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

[JoJoGunner]

What good does it do for a General to speak out? Your career goes down the tubes and it won't stop the war. There's always a Gen. Petreaus out there - willing to trade his honor and the blood of his troops for a promotion.

[reece5309]

you are wrong

[kevenseven]

The American Conservative agrees with JoJo.

[JoJoGunner]

If there's a 'phony soldier' in this war it's Petreaous. He knows soldiers are dying in vain and he don't give a damn. He's looking to be the Repub candidate for POTUS one day.

[lornejl]

Remember he said, he hasn't thought about whether the war in Iraq is making us safer from an attack ? Speaking for myself, I like people to think, sort things out, before they kill.

[wmbear]

A FUCKING MEN!...

Petraeus or Betray Us? Right on!

[lornejl]

Why is it that only ex military speak out against dumbya ? Maybe because current military aren't allow to ?

[JoJoGunner]

If a current General speaks out he becomes an ex General pretty damn quick.

[wmbear]

AND NOTE THAT SANCHEZ ***DID*** BECOME AN EX-GENERAL­...

I suspect he probably said the same things in private while he was still in command in Iraq. That's probably why he no longer is.

[lornejl]

Allowed.

Spell check should know what I intended to type. Somebody , get to work on that.

[kevenseven]

Officers are banned from criticizing the president by military regulation.

non-coms and privates are free to speak.

[Thalia]

What's notable about it is that it's unprecedented.

It takes a lot, I'm sure, for generals, ex or otherwise, to not only criticize the current CIC but to do so while a war is going on.

I suspect they've just had it with watching this disaster unfold.

[Tom95134]

Hey Sanchez, where the hell were you when General Shinseki was handed his ass and told to get out? Too busy to speak up because you had your nose firmly planted up the butt of Rummy so you could get your next star?

And by the way, why in hell did you wait 18 months after your retirement before you decided to speak out?

[JoJoGunner]

What about 'This war is a disaster', do you Repubs not get? Or do you get it and are just lying about it? Or do you even know what yer doing? Do you just parrot what Rush tells you to say??? Is that it???

[Thalia]

You're STILL asking if they just parrot wahat Rush tells them to say???

Sad, JoJo, very sad.

(Shakes head).

[JoJoGunner]

Whodathunk we had so many Generals who were pro-Jihadis and want us all to wear burkhas???

Phony Generals is what they are.

[lornejl]

lol, yes, very good jj, phony generals for sure ;)

[ContraEgoiste]

.
.
"let's put it this way, money trumps peace"
- G.W.Bush 2/14/2007


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070214-2.html
.

[LaFeminazi]

Oh well France is shutting down.

France v England in the rugby world cup semi final.

Allez les blues.

[reece5309]

the former commanders opinion is much different form the current commanders opinion

[BWonka]

Duh... that is because the current commanders were handpicked by the FAILED Bu$hCo to be "yes" men for the FAILED President. Not because they are good military commanders.

But you know that - you're just too big a COWARD to admit it.

[reece5309]

the current commanders recieved everyones blessings

[sarcasticennui]

How is the form different?

Style or usage?

[ContraEgoiste]

The current commander still has to report to the CIC (ugh!), follow military rules, and go after that fifth star.

[kevenseven]

No fifth stars.

Not since Marshal, Eisenhower and Mac Arthur.

And the Navy guys.

[esquire07]

Things are going very well for the War Profitiers.

Dead Troops ? Who cares, they are mostly lower income poor kids, many not even US citizens yet.

Dead Iraqi's ? Who cares.

Arms profits, Oil Profits, Mercenary Profits - ALL THAT MATTERS.

Dead Troops = Halliburton Profits = Money in Dick Cheeny's bloody pockets.

Get used to it folks. After the next false flag 9/11, Iran in next.

Perpetual War = Perpetual Profit.

[HumeSkeptic]

And don't forget Brittney Spears.

[lornejl]

She really larded up didn't she .

[optiquest]

Who's profiting from the War? According to Wikipedia, Sen. Feinstein, D-CA is:

In 1980, she married Richard C. Blum, an investment banker.

Feinstein has received scrutiny for husband Richard Blum's extensive business dealings with China and her past votes on trade issues with the country. Critics have argued that Feinstein's support of policies that may benefit her husband may raise the appearance of a conflict of interest.[­5] Suburban newspaper Metroactive has written in 2007 that Feinstein's husband holds large investments in companies that won large government contracts — without competitive bidding. In April 2007, Feinstein's office denied there was a conflict of interest and stated that her departure from the subcommittee had nothing to do with the reports in the Metro weeklies.

As of December 2006, according to SEC filings and Fedspending. Org, three corporations in which Blum's financial entities own a total of $1 billion in stock won considerable favor from the budgets of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In 2003, Feinstein was ranked the fifth wealthiest senator, with an estimated net worth of $26 million.[6­] By 2005 her net worth had increased to between $43 million and $99 million.[7­] Her 347-page financial disclosure statement[8] — characterized by the San Francisco Chronicle as "nearly the size of a phonebook" — draws clear lines between her assets and those of her husband, with many of her assets in blind trusts.[9]

[optiquest]

wow! Sen Feinstein was worth 43 million, now she and her Mr. are worth 99 million!

Seems Diane likes war too

[JohnKemp]

And don't forget that she resigned from the Senate MILCON Comittee just before becoming its chairman(woman) following the Democrat tsumani 2006 election landslide.

Happens all the time in DC; an incoming committee chairman(woman) resigning their position.

[Yomper]

And none of Mr. Fox's[Rupert Murdoch] "news" outlets are to report anything detrimental about China,Hmmm?

[Sergeantfreedom]

Let the Swiftboating begin in Right-Wing-World

[getoffmedz]

Sergeantfreedom - Swiftboating is all they got left.

They are traitors, terrorists and enemies of the state.

[optiquest]

who are the traitors? Are you talking about Sen Harry reid? Didnt he vote to send our armed forces into Harms way? Now he stands in front of camera's to tell us the War is lost.

hey Sen Reid, if the war is lost, why are US Military personnel still in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Hey Getoffmedz:
whom are u calling traitors and enemies of the state? After reids comments, he should be locked up. Those comments are unbecomming of the Senate majority leader! Reids behavior is many times more reckless than Sen. Craigs. he looked for Homo tricks, Sen. reid likely has blood on his hands from comments he makes.

[Thalia]

I don't think it ever ended. It's their basic operating procedure.

[elkabong]

"Let me be clear, the vote I will give to the President is for one reason and one reason only: To disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, if we cannot accomplish that objective through new, tough weapons inspections in joint concert with our allies.

In giving the President this authority, I expect him to fulfill the commitments he has made to the American people in recent days--to work with the United Nations Security Council to adopt a new resolution setting out tough and immediate inspection requirements, and to act with our allies at our side if we have to disarm Saddam Hussein by force. If he fails to do so, I will be among the first to speak out.

If we do wind up going to war with Iraq, it is imperative that we do so with others in the international community, unless there is a showing of a grave, imminent--and I emphasize "imminent"--threat to this country which requires the President to respond in a way that protects our immediate national security needs."

-John Kerry
Oct 9 '02

[unclebucky]

Yep.

And how do these things get buried so easily, haha.

Now, I really want to see each and every democrat who voted the same as Kerry be shown to do so without any reservations as Kerry expressed above. I would say that all of them had qualifications, reservations and objections, but gave the vote based on the good faith of Bush.

So, we don't have these things when the trolls bring this crap up. But they are there. I bet even Edward's and Clinton's reservations can be found, too.

Ugh.

--UB.

[kevenseven]

Saddam offered a deal where he would go into exile.

Why did Bush not pursue that option?

[optiquest]

elkabong;
I remember wel when kerry said that. but deamon crats have a genetic disorder. They never can remember anything they say in public. or perhaps they aren't aware we, as people, have invested a device that can record the spoken word.

[optiquest]

i meant invented a device to record the spoken word. my bad

[LaFeminazi]

Anyone notice the talking heads are having to be really get weird to be noticed.

Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Rush Limbaugh are having to get so extreme to even be heard over the loony right.

I cant wait for their next meltdowns.

I love the smell of burning repugs.

[Thalia]

Do you know if anyone has told the oh-so-Christian, the epitome-of­-Christian­ity, Mary Magdalene herself, Ms. Coulter, that Jesus was Jewish and that a big part of his spiel was about the dual nature of human beings between their divine natures and their more fallible human ones?

Look back at old photos of the Divine Ms. C: no crucifix around her neck. Probably just a coincidence that Coulter found religion just as it was becoming a useful tool with which to bash liberals, huh?

[optiquest]

news flash;
Jesus was the ultimate liberal

[elkabong]

"None of us here today desire to see military conflict , because we know the awful nature of war. Our country values life, and never seeks war unless it is essential to security and to justice. America's leadership and willingness to use force, confirmed by the Congress, is the best way to ensure compliance and avoid conflict ..."

- George Bush Oct. 2, 2002

[unclebucky]

good job.

I bet all of this is ALSO in VIDEO, so we can see the backtracking, spin, and lies of the Rethugs.

Ugh.

--UB.

[bumpersticker]

Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness

God - 1500 BC

[elkabong]

"That will be PART OF the resolution, the authorization to use force. If you want to keep the peace, you’ve got to have the authorization to use force. But it’s—this will be—this is a chance for Congress to indicate support. It’s a chance for Congress to say, we support the administration’s ability to keep the peace. That’s what this is all about."
- George Bush Sept. '02

[unclebucky]

Yep, a flucking liar from the very beginning.

Ugh.

--UB.

[NoGenius]

yeah, and your point is...????
power madness in colusion with big business..­.. is.... illegal or something?

[unclebucky]

It is lethal.

Ugh.

--UB.