Bush, Pentagon may differ over 'war'

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/12375618.htm

WASHINGTON - Are the president and the Pentagon on the same page over the war in Iraq?

That question is percolating in Washington after President Bush twice in the past 10 days attempted to clarify a message sent by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and military leaders.

After Rumsfeld and other Pentagon officials indicated their desire to shift away from discussing the struggle against terror as a "war" -- saying it placed too much emphasis on military solutions to terrorism -- Bush repeatedly used the word "war" in an Aug. 3 speech to conservative state legislators.

Then on Thursday, Bush dismissed as "rumors" and "speculation" reports that U.S. commanders were contemplating significant withdrawals of American troops from Iraq next year.

His comments came after Army Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. military official in Iraq, and Army Lt. Gen. John Vines, the top ground commander, had publicly raised exactly that possibility.

[oneighty]

1. Seems

another great leader long ago and far away overruled his top military minds as well.

And look what happened to him.

180

[rodeodance]

3. gee, rummy and bushie having a little misunderstanding--Lets have

more!!!!-let them squabble!!!!!

[PATRICK]

2. Need another purge?

Maybe the career soldiers picked for the job think they are irreplaceable. The dismissal of Kevin Byrnes maybe part of signal to a counter strategy by the military that now seems concerted that they had just better shut up. Unlike Lincoln they would have to fire unfriendly Pentagon realists for ever more incompetent toadies guaranteeing more disaster and inevitable defeat. Exactly the opposite of the greatest Republican who won his war in less time. I think Iraq in that era was a camel driven backwater compared to the American military. Maybe if Lincoln wanted to secure Christian pilgrimage sites he might have done it easily, but he would not have been that stupid to think they could long occupy it or change its culture. Nor would he have chosen a general that stupid or dismissed the competent ones. Of course comparing Lincoln to the neocons is like comparing apples and maggots.

[Solly Mack]

4. I was thinking that - another purge coming...

[tanyev]

5. They had to know that Dubya is incapable of saying

"global struggle against extremism", or whatever they are calling it. Should have spent a little more time in that brainstorming session.

[Buns_of_Fire]

6. You know they're in sad shape when they start relying on boosh*

to "clarify" something. :silly: