'Too-slow' Marine Commander Relieved

News Max ^ | 4-5-03

[hope]

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

'Too-slow' Marine Commander Relieved

NewsMax.com
Sunday, April 6, 2003

"I'm afraid this could mean more casualties," one enlisted man told the L.A. Times embedded reporter, after hearing that Maj. Gen. James Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division had relieved and replaced his regimental commander for reportedly being too slow in his drive on Baghdad.

Col. Joe W. Dowdy, who had been commander of the 1st Marine Regiment, was reassigned Friday to another position, being replaced by Col. John Toolan, the 1st Marine Division's operations officer.

Toolan hurried to the front and immediately took charge of a speeded-up drive to Baghdad, quickly ordering more troops and more air power to the front lines. By Saturday morning, the Marine forces were racing north on Highway 6 and had begun to enter the capital.

According to the Times report, enlisted men with the 1st Marines were less than happy with the timing of Dowdy’s ouster. Dowdy, a popular commander was cautious with his troops -- reportedly at the expense of speed.

The Marines had come under heavy fire at the town of Al Kut, where they had run into stiff resistance from the Republican Guard's Baghdad Division. Previously, fighting at several cities along the way, including Umm al Qasr and Nasiriyah, had slowed the Leathernecks.

After the fight at Al Kut, with Dowdy still in command, the Marines drove all night with their headlights on to make better time. The tactic, usually considered an unsafe move, came on the heels of Mattis’s demand for greater speed at a meeting of officers.

Toolan is considered a “close-with-and engage-the-enemy" type of commander who had helped draft the division's battle plan and is a Mattis confidante.

The Marines have been driving toward Baghdad on a parallel course with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, which reached the outskirts of Baghdad late Wednesday -- ahead of the Marines.

In the 1991 Gulf War, the Marines trumped the main Army forces and entered Kuwait City first.

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Saddam Hussein/Iraq

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[lawdude]

"Exactly. This story should be judged just like the "quagmire" stories of a few days ago. "

Didn't you folks know the defining trait of a quagmire is that it moves too fast.

Bwahahahahahahah

[montag813]

I don't care what the reasons for his removal are but WHY ARE WE HEARING ABOUT IT???

This media circus can only serve to depress morale. This should not be a public matter.

[Lancey Howard]

Boy, if this story is true, it makes it look like the Marines are engaged in some kind of silly race or some quest to set a record, all for the purpose of making some ambitious general, namely Mattis, look good. If it costs a few extra casualties, oh well - - as long as Mattis wins the race and looks good.... And maybe gets another star.

Anyway, that's what I take away from this story.
I sure hope this story is way off.

[DudleyDoright]

Isn't Dowdy the guy that Bob Arnot was talking to during the firefight live on MSNBC the other day? A Cobra swooped over and fired a Hellfire at a bunker or something and Arnot was like "JESUS CHRIST! Look at that!"

later he pulled some colonel or Lt Col down during the firefight and asked him who he was and where he was from...

[Lancey Howard]

The Marines have been driving toward Baghdad on a parallel course with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, which reached the outskirts of Baghdad late Wednesday -- ahead of the Marines..... In the 1991 Gulf War, the Marines trumped the main Army forces and entered Kuwait City first.

Yeah. Sounds like a race. A race fueled by the egos of the guys "in the rear with the gear".
God help the troops if this stuff is even remotely true.

[LuvUSA]

You know what Marine stands for....My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment....just a little acronym I learned in the Navy. By the way, just kidding ...I love my Marine brothers...

[Lancey Howard]

Another disturbing aspect of this story is that Dowdy was replaced by a guy who "is a Mattis confidante" (ie., has his nose up Mattis' butt). There's a smell of politics in this.

[LuvUSA]

Politic in Wars spells...Vietnam.....Just win!!!!

[ArneFufkin]

General Franks never did like folks who were "fashionably late." This operation has a timetable that is expected to be met.

[LuvUSA]

Too bad Iraq has no real Navy...I'd love to see my Navy brethren blow them out of the water!!!!!!

[F-117A]

Sort of like Gen. William Wallace's supposed comment that "the enemy we're fighting isn't the one we wargamed against." The quote was out of context; that isn't what he said at all.

It's been reported that what Wallace said was more like "the enemy we're fighting is a bit different than the one we war gamed against."

My understanding is that the NY Times has printed the correction, but the Washington Post had not.

[Timesink]

Wow, a Newsmax story via the LA Times. I think I'll wait for a few more lights to shine on this story before drawing any conclusion.

[Conservababe]

Is this a pissing match of the military?

[ArneFufkin]

The Navy delivered a hell of a lot of pain and opened a lot of avenues through their Tomahawk flurry and tireless warplanes. I imagine the President and CENTCOM Command are delighted with their performance and responsiveness. The most powerful and versatile fighting force in human history.

[Lancey Howard]

General Franks never did like folks who were "fashionably late." This operation has a timetable that is expected to be met.

Yeah, what's a few more casualties, give or take? Ooh-rah.

[Alberta's Child]

Anyone who has seen the documentary "The Boys of Charlie Company" will understand why I'd be the last one to criticize a commanding officer for being "too slow."

[LuvUSA]

There has always been a bit of a "pissing match " there. I remember in the Nvay the Marines would generally not like us "squids", until someone from another branch would want to get into it, then they'd be there for us as we for them.

[ArneFufkin]

You snooze you lose. This is the big leagues, if someone is fumbling the ball, they go to the pines. Everything about this plan has been predicated on the right assets being in the right place at the right time. Three or Four other Army Infantry and Airborne units are depending on them to meet their mission objective.

[Verginius Rufus]

Reminds me of Lincoln and McClellan. Do the FR archives go back to 1862?