Posted on 10/08/2007 11:20:57 AM PDT by rubeng
So Gates is encouraging mutiny in the ranks.
“Officials say Mr Gates’s strategy bore fruit when Admiral William Fallon, the head of US Central Command, charged with devising war plans for Iran, said last month that the “constant drumbeat of war” was not helpful.”
The same Admiral Fallon that tried to get Bush to NOT adopt the surge strategy offered by General Patraeus. With allies like that, it’s not saying much good about Gates.
Many military leaders worry more about the problems that may come from action than the problems that may accrue from inaction; too willing to hope for the best than to confront the worst head on. They lose wars.
Imagine the situation in Iraq 16 years ago, with Saddam on the ropes, Saddam not expecting a full scale invasion of Iraq, the Shia in open rebellion, tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers in the desert asking to be allowed to surrender, and the Iranian mullahs not have 15 more years of time for subversion in Iraq?
And who are Gates “foreign policy” friends - the “realists” Baker and Scowcroft.
And which situation in Iraq presented the most problems and the least hope - the one we were left with in 2003 by the Baker-Scowcroft realists that sought to avoid tackling the problems of there time in 1991 head on.
So, why should we not see what history tells us. Baker-Scowcroft-Gates seek to avoid the hard choices of their time, and leave conditions we pay for dearly later on. Unfortunately, later on, Iran WILL be better armed than was Saddam, and no one doubts that.
I bet Gates and Cheney saw this and laughed so hard they choked on their orange juice over it.
Cheney doesn’t mind being casted as the “bad cop”. The liberal news media just go bonkers over VP Cheney’s name.
How many troops does it take to bomb them up into the stone age? ;0)
You misread history.
Generals/Admirals should be retired after age 55, as their testosterone level is in severe decline and they lose the will to take action.
In later years they’d rather talk than act.
George S. Patton turned 56 Nov. 11, 1941.
WHY is Adm Fallon still in CHARGE??/ Bush should have replaced him!
“You misread history.”
I did not “misread” the history of American Middle East policies engineered by Baker-Scowcroft, the history of the failures of those policies, the history of the conditions they produced - “stability” of the regime of Saddam Husseein and US.OK to Syria to move into Lebanon.
Neither did I “misread” the history of Gates friendship with Baker and Scowcroft.
Nor did I misread the history of Admiral Fallon trying to prevent the Petraeus “surge” from becoming American policy.
Cheney-Bolton 2008.
“WHY is Adm Fallon still in CHARGE??/ Bush should have replaced him!”
I suspect one needs to ask Sec Defense Gates.
My Bullsh!t-o-meter is pegging. Written by somebody who hasn't got a third-grade-education on how the US system of government works.
Gates is in battle with Cheney over war policy? Who's Bush, chopped liver?
While I am reluctant to give the substance of the article much credence, it seems to pretty clearly state that Cheney and Gates are the two point men for different strategies, each trying to convince the President to adopt their approach to Iran.
Which is how the US system of government works.
Bruce Reidel
Reidel has followed al-Qaida since American intelligence first became aware of the group in the mid-1990s. His experience in counterrorism began with his first assignment at the Central Intelligence Agency in 1977, when he worked against Fatah founder Abu Nidal. In the 1990s, he was named national intelligence officer for the Near East and South Asia before moving to the Pentagon to become assistant secretary of defense for the same region.
He eventually was brought to the White House during President Clinton’s second term as a special assistant to the president on that region, and held that job through the first 12 months of the Bush administration
Yes, I hear you, but I get no feeling the writer grasps the distinction...I bet he thinks impeachment is just a vote of no-confidence.
I know - there are always exceptions.
There’s no Gen Patton around now...... And, look what “they” did to him way back then!
You’re leaving Cheney out of that triad. Cheney also has a long working history with those 3, particularly with Gates.
manure
No flames, you are correct. I'm a Vietnam ERA vet, and I saw it too.
Although, I think you're wrong regarding will (or provocation). We have technically been at war with Persia since 1230 hrs Zulu, 4 November 1979. The mullahs have been killing us since then.
Time to serve a cold dish of revenge, and the Iranian nuclear genie will give the current admin the cojones. It is long past time to open a giant size can of whoop a$$ on Persia.
5.56mm
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