Jay Garner criticizes early Iraq efforts...

[phillybri]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=1&u=/ap/20031126/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_garner

LONDON - The retired American general who headed the first occupation government in Iraq (news - web sites) said Wednesday the United States made major mistakes, including disbanding the Iraqi army, putting too few troops on the ground and failing to explain the goals of the war.

Jay Garner, in his most critical comments yet, said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that the series of mistakes began in April when the U.S. military did not act quickly to maintain law and order and preserve the buildings needed for the government ministries.

"If we did it over again, we probably would have put more dismounted infantrymen in Baghdad and maybe more troops there," Garner said in a British Broadcasting Corp. radio interview.

Garner admitted he had made key mistakes himself, but also criticized his successor, L. Paul Bremer, for disbanding the Iraqi army which left a large number of Iraqis jobless at a time when manpower was needed for rebuilding.

"I think it was a mistake," Garner said. "We planned ... on bringing the Iraqi army back and using them in reconstruction."

[teevee]

1. just like clark said in his book

this article could have been lifted from "Winning Modern Wars." This is exactly the things General Clark lays out as reasons for not having a "complete victory" in Iraq.

hopefully we're all visionary enought to nominate him.

[joeybee12]

2. Well, Clark wasn't the only one who said this...

...but the issue is, will the Dems be smart enough to get on message and hammer away at the sheer incompetence of this administration????

[Eloriel]

5. Clark is deluded if he actually thinks

there was any chance of a "complete victory" -- short of genocide, of course.

Eloriel

[maddezmom]

3. another thread related

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=241104

[bobthedrummer]

4. The decision to go to war in Iraq was made years ago-that was an early

mistake indeed--PNAC again. Neo-conservative traitors.