Abizaid: 'Shinseki was right'

[sabra]

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2006/11/abizaid_dont_im.html

Abizaid: 'Shinseki was right'

<snip>

A few minutes ago, Abizaid was asked if Gen. Eric Shinseki -- who famously told Congress before the war in Iraq that the military would need "several hundred thousand" troops to secure that nation after major combat operations, only to be slapped down by then-Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz -- was correct.

"Gen. Shinseki was right that a greater international force contribution -- U.S. force contribution and Iraqi force contribution -- should have been available immediately after major combat operations," Abizaid said.

He added, though, that he does not think more U.S. troops are needed right now.

[aquart]

1. He also said we don't have the troops to send.

I heard that on the evening news and my jaw dropped. Finally, somebody is admitting that Bush has crippled our military.

[BootinUp]

6. Its simple amazing more journalists don't report that

the big secret.

[rodeodance]

7. the media while being a bit more critical, is still not doing its job

[mom cat]

12. Tell that to dimson who is planning to send another 20,000 troops!

[Election]

13. Well, you can only do one of two things

1. Send in more troops, over a million, to win this war ... but knowing fully well that the extra cost to America will be in the hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

2. A phased withdrawl where we still can say we overthrew Saddam Hussein, but where the Iraqis can duke it out with each other, but not at our expense.

[teryang]

14. Exactly, why bring em here if they can't be maintained?

That is what he said. It isn't reported because it was said in response to questioning by McCain and the answer reveals McCain's policy bias and his complete ignorance of political issues in Iraq, and the reality of manpower and deployment limitations on ground troops.

[Dhalgren]

2. "Shinseki was right according to both common sense and military

expertise, but he was wrong according to my bosses, so I guess he was wrong." That is basically what he said. If you needed three hundred thousand troops on the ground to secure the country after combat operations ended, it would make no difference whatsoever which nation those troops came from. But saying, yes we needed that many troops from coalition forces, but not from US forces, makes no sense at all. We either needed that many troops or we didn't; we either do or we don't. Abizaid is a liar and lackey and a murderer of both Iraqis civilians and American soldiers. His statements prove it...

[LynnTheDem]

4. Abizaid & Casey are 2 of the least respected, most despised

"officers" (and I use that term very loosely) in today's military.

From retired top brass to the grunt.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. Before the war, as well?

Or only since they fubared?

[tabasco]

3. Good luck with that "international force contribution."

Maybe they should have thought of that before they invaded.

Of course, Exxon and Mobil don't really care.

[MidwestTransplant]

5. Remember when the Neo Con companies were dividing up there war booty

That didn't go as planned. Bechtel and Kroll have all pulled out.

[FernBell]

8. You mean Shrub wuz an idiot? I'm SO surprised!!

[saigon68]

9. More Clay Pigeons for the Iraqi Resistance Forces

Look up "Juba 2" to get an idea

[Supersedeas]

10. Yet, Shinseki was force to retire by the disgusting Neo-Cons

Forcing out the true patriots for political expediency

[T_i_B]

11. Army chief confronts Democrats over Iraq troop levels

I'll post this here in order to avoid duping

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/11/16/wusarmy16.xml

The US Army's senior general in the Middle East delivered a blunt warning to Democrats yesterday that setting timetables for troop withdrawals would damage America's attempts to win the war in Iraq.

In a tension-filled and sometimes acrimonious hearing on Capitol Hill, Gen John Abizaid, the head of US Central Command, said it was imperative that commanders in Iraq had the freedom to modify troop levels depending on conditions on the ground.

"Specific timetables limit that flexibility," he insisted. When Senator Hillary Clinton remarked that "hope is not a strategy", Gen Abizaid agreed but added that despair was not a policy either.

He said that he was "optimistic" but that sectarian violence remained at "unacceptably high levels". Mistakes, however, had been made. "We haven't misled people but we've learned some hard lessons."

[saigon68]

16. The deaths and Blood of thousands

Is on the hands of this Criminal MoonBat