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RUMSFELD UNDER FIRE(Wesley Clark has accused Rumsfeld of putting troops at risk )
SKY NEWS ^ | 03/26/2003 | SKYNEWS

Posted on 03/26/2003 8:08:17 PM PST by KQQL

The former supreme allied commander of Nato has accused US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld of putting allied troops at risk through poor planning.

Wesley Clark said Mr Rumsfeld's insistence on a smaller invasion force had left troops vulnerable and the 300-mile oil supply line between Kuwait and Basra open to guerilla attack.

Troops had been tied up in "messy fighting" around Nasiriyah and Baghdad, he said, leading to "logistics problems".

He added that hopes of a quick victory spurred by a popular revolt against Saddam had been dashed.

"The simple fact is that the liberation didn't quite occur. They didn't rise up."

Other war veterans have also spoken out against the early stages of war planning.

Miscalculations

Ralph Peters, a military scientist and former Army officer, wrote in the Washington Post that a coalition victory would be achieved "despite serious strategic miscalculations by the office of the Defence Secretary".

The "shock and awe" strategy of aerial bombardment had failed to shatter the will of Saddam's regime, he said, and if anything had encouraged greater resistance.

"It delayed essential attacks on Iraq's military capabilities," said Mr Peters. "This encouraged at least some Iraqis in uniform to believe they had a chance to fight and win.

"Now our forces advancing on Baghdad face the possibility of more serious combat than would otherwise have been the case."

Coalition commander General Tommy Franks's draft invasion plan proposed using four or five heavy divisions moving slowly towards Baghdad.

New warfare

Mr Rumsfeld is said to have rejected this, complaining that it was too similar to the strategy used in the 1991 Gulf War. Instead he insisted on a smaller, lighter force relying heavily on special forces and air power.

Retired US Army General Barry McCaffrey, commander of the 24th Infantry Division 12 years ago, said Mr Rumsfeld had ignored warnings that he was underestimating the number of troops needed.

"I think he thought these were generals with feet planted in World War Two who didn't understand the new way of warfare," he said.

"If the Iraqis actually fight it's going to be brutal, dangerous work and we could take a couple to 3,000 casualties."

Mr Rumsfeld insisted his strategy was working.

"It's a good plan everybody agrees to, and it is a plan that in four and a half or five days has moved ground forces to within a short distance of Baghdad."


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
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1 posted on 03/26/2003 8:08:18 PM PST by KQQL
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To: Torie; Free the USA; sampai; ambrose
I wonder if Bubba is behind this..??
2 posted on 03/26/2003 8:09:09 PM PST by KQQL (^@__*^)
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To: KQQL
Wesley Clark is running for President in 2004.
3 posted on 03/26/2003 8:10:11 PM PST by Pokey78
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To: KQQL
You betcha.

Wesley "The Slime" Clark is Clinton's Slut, bought and paid for.
4 posted on 03/26/2003 8:10:46 PM PST by Stopislamnow (Because tomorrow we'll all be dead and won't be able to)
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To: KQQL
The downside is higher civilian casualties. Fewer troops means more use of heavy fire power I would think, and that means more killing of human shields.
5 posted on 03/26/2003 8:10:50 PM PST by Torie (w)
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To: KQQL
Good God. The war is not even 1 week old and yet somehow he knows it is a failure?
6 posted on 03/26/2003 8:10:50 PM PST by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: KQQL
20-20 hindsight.
7 posted on 03/26/2003 8:11:13 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: KQQL
We're fifty miles from Baghdad, and the couch potatoes are falling appart. Good Lord, we only started this one week ago.
8 posted on 03/26/2003 8:11:15 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: KQQL
This from a guy who couldn't get his apaches up, and wanted to start WWIII with the Russians cause they flipped him the bird.

WC Clark is a rhodes scholar from Arkansas, nothing more needs to be said.

9 posted on 03/26/2003 8:11:29 PM PST by dts32041 (Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a "4".)
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To: KQQL
Barry McCaffery, didn't know he was insulted in the white house and put in charged of the drug war.
10 posted on 03/26/2003 8:12:45 PM PST by dts32041 (Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a "4".)
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To: KQQL
Hey, Wesley! S.T.F.U.!!
11 posted on 03/26/2003 8:12:58 PM PST by aruanan
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To: KQQL
And who is behind Bubba?

Do we really need another Chinese carryout presidency?

12 posted on 03/26/2003 8:13:08 PM PST by AmericanVictory
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To: KQQL
I always think of this pampered prince as WELESLY Clark. That way he and Hillary could have received the same edumacation.
13 posted on 03/26/2003 8:13:17 PM PST by Lx (So it's now, Duct tape and cover?)
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To: KQQL
Doesn't surprise coming from a KlinTOON crony.
14 posted on 03/26/2003 8:14:00 PM PST by Amazed1953
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To: Pokey78
FOX showed Clark being asked a question by a reporter.

Before answering, Clark used his cell phone to ask CNN's permission.

CNN said no, and Clark walked away from the reporter without answering.

Clark is a pissant--and that's offending a lot of decent pissant-Americans.

15 posted on 03/26/2003 8:14:02 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: KQQL
I am no fan of the arrogant Rumsfield. But such criticism coming from the high altitude civilian killer of the infamous 78 day bombing campaign over Serbia and Kosovo should keep his mouth shut. I would say the only thing keeping Weseley Clarke from being in the same kangaroo court as Milosevic are North Dakota missle silos.
16 posted on 03/26/2003 8:14:03 PM PST by Burkeman1 (i)
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To: KQQL
Wonder if this is the "military analyst" Rummy was referring to in his press conference.
17 posted on 03/26/2003 8:14:14 PM PST by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: KQQL
Clark would prefer us to fight this war from 15,000 feet like he did in Kosovo I guess.
18 posted on 03/26/2003 8:14:50 PM PST by SCHROLL
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To: KQQL
Okay, so Clark is saying we haven't had enough shock and awe...

Can our leaders stop being candy asses now and start carpet bombing Bagdad back to the stone age before any more of our troops get killed?

Where's that Mother of All Bombs, dammit?
19 posted on 03/26/2003 8:15:47 PM PST by Behind Liberal Lines (Ithaca is the City of Evil)
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Comment #20 Removed by Moderator


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