in total agreement, Basque.

Thanks for good observations.

[katana]

I'm sure you're right that there were remnant Christian communities, but I've been told by both Lebanese and Syrian Christians that I've known that much of the present Christian (Maronite Catholic) populations in both those countries descended from people who were re-converted during the time of the crusades. Many claim descent from crusaders who inter-married with the local Arab population.

I apologise for taking some poetic license and overstating the case for effect, but I still think the selection of an American Army Ranger of Christian Arab descent to help head up this command is going to get the attention of more than a few muslims.

[archy]

COBOL-- one of her smaller achievements. I had the privilege of meeting her once after a lecture. We oughta put her face on a coin.

They did the next best thing. She's buried at Arlington, per her request.

You manage things, you lead people. We went overboard on management and forgot about leadership. It might help if we ran the MBAs out of Washington.

-- Admiral Grace Hopper

p

[flyer182]

Did you know that the same female AF full bird who advised the Gen. also accused the Marine Gen who went in first of only wanting to "kill" people when he refused her ROE as to restrictive.

[AnalogReigns]

Abizaid is Lebanese American.

This is GREAT! An Arabic American general! Those in the Middle East take ethnicity very serious, and to be defeated by an Arab American (Lebanese are Arabic, though often Christian, are they not?) will be terrific for political reasons....and to hear Rummy thinks he's the best fighter too....

I have some Lebanese friends, and these people KNOW what fighting Islamic Arabs is all about....

GOOD DEAL!!!!

[VaBthang4]

"Fine officer with a artificial leg."

That's Fred [not Tommy] Franks isnt it?

[archy]

"Fine officer with an artificial leg."

That's Fred [not Tommy] Franks isn't it?

Correct. Fred, among other things, is one of Tom Clancy's close pals and sources- and bears a passing resemblence to Col. Sherman Potter of the M.A.S.H. TV show...or did.

Fred Franks:

Tommy Franks: