The intimidated generals

Judith Apter Klinghoffer:

I am writing in the hope of lowering my blood pressure. Islamists around the world are on a rampage and all the media focus is on retired generals who did not dare confront their superiors or even tell the truth to the president when asked to do so in the most direct manner.

I have called for Rumsfeld's replacement months ago but that is besides the point. For the generals to attack the Secretary of Defense on the issue of troop numbers in Iraq in 2003 is ridiculous. I want to know whether they think we need more troops in Iraq today or tomorrow. To hear two and three star generals whine that Rumsfeld is too intimidating causes one to ask who else can so easily intimidate them? Are we talking perhaps of the insurgents, Ahmadinejad, Assad Fils, the North Korean or China? Imagine being a soldier who has served under the command of so easily intimidated a general. Their retired generals' contention that they are speaking for their active duty colleagues merely makes matters worse.

On This Week Joe Klein, whom no one can accuse of being a Bush fan, said that Bush repeatedly asked the generals in Iraq if they had everything they needed and they repeatedly assured him they did. But when Jerry Bremer asked them what they would do with an additional division, they said, we'd clear Baghdad. Excuse me? The American army in Iraq does not have a single general with enough guts to respond to the president's question with "depends on what you want us to do?"

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Anyone interested in this question should be required to read the Prolog to Tommy Franks' American Soldier. Before the order was given to commence combat operations in Iraq the President asked Franks and each of the component commanders individually the same questions.

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... "General," he asked Buss Mosely, "do you have everything you need to win?"

"You bet Sir."

"Pleased with the strategy?" the President continued.

"Absolutely," Buzz answered.

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Later the President said:

... "I am going to stop asking about the plan since you guys wee the ones that developed it."

I heard laughter around the teleconference loop. The President had the natural leader's ability to put his subordinates at ease.

And , so it went around the room as each was asked the same questions and each responded as Mosely did. It should be noted that none of the people around that table have joined the intimidated generals club. In fact, Gen. Franks and Rifle DeLong have spoken out forcefully against the notion put forward by the members of that club. But the myth of interference with the plan will die as hard as the Shinseki myth. Some do not want to let facts get in the way of their feelings.