Military alone can't win in Iraq -ex-U.S. commander (Gen. Sanchez)

[TexasLawyer]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N01380739.htm

Military alone can't win in Iraq -ex-U.S. commander
01 Nov 2006 23:15:39 GMT

Source: Reuters

SAN ANTONIO, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, former commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq, retired from the Army on Wednesday, saying the military alone cannot secure a victory in Iraq.

"We have been saying since 2003 that we could fight there for years, if we continue to apply only the element of (military) power," Sanchez told reporters. "We can continue to kill people there for a decade and until you can sort out the political and economic issues in that country, we will continue to have an issue there."

The war in Iraq has come to the forefront of next week's U.S. congressional elections as Democrats try to wrest control of Congress from Republicans. "Partisan politics have hindered this war effort and America should not accept this," Sanchez said. "The security of America is definitely at stake."

Sanchez, a native of Rio Grande City, Texas, commanded coalition forces in Iraq from June 2003 until July 2004. Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison were abused during his tenure but an Army investigation exonerated Sanchez of wrongdoing.

<snip>

When pressed by reporters to answer who was at fault for the failures in Iraq, Sanchez said, "Where do the policies come from?"

[Kagemusha]

1. Oh that's RICH coming from him.

These people are all part of a circular firing squad today. Boehner says it's the generals, don't blame Rumsfeld... sheesh.