Posted on 03/29/2007 8:25:31 AM PDT by jazusamo
PASADENA - He came, he saw, he talked.
Former U.S. Gen. Tommy Franks bantered with the audience and also addressed controversial issues during his talk at Wednesday night Distinguished Speaker Series.
Speaking at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Franks called Donald Rumsfeld a "small man with very sharp elbows" and described Osama bin Laden as someone "who deserve\ to die." He recounted tales from his childhood and his "misspent youth," and memories of growing up in Midland, Texas, "among the cactus and among the bushes."
Franks attended the same high school a year ahead of first lady Laura Bush. He enlisted with the Army after he dropped out of college.
Now retired, Franks helped lead Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was a four-star general with a 36-year military career when he stepped down in 2003. He has since authored "American Soldier," a best-selling memoir.
Franks' appearance coincides with mounting Congressional pressure to set a deadline for troop withdrawal from Iraq.
On Friday, the House passed a war-spending bill that mandates a withdrawal no later than August 2008. The Senate, which has endorsed a plan that sets a withdrawal date of March 31, 2008, is expected to pass a bill today.
President Bush has threatened to veto any legislation that sets a deadline for troop withdrawal.
Franks echoed sentiments he expressed in 2004, when he announced his endorsement of Bush's re-election.
"Do we fight them over there or do we fight them here?" he asked then. "I choose to fight them over there."
(Excerpt) Read more at sgvtribune.com ...
In other words, he's trying to make sure any blame for losing the peace is aimed at Rumsfeld, not him.
This does not tell me much about Rumsfeld, but it certainly says a lot about little Tommy Franks.
Well, there is one "retired general" that the MSM will not make headline news.
I have a hunch this writer took a piece of the statement and left out much. I have heard General Franks speak very highly of Secretary Rumsfeld in the not too distant past.
Well if anyone gets a chance could they possibly ask Franks why he decided that Pakistani border gaurds would make an effective blocking force during the Tora Bora assault?
Especially since I am a military idiot and I still new that the Russians tried to deal with the same thing for 10 years and failed.
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