US COMMANDER RELIEVED OF DUTY

sky news ^ | 04/04/2003 | sky news

[MIKEinGA]

A US commander who was leading a push by marines through southern Iraq towards Baghdad has been relieved of his post.

No reason has been given for the decision to relieve Colonel Joe Dowdy, commander of the Marines First Regimental Combat Team, Public Affairs Officer Steven Schweitzer said.

"He was responsible for the regiment until three hours ago," Schweitzer said.

More follows...

Last Updated: 15:46 UK, Friday April 04, 2003

[ladtx]

I will affect the troops only momentarily if the new commander is a good one which was our case in Vietnam.

[XJarhead]

Yeah, I'm sure the Regimental XO can handle the job. The CO wouldn't have been relieved if that wasn't the case. All the staffers, planners, etc. remain in place, so it won't have that big an effect.

[Countyline]

The suspense is lasting too long. The rest of the story we want to know ...

Sky News has had first scoops on several stories. Good find.

[OldFriend]

Be nice if they sent Geraldo out to investigate exactly what Tacoma did for the two days of unauthorized leave.

[Magnolia]

Your homepage details your outstanding credentials. Thank you for your service.

Former Marine brat

[Ga Rob]

That's true, I hope. But it is intriging. I'm not interested in most of the "stories" going on all over the war right now...this one I'd like to hear more about.

[ladtx]

Thanks. It was an honor to serve.

[ladtx]

I'm curious to find out more also.

[Magnolia]

investigate exactly what Tacoma did for the two days of unauthorized leave

?????

[Minty]

Sounds awful but unless he did it himself I see it is the mistake of someone under him not him. But again I know nothing of those things.

[Minty]

I knew I had read that somewhere and was troubled aboutit thinking, "who was the idiot". I mean one sends a son or daughter to fight but not to die in such an idiotic way. If someone has to be removed lets hope they took care of that.

[OldFriend]

Tacoma is the mine detecting dolphin who disappeared for two days.

[Magnolia]

Tacoma is the mine detecting dolphin who disappeared for two days.

DUH...the news is coming too fast this morning and my brain is in overload....TILT! TILT!

Thanks OldFriend!

[Jonah Hex]

Tacoma was the dolphin which went AWOL for a couple of days.

In other words (using best Brando imitation)...

"We need to teach Mr. Rivero to swim with the fishes."

[Minty]

"And if press reports were correct, there wasn't much to investigate. They conducted the river crossing WITHOUT stringing a safety line first. Unless it was the most pressing combat situation, and there was no other option except crossing without a line, that was unforgivable stupidity and showed a lack of military discipline.

The cardinal sin of a commander is to fail to take care of his troops. "

Agree with you. Do you think they will tell why? That would be a precedent. I think that Bush has handled this exceptionally good. It may end restoring people's trust in the government. Things are opposite of what they were few years ago. More people are speaking truth, and taking stands they would not dare to do before. There are still lib liars but my oh my, the tide has truned. I am in awe.

[mabelkitty]

No way. Not from the Marines.

[Magnolia]

"We need to teach Mr. Rivero to swim with the fishes."

HA!....thanks Jonah!

[John H K]

Eh, I agree it's pretty big but it's not totally unthinkable...and it's not as big as the commander of an Army Division being relieved by a Marine commanding the operation as a whole during the middle of combat during the Saipan invasion in 1944...now THAT was a s***storm of immense proportions.

[mabelkitty]

No, somebody fired from their job is not a tragedy.

Preventable troop deaths are.

[Hootch]

This is NOT huge. There are not MAJOR PROBLEMS AFOOT. Are you one of those typical nay-sayers? Did you think we were gonna lose this war 7 days ago?

Dolt...