"The decision to invade Iraq was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who never had to execute these missions---or bury the results".We must never again stand by quietly while those ignorant of and casual about war lead us into another one and then mismanage the conduct of it."
There you have it. In two sentences. The immorality of the Bush administration's preemptive war of choice against a country that was not a threat to us. It's laid out for all to see.
Who wrote this? Some left-wing loony? Some Democratic operative, intent on showing what we all know, that Bush was possessed by neither principle nor introspection in starting his war of choice? Nope.
Are these some smarmy, quartermaster types, sitting behind a desk at some vast, but remote supply depot? I think not.
Look at a few pedigrees:
" Lt. General Newbold served as the military's top operations offer prior to our invasion of Iraq.
" Major General Charles H. Swannack Jr. commanded the fabled 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq as recently as 2004.
" Major General John Batiste commanded the First Infantry Division in Iraq.
" Major General Paul D. Eaton was responsible for the training of Iraqi troops in 203 and 2004.
" General Eric Shinseki was the U.S. Army's Chief of Staff, just prior to the 2003 invasion. He was summarily cashiered and retired early for stating that the occupation of Iraq would require several hundred thousand troops.
" Major General John Riggs, a 39-year army veteran and holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in Vietnam had been a three-star general entrusted with creating a high tech army for the 21st century. Riggs was reduced in rank and retired early for criticizing Rumsfeld's decision to invade Iraq with insufficient troops.
General Swannack stated, "I do not believe Secretary Rumsfeld is the right person"based on his absolute failures in managing the war against Saddam in Iraq."
Shortly before General Newbold spoke out, retired General Eaton wrote in the New York Times that "President Bush should accept the offer to resign that Mr. Rumsfeld said he had tendered more than once." Eaton also said, he (Rumsfeld) "Ignored the advice of seasoned officers and denied subordinates any chance for input."
General Batiste spoke out on April 12th, after publicly condemning Rumsfeld's performance, adding, "We have absolutely nothing to gain by this"There's no political agenda at all"We've been loyal subordinates."
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