Rumsfeld singled out as crisis deepens in Iraq (General Eaton attacks Rumsfeld)

Guardian Unlimited ^ | March 20 2006 | Julian Borger and Jonathan Steele

[jmc1969]

A former US army general yesterday called for Donald Rumsfeld to resign on grounds of incompetence in Iraq.

There were signs yesterday that the Bush administration was losing its ability to shape perception of the conflict, even among partisan Republicans. George Will, an influential conservative commentator, yesterday compared Iraq's war to that of the 1930s Spanish civil war.

Paul Eaton, a former American army general in charge of training Iraqi forces until 2004, marked the anniversary with a furious attack on Mr Rumsfeld, saying he was "not competent to lead our armed forces".

Yesterday, calling on the US to keep its nerve, Mr Rumsfeld pointed to the swelling ranks of Iraqi government forces. But Mr Eaton, a former major general, said the defence secretary had "shown himself incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically", and was "far more than anyone else, responsible for what has happened to our important mission in Iraq". Mr Rumsfeld had to step down, he said.

[Mears]

The Guardian ! God I hate that newspaper.

[SteveMcKing]

compared Iraq's war to that of the 1930s Spanish civil war.

Such that a larger storm is coming.

[Thunder90]

Don't trust leftist rags like the Guardian.

[jmc1969]

General Eaton and George Will didn't say that?

[Reactionary]

Ah. The next logical step in the "Iraq is a quagmire" leftist mediot meme.

Anyone with any brains at all saw this coming months ago.

[jess35]

Former 2 star who couldn't get the job done calls for Rumsfeld's resignation? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[marron]

George Will, an influential conservative commentator, yesterday compared Iraq's war to that of the 1930s Spanish civil war.

This is just silly. Unless he means to say, its a war between communists and fascists, or between stalinists and conservative catholics, or whatever. Who knows what he means by that. I used to read Will's commentary eagerly, back when I was young and he was prematurely old (and now I'm prematurely old, sadly...).

As for Eaton's comment, unfortunately the article gives us nothing to explain what the general proposes. Rumsfeld is incompetent. Fine. So what should we be doing that we aren't doing?

Mr. Eaton? Mr. Borger? Mr. Steele?

Rumsfeld and Bush's answer is that we will fight on until the enemy is beaten. Thats clear cut. What is the general's answer?

[Eagles6]

" But that figure is dwarfed by estimates for the number of Iraqis killed, which range from a conservative 30,000 to a more speculative 100,000."

Compared to the 300,00 to 1,000,000 that we are digging up in the mass graves, killed since Gulf War 1? Just by the numbers, fewer Iraqis are dying now than under saddam

[Eagles6]

I haven't paid attention to Will for a while. I got the impression he is a conservative that liberals could like.

[malia]

"A former US army general yesterday called for Donald Rumsfeld to resign .."

This is the Democrats new assault ..... dems are so transparent.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1598875/posts

Political offensive targets Bush
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
March 18, 2006
Senate Democrats have mapped a political battle plan for the March congressional recess that calls on lawmakers to stage press events with active duty military personnel, veterans and emergency responders to bash President Bush on virtually every one of his national security policies.

(Excerpt) Read more at insider.washingtontimes.com ...

[pawdoggie]

But Mr Eaton, a former major general, said the defence secretary had "shown himself incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically", and was "far more than anyone else, responsible for what has happened to our important mission in Iraq". Mr Rumsfeld had to step down, he said.

George Will, a prominent isolationist paleocon, left the reservation a long time ago. Nothing new in that. As for "Mr." Eaton, he is the person who is required to be competent "operationally and tactically", not the Secretary of Defense. If Mr. Eaton's superiors had assessed Secretary Rumsfeld's mission statement and concept for Iraq to be unworkable, and they failed to "fall on their swords" over it, shame on them. I smell a future job as a NBC news "analyst" for "Mr." Eaton, or possibly a Democratic congressional nomination. At least he said that the mission was "important", that had to hurt Mssrs. Borger and Steele's ears.

[AmeriBrit]

Major General Eaton, concerning your request asking for Defence Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation, you've been outranked by the CIC, General Tommy Franks and General Peter Pace.

P.S. Has anyone ever mentioned you sound like a murpha clone?

[Redbob]

Paul Who?
Oh, Eaton.

And he's what? A former general, did you say?

Not enough in the ol' pension plan, eh, Paul?
SO now you're out prostituting yourself for your own 15 minutes of fame?

[Fee]

I hope the GOP is smart enough to line up their generals, soldiers, rapid responders, wounded vets and etc to counter the Dem PR. Dems cannot protest that soldiers are taking part in partisan fights, especially if they use the same tactics. I know alot of Iraqi vets who would not hesitate to give the politicians and MSM their piece of their mind over all this BS while they are placing their asses on the line.

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

The problems in Iraq stem from Bush's mid-course decision to build a democracy instead of install a benign dictator or partition the country. These are not Rumsfeld issues. I think Rumsfeld is doing a great job.

[TheLion]

Communist crapola!

[TexKat]

The WP commemorates the three-year anniversary by fronting a soft feature on veterans remembering their experiences in Iraq. The Sunday Outlook section gets a little more academic, with Donald Rumsfeld and George Will both writing op-eds on the war's ongoing legacy. Their respective headlines say it all: Rumsfeld's is titled "What We've Gained in 3 Years in Iraq," and Will's is called "Bleakness in Baghdad."

http://www.slate.com/id/2138323/