(Gen) Keane: U.S. 'seduced by Iraqi exiles,' didn’t plan properly for insu

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=23299

U.S. war planners failed to prepare for the insurgency that arose after major combat operations in Iraq because they were “seduced by Iraqi exiles” who predicted a joyous reception for U.S. troops, one of the Army’s senior architects of the campaign said Thursday.

In testimony Thursday before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Jack Keane, who retired last fall after a final posting as acting Army chief of staff, offered an unusually frank account of mistakes made in planning for the Iraq war.

“When I look back on it myself, having participated and contributed to , one of the things that happened to us … is many of us got seduced by the Iraqi exiles in terms of what the outcome would be” after the war, Keane said.

“‘We’re all going to be treated as liberators,’” interjected Rep. Ike Skelton, the committee’s ranking minority member.

“That’s correct,” Keane replied. “So therefore the intellectual capital to prepare ourselves properly for an insurgency was not there.”

[wtmusic]

1. The intellectual capacity to qualify Keane for his job was not there

n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Cocktail chatter.

I think I've been giving the Repubs far too much credit by saying that they're idealogically driven. The truth is that they operate on cocktail chatter. Whether it's whisper numbers or social trivia, it's what flies at happy hour at the Country Club that passes for national policy when Republicans are in office.

[Melsky]

3. Sure......

“That’s correct,” Keane replied. “So therefore the intellectual capital to prepare ourselves properly for an insurgency was not there.”

It's not like, anyone in the US saw these problems coming, is it? No one tried to tell these poor guys, and they were just "seduced" by the bad, bad Iraqis.

</sarcasm>

[teryang]

4. Shinseki right, Keane venal and dissimulating....

Rumsfeldt and the neocons dead wrong.

It must be wonderful to be responsible for the misery of millions and just make lame excuses and never be held accountable. I bet Congress gets off on this exculpatory bullshit. Helps them to sleep better.

"Unusually frank account?" Yeah, right.

[grytpype]

5. Incompetence.

How can Bush stand for re-election? Is he not going to take responsibility for anything?

[Solly Mack]

6. let's see...invade a country and don't expect "insurgents"

How fucking stupid are these people?

There is no excuse for the (so-called) "mistakes". None. I'm sickened by all attempts to justify and rationalize the Iraqi invasion.

[Rex]

7. More bullshit from the bullshit factory.

Of course no one is held accountable for these high crimes...no...they were seduced by those wicked, evil, temptress-exiles!

Sometimes I can't believe people can say BS like this and get away with it!