Former Top US Commander In Iraq Calls War "Nightmare With No End In Sight"

New York Times:

In a sweeping indictment of the four-year effort in Iraq, the former top American commander called the Bush administration's handling of the war incompetent and warned that the United States was "living a nightmare with no end in sight."

In one of his first major public speeches since leaving the Army in late 2006, retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez blamed the administration for a "catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic war plan" and denounced the current "surge" strategy as a "desperate" move that will not achieve long-term stability.

"After more than fours years of fighting, America continues its desperate struggle in Iraq without any concerted effort to devise a strategy that will achieve victory in that war-torn country or in the greater conflict against extremism," Mr. Sanchez said, at a gathering here of military reporters and editors.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[research]

What the hell is it with the NYT's?? Any criticism of Bush always includes the regug talking defense points. Any praise of liberals is accompanied by repug critical comments.

[ZingoBonMot]

"Fair and Balanced" reporting? LOL!

[wmbear]

FOX NEWS...

"We ladle out the bullshit, you swallow it"....

[coyote4]

Sanchez truthfulness:

THE MEDIA IS DOING A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE NATION

[villastrangiato]

Geee...how nice....your commentary is a wee bit late - oh, about 5 years to be exact. If more military people stuck by Gen. Shinseki and told this wackjob administration, his oil buddies, his Likud buddies, and the military contractors - that they're nuts - perhaps we and our soldiers wouldn't be holding the proverbial bag of excrement right now. But that's ok guys. You can do one better. You can speak up loudly now so that anyone thinking of entering the military can see what a sham it is and how they'll be ridden like stuck pigs. Granted, this kind of "close up the shop" mentality doesn't do very much for the long term viability of your sacred military institutions - but at least it dampens an outrageous executive branch's ability to push the country into WWIII. Maybe next time, if there is a next time, you will all take your responsibility to honor the Constitution more seriously like Shinseki did - instead of worrying about your goddamn jobs and doing the work of outlaws.

[Ilvfredum]

Sour grapes!

[BreadandRoses]

Your grapes are so sour I can taste them from here.

[coyote4]

The automotive industry, even as the aircraft industry, is an important economic engine in the modern economy.

The problem is that in this Post-modern era, American economic engines are sputtering (even as we would expect as eras change), yet conservatives refuse to accept the realities of change that face us.

And thusly, the American Dream dies.

[ZingoBonMot]

~HillbillyDeluxe~

yip yip yip yip yip yip yip!!

(That's the sound a whupped puppy DAWG makes when it runs back under the front porch...)

GO VOLS!! hahahahahahahaha LLLAAAAAOOOOOZZZER!

[LaFeminazi]

Giuliani Offers Pledge Of Fiscal Restraint, A Vow to Beat Clinton
GOP Front-Runner Plays Down Social Issues

By Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 13, 2007; Page A05

ROCK HILL, S.C., Oct. 12 -- Speaking to a Republican club here, former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani offered his own version of what the party should stand for: strong national security, fiscal conservatism and beating Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). He never mentioned abortion, talking only about unspecified "differences" he might have with people in the room
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/12/AR2007101202466.html?hpid=topnews


What the GOP don't want to play social issues this time around?

Shame.

Well the Dem's better keep asking Giuliani, and Mitt just where they flip flop this time.

[coyote4]

.
F**k Giuliani and his coyote bitch

[ZingoBonMot]

-coyote4-

Google "BioONE" and read all about Rooty's little LLC. It's purty interesting.

[laocoon]

something wrong with the site. no mater what page i go to it is the same set of comments.

[BWonka]

The scrubbing of firlindafart and reecie has screwed it all up.

[JaneC]

fixaflat let lindafart out?

[coyote4]

page one is extra long to encourage posting. When you shift to page two, you will see half of page one included as it conforms to huffpost's paging system.

Helps?

[JaneC]

Yeah but even if you click on page eight you get page one. On every thread. At least I do.

[Ilvfredum]

Same democrat playbook since LBJ.

[xrepublican]

The Republican solution to unemployment is to pay trolls to defend them.... hence the playground level of "debate" you find all too often.

Politics is no longer a rational debate based on facts but has degenerated into Rove's "date-rape" attitude with each side tryiong to be the "strongest", maneuvering for advantage, ignoring ethics, morals or what the nation really NEEDS....... it's playing to the lowest common denomintator and getting the most cash possible from their corporate masters

[LaFeminazi]

Among those detained Saturday was Htay Kywe, who led some of the first marches several weeks ago before going into hiding to escape a government manhunt, Amnesty said. Others arrested were Aung Htoo and Thin Thin Aye, also known as Mie Mie.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071013/ap_on_re_as/myanmar;_ylt=Av0FNBc8CHK29vy177UWrpdvaA8F

The forgotten story.

[coyote4]

Western nations have years ago embargoed Myanmar: you need to apply pressure on India and China who have gained lost western business.

stop buying cheap and defective Chinese goods

[IntelligentDesign]

Speaking of dereliction of duty, the Dem congressional leadership has failed to mobilize the ranks sufficient to stop this rouge regime – no excuses, we’re talking about stopping a psychotic madman with his finger on the trigger of the most awesome destructive force known to mankind.

[Ilvfredum]

The problem is if a dem was prez they'd be doing exactly the same thing.

[BreadandRoses]

Liar.
As always.

[BTN]

he also said this:

Sanchez opened by criticizing the U.S. news media, saying he was unfairly labeled "a liar" and "a torturer" because of the Abu Ghraib scandal, and he alleged that the media have lost their sense of ethics. He said that members of the media blow stories out of proportion and are unwilling to correct mistakes, and that the "media environment is doing a great disservice to the nation."

[coyote4]

Sanchez truthfulness:

THE MEDIA IS DOING A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE NATION

.

[BigDan]

You have to be INSANE to join the military! Bush ruined the military FOREVER! Talk about NOT keeping America "secure"!!!

[coyote4]

Hey BigDan
are you my BigDan?

[Ilvfredum]

Ho-hun, Same old hate.

[marleysghost]

George Armstrong Custer Bush should put on his guns and go out and do his duty.

[ZingoBonMot]

~LindaSmart50~

Lockerbie? Wrong part of the world, wrong flight.

[Ilvfredum]

If we worked as hard fighting terrorism as we do fighting the Republicans there would be a worldwide outbreak of peace. I think most people here are really working for Osama

[SaviourMachine]

I think most people here are really working for Osama
- llvfreedom
________________________________

That may fly with your crowd-but for people who can differentiate fact from fiction..it's not w-o-r-k-i-n-g.

[writechic]

This is Lt. Gen. Ricardo "Abu Ghraib facilitator" Sanchez. Just who is he trying to endear himself to?

[Rubiconski]

SANCHEZ JUST ANOTHER BUSHIE OPERATIVE......

Sent to appease the increasingly pissed off body politic by selectively criticizing "the war planners" while at the same time delivering Bush's message: "WE CANT LEAVE NOW".....

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

Is this the Mother of all battles? Shouldn't be long now before DubleDeferment Dick or Dumbya aWol W respond with "There you go again, General!" - But when does this WhiteWashout House insanity end?

[cycle3man]

It is really sad that these Generals did not tell the truth, years ago, about the sad state of affairs in the management (Scratch that) Mismanagement of the war, while they were over there. Our troops would have been withdrawn, safe and sound, thousands of lives saved from death and maiming and the Iraqis would be running their country.

I feel so very sad.

[GhettoGrapevine]

And why did he wait so long to voice these criticisms?

"General Sanchez, who is said to be considering a book..." BINGO. Self-promotion by any other name still stinks.

[coyote4]

.
Don't be like the talking heads: trying to destroy the message by cutting down the messenger.

The man is speaking out now------------------that is what is important