VIDEO: Gen. Zinni Calls on Rumsfeld and Others to Resign for ‘Disastrous Mistakes’ in Iraq
VIDEO: Gen. Zinni Calls on Rumsfeld and Others to Resign for ‘Disastrous Mistakes’ in Iraq
This morning on Meet the Press, Gen. Anthony Zinni, former commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, called on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other Bush officials to resign for making a “series of disastrous mistakes” in Iraq. Watch it:
Transcript:
ZINNI: There’s a series of disastrous mistakes. We just heard the Secretary of State say these were tactical mistakes. These were not tactical mistakes. These were strategic mistakes, mistakes of policies made back here. Don’t blame the troops. They’ve been magnificent. If anything saves us, it will be them.
RUSSERT: Should someone resign?
ZINNI: Absolutely.
RUSSERT: Who?
ZINNI: Secretary of Defense to begin with.
RUSSERT: Anyone else?
ZINNI: Well, I think that we — those that have been responsible for the planning, for overriding all the efforts that were made in planning before that, that those that stood by and allowed this to happen that didn’t speak out – and there were appropriate ways within the system you can speak out, at congressional hearings and otherwise — I think they have to be held accountable.
Full transcript below:
ZINNI: I saw the — what this town is known for, spin, cherry-picking facts, using metaphors to evoke certain emotional responses or shading the context. We know the mushroom clouds and the other things that were all described that the media has covered well. I saw on the ground a sort of walking away from 10 years’ worth of planning. You know, ever since the end of the first Gulf War, there’s been planning by serious officers and planners and others, and policies put in place — 10 years’ worth of planning were thrown away. Troop levels dismissed out of hand. Gen. Shinseki basically insulted for speaking the truth and giving an honest opinion. The lack of cohesive approach to how we deal with the aftermath, the political, economic, social reconstruction of a nation, which is no small task. A belief in these exiles that anyone in the region, anyone that had any knowledge, would tell you were not credible on the ground. And on and on and on, decisions to disband the army that were not in the initial plans. There’s a series of disastrous mistakes. We just heard the Secretary of State say these were tactical mistakes. These were not tactical mistakes. These were strategic mistakes, mistakes of policies made back here. Don’t blame the troops. They’ve been magnificent. If anything saves us, it will be them.
RUSSERT: Should someone resign?
ZINNI: Absolutely.
RUSSERT: Who?
ZINNI: Secretary of Defense to begin with.
RUSSERT: Anyone else?
ZINNI: Well, I think that we — those that have been responsible for the planning, for overriding all the efforts that were made in planning before that, that those that stood by and allowed this to happen that didn’t speak out — and there were appropriate ways within the system you can speak out, at congressional hearings and otherwise — I think they have to be held accountable. The point is, those that are in power now that have been part of this are finding that their time is spent defending the past. And if they have to defend the past, they’re unable to make the kinds of changes, adjustments, admit to mistakes and move on. And that’s where we are now, trying to rewrite history, defend the past. Ridiculous statements that well, wait 20 years and history will tell you how this turns out. Well, I don’t think anybody wants 20 years to continue like it is now.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
51 Responses to “VIDEO: Gen. Zinni Calls on Rumsfeld and Others to Resign for ‘Disastrous Mistakes’ in Iraq”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
I second that.
April 2nd, 2006 at 12:50 pmI saw on the ground a sort of walking away from 10 years’ worth of planning. You know, ever since the end of the first Gulf War, there’s been planning by serious officers and planners and others, and policies put in place — 10 years’ worth of planning were thrown away.
I love how, in moments of anger, these guys will give away secrets. They've been planning this for 10 years? So much for any of the excuses anyone on the Right will ever use as a means for invasion. It was all about the need to play War Games. And King Georgie just jumped at the chance to be in a war without being in one himself. He should not only be Impeached, but kicked out of the country.
April 2nd, 2006 at 12:56 pmGeneral Zinni is unfortunately up against the likes of Daniel Pipes who thinks the Iraq war is a success; and Daniel Pipes has the ear of the President.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:05 pmBush's failures in Iraq are Nixonian in scope and depth. Anyone who doesn't distance themselves from this death march will be forever tainted by the "War President" Bush stink.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:11 pmZinni isn’t wrong of course- but wouldn’t these resignations be a convenient scapegoat for Bush’s failures? Dear leader is great man -he was just given bad advice. The puppet masters pulling the strings will do anything the keep their “agenda†on track. They could care less if there are a few casualties of their own. Resignations are hardly enough.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:14 pmBoy oh boy, has Zinni got this right.
But - this call, made several years ago, has always gone unanswered by the shrub, who in 1000 said that if he should ever become president he wanted a war so the could become a "War President", because those were the presidents that went down in history.
Lets put this president down in history as the first failure at being a "war president".
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:20 pmExcuse the typo - this should read 1999.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:22 pmA gunslinging cowboy in the White House, who, along with his posse, is ready to shoot first and ask questions later.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:23 pmZinni is a straight shooter, much like John Murtha. They speak plainly and without hesitation, which indicates to me a certain basic honesty.
Now John McCain is another story.
Tommy the Whore Franks is already retired but maybe we can revoke the Medal of Freedom Pres. Fredo gave him.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:25 pmThe swiftboating of General Zinni in three....two...one....
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:33 pmWhat does it say about us, that we allowed this to happen?
We, every citizen, are as much to blame. Again, all our institutions, watchdogs, checks and balances, media, etc., etc., failed us.
I liked the part where General Zinni talked about what Democracy is, and it is not just voting. They have voted 3 or 4 times and they still don't have a government. People don't know what they are voting for. He described one women excited about voting came into the building and asked who she should vote for. The worker started reading off the 100+ names and parties, when the Islamic something something party was read off, she said that one (This reminded me of a old women who was asked in 2004 by a tv reporter if she was going to vote for Kerry or Bush. She said Bush because she liked the way Bush's wife looked. A sad commentary on our Democracy.). The point being that Democracy requires many things (i.e., social structures, educated populace, etc.) and can not be isolated to just voting.
General Zinni's book is, "The Battle for Peace: A Frontline Vision of America's Power and Purpose."
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:38 pmGeneral Zinni, frustrated liberal, Clinton hack, political opportunist and arm-chair analyst just waiting his turn to cash in big on Bush Derangement Syndrome. There's nothing new here and he hasn't any more credibility now than he did when he attacked the American war effort in 2004. He was demonstrably wrong then and he's wrong now. Next.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:40 pmWhy does Condelezza Rice hate the troops.
A tactical error is a artillery round hitting the wrong target.
A strategic error is send 165,000 Coalition troops in to do what 660,000 Coalition troops couldn't in 1991.
Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney said this is regards to President George H. W. Bush's deciding to not invade Bahgdad during Operation Desert Storm:
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:43 pm
IRI, with 35 years of service under his belt, maybe he has a little more perspective than yourself...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Anthony_Zinni
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:46 pmI-RIGHT-I, frustrated conservative, Bush hack, political racist and arm-chair analyst just waiting his turn to duck out of the big Derangement Syndrome.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:48 pmWith zero days of military training, just about anybody is more informed about the military than I-RIGHT-I.
April 2nd, 2006 at 1:49 pmYes Rumsfeld must resign and then be tried for war crimes! Then Cheney and Bush must resign as well for the horrible Iraq fiasco!
April 2nd, 2006 at 2:03 pm""Yes Rumsfeld must resign and then be tried for war crimes! Then Cheney and Bush must resign as well for the horrible Iraq fiasco!""
and these people should be sued into poverty. theyve made personal billions. their bank accounts should be liquidated. i mean, do you really think they care if theyre impeached? getting fired after youve been stealing from your company for years?
April 2nd, 2006 at 2:47 pmThe comment about suing the "Axis of Evil" Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld is a good idea. I was thinking war crimes, but taking their money away is far more important to them than any other punishment meted out. Oh, maybe no money and jail would do it!
April 2nd, 2006 at 3:16 pmIRI, you're supposed to DRINK the KoolAid, not SNORT it.
April 2nd, 2006 at 4:35 pmre: General Zinni, frustrated liberal, Clinton hack?
Hardly. The man devoted his life to defending this country. However, it easy to see why the brainwashed bushie types feel the need to attack him.
A few months before 9-11, he predicted a 'Pearl Harbor type event' in the U.S. by an enemy using asymmetrical type warfare. Problem is, no one of the Bush team paid attention.
Zinni described the neo-cons favorite, Mr. Chalabi, as one of the mob of "silk-suited rolex-wearing crowd from London" who knew nothing about Iraq, and in turn Iraq knew nothing about them. Oops.
Many more examples to prove he's on top of things, but the bushies are not the type who listen to facts or reason so why bother.
The real numbnuts are those who continue to defend Rumsfeld and the rest of the crowd the forced this disaster of a war upon us.
April 2nd, 2006 at 4:52 pmre: General Zinni, frustrated liberal, Clinton hack?
Hardly. The man devoted his life to defending this country. However, it easy to see why the brainwashed bushie types feel the need to attack him.
A few months before 9-11, he predicted a 'Pearl Harbor type event' in the U.S. by an enemy using asymmetrical type warfare. Problem is, no one of the Bush team paid attention.
Zinni described the neo-cons favorite, Mr. Chalabi, as one of the mob of "silk-suited rolex-wearing crowd from London" who knew nothing about Iraq, and in turn Iraq knew nothing about them. Oops.
Many more examples to prove he's on top of things, but the bushies are not the type who listen to facts or reason so why bother.
The real numbnuts are those who continue to defend Rumsfeld and the rest of the crowd the forced this disaster of a war upon us.
April 2nd, 2006 at 4:52 pmU-rWrong-U:
As your sit at your computer, post to this blog, drink your coffee and trod off to work in your SUV, you're a liar and a hypocrite. It's all very simple (and your kind likes to keep things simple, don't you?) - If you're in favor of the war in Iraq...
GO TO IRAQ and JOIN THE WAR...!
The Army needs people. You have no excuse.
April 2nd, 2006 at 5:28 pmInterersting thing about Rumsfeld resigning.. he has already offered to resign a couple of times, and Bush would not accept it. So, how can there be a discussion about Rumsfeld bearing responsibility without also assigning responsibility to the person who refused to let Rumsfeld go? It is true that we need to able to have faith in our leaders, but when we start seeming to be foolish, it is only fair,honest and respectable to ask how much longer this will last. Maybe Bush was given bad advice, but as president he must have the intution to know the difference between 'good' and 'bad' Sigh.......
April 2nd, 2006 at 5:34 pmMy idea is to cart the war criminals around to county fairs, put them in stocks, and then charge $2 for 3 throws of rotten fruit or vegetables at their noggins.
April 2nd, 2006 at 6:57 pmIRI, with 35 years of service under his belt, maybe he has a little more perspective than yourself…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Anthony_Zinni
Comment by DenverOasis
Hey, he's an opportunist and a pussy. What can I say. Thirty five years of service doesn't mean shit. One day you'll have thirty five years of service and trust me when I say...it won't mean shit. Why? Because you're a loser, just like Sinni. Sounds like Sunni doesn't it. I think what we have here is a home grown traitor like Taliban John and Teddy Kennedy.
April 2nd, 2006 at 7:32 pmYeah, support those troops I-RIGHT-I. You have gotta have 15 of those little yellow ribbon magnets with that attitude. You are a super patriot.
When did you say your enlistment date was again?
April 2nd, 2006 at 8:29 pmlol @ "Teddy Kennedy"
"Sounds like Sunni doesn’t it"
make some sense man you're cracking up!!
April 2nd, 2006 at 8:34 pmPost 25 > Everybody would want to throw rotten fruit at Bush's face lol. Cheney should have his butt as the target so people can shoot pellets at his fat ass > lol.
April 2nd, 2006 at 9:09 pmCheney should have his butt as the target so people can shoot pellets at his fat ass > lol.
Comment by Jay Randal — April 2, 2006 @ 9:09 pm
I'd rather poke my own eye out that have to look as his full moon... ugh!
April 2nd, 2006 at 9:17 pmHey, he’s an opportunist and a pussy. What can I say. Thirty five years of service doesn’t mean shit. One day you’ll have thirty five years of service and trust me when I say…it won’t mean shit. Why? Because you’re a loser, just like Sinni. Sounds like Sunni doesn’t it. I think what we have here is a home grown traitor like Taliban John and Teddy Kennedy.
Yeah but dodging the draft by entering the national guard and joining the "senators son" unit then going awol. Shows tremendous determination, courage which would come in very useful once Bush became president.
April 2nd, 2006 at 9:30 pm[...] Gen. Zinni Calls on Rumsfeld and Others to Resign for ‘Disastrous Mistakes’ in Iraq [...]
April 2nd, 2006 at 9:57 pmResignation is far too good for these criminals. War Criminals that is. They should have been impeached years ago for their treason.
April 2nd, 2006 at 11:27 pmZinni must have said something accurate.
The attacks are on him and not what he said, because there is nothing that he said that can be refuted. Thereby, the name calling and personal attacks from the trolls and others.
What a tantrum!
April 3rd, 2006 at 12:07 ami drop into T.P. once in awhile and on every thread is the same troll.
you guys all keep him well nourished. stop feeding him.
even banning him would be good.
i dont mind an ideological or even doctrinaire conservative who is civil, but this guy is just purely trolling, why keep him around?
April 3rd, 2006 at 12:11 amWMD
http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com/shockwave/wh_rock.htm
April 3rd, 2006 at 2:22 am[...] Former Generals are usually not in the habit of calling out their bosses but by the tone of the interview, Zinni sure didn’t seem impressed with those calling the shots. See the transcript and video on Think Progress. [...]
April 3rd, 2006 at 7:12 amIn my opinion Rumsfeld, Cheny, Wolfowitz, Armitage and Bremer are mostly responsible for this fiasco. But, on a larger scale the war should never have been. The person most responsible is George W. Bush. He should be impeached and then put on trial for war crimes/and or crimes against humanity.
April 3rd, 2006 at 7:20 amGeorge Matus, Munhall, Pa. 15120
Anthony Zinni on Meet the Press...
I'm going to write something a little more substantive in a little bit on Zinni's appearance on Meet the Press, but I wanted to quickly say two things.
April 3rd, 2006 at 11:57 am1) Zinni's outspoken opposition to the war is not new and neither are his calls for Rumsfeld's r...
zinni, murtha need to get together and just rip these folks a new one without holding anything back.. first get an underground bunker (private) to stay away from faux security,lol and the possibility of getting whacked by bushco.
April 3rd, 2006 at 2:52 pmhttp://www.iamthewitness.com/DarylBradfordSmith_Rothschild.htm
just would like to post this again. i've been mentioning rothchilds for sometime and the power they have. with noone commenting back wasn't sure if anyone was up to date on these zionists.
April 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pmAmazing how many Republicans and "conservatives" who never put in one day in uniform will trash the service of any one who actually was there. John McCain, Max Cleland, Kerry, Gore, Clark, Shinsheki, Zinni and counting.
As with Joe McCarthy -- at long last, have you no shame?
April 3rd, 2006 at 3:43 pmNow that it's obvious that the USA is setting up 'permanent' airfields in Iraq, inside heavily fortified compounds & using ground troops as a defence shield the size of a smaller city, we (the rest of the world) can see not only that Iran is next, but that you will then control the oilfields in those two countries.....for your own standard of living.
So, although there are 300 million of you, there are 6 300 million of us, and you'd better believe your foreign policy is losing friends and colleagues 'out here' pretty fast.
Not to mention how badly the locals are going to take being occupied until the [oil] well runs dry....which could be up to 100 years. I mean, use the Palestinians as a possible profile of people who have had their land taken by force by people of another religion.
It's clear that the more selfish and less educated Republicans don't give a rat's butt about anyone else, so the question is - what are the normal humans in the USA going to do, now that the gorilla has got loose and is destroying things?
Please don't tell me that this was about removing that moron Hussein - there are now as many deaths, tortures, secret police actions as before his retirement, and there are more damaged hospitals, schools, electricity and water plants, and a whole shitload more terrorists than when he was dictating.
It's up to you folks, I cannot vote in your elections.
R.
April 3rd, 2006 at 8:26 pmFirst I was surprised to read a comment expressing surprise the US military had been war gaming for a possible invasion of Iraq. War gaming is a big part of what generals and senior level officers do.
My main comment though is if you want to read how the current administration ignored all the professional advice from the generals etc on what it would take to occupy Iraq I suggest you read Blind into Baghdad by James Fallows from the Atlantic Monthly of February 2004. Not sure if non subscribers can read it but here is the link.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200401/fallows
Regardless of what you think about the justifications to invade Iraq ( I think we were lied to) when you read about the planning the Bush administration ignored the phrase criminally negligent springs to mind.
April 3rd, 2006 at 11:22 pmRussert's one-two punch...
I've been critical of MTP's Tim Russert in the past. He has a tendency of being way too soft on the GOP. But maybe getting fingered as the guy who "really" outed Valerie Plame (by Karl Rove) has lit a fire under him....
April 4th, 2006 at 1:23 amRegardless of what you think about the justifications to invade Iraq ( I think we were lied to) when you read about the planning the Bush administration ignored the phrase criminally negligent springs to mind.
Comment by Chicago 1234
You try to fight an enemy that poses the struggle as a holy war without enflaming what little moderation and reason exists among the billions of adherents and see how you do. You were lied to and that's a fact. "You" were lied to in ever war of life and death that has ever been fought. The fact that you didn't see through it and understand only mitigates for the correctness of the lie. As I've said a hundred times to you losers..."There are some people that don't deserve the truth."
April 4th, 2006 at 10:26 pm[...] Zinni recently appeared on Meet the Press. [...]
April 5th, 2006 at 1:02 amI do hope Rummy gets kicked out or walks out, but cutting off the rotting limb does not kill the body. In other words the administration will still be there and they will go ahead with whatever they want to do regardless. As for democracy in Irak, it can't happen. The islamic countries culturally and historically cannot be democracies. This is not a light switch that you turn on and instantly you have a democracy. The Irakis don't even know what one is.
April 14th, 2006 at 9:07 amHey, he’s an opportunist and a pussy. What can I say. Thirty five years of service doesn’t mean shit. One day you’ll have thirty five years of service and trust me when I say…it won’t mean shit. Why? Because you’re a loser, just like Sinni. Sounds like Sunni doesn’t it. I think what we have here is a home grown traitor like Taliban John and Teddy Kennedy.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I — April 2, 2006 @ 7:32 pm
Thirty five years of service doesn’t mean shit.
Yeah, support those troops I-RIGHT-I. You have gotta have 15 of those little yellow ribbon magnets with that attitude. You are a super patriot.
When did you say your enlistment date was again?
Come on guys...we ALL know people like I-RIGHT-I. All mouth...no heart. Hell...the president and the vast majority of his staff are like I-RIGHT-I. Big 'ol pussies...no balls...neutered. You know...real worthless peices of crap when it comes time to step up. Just look at the rest of the crew.....Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Cheny, Ferle, Fife,...it goes on forever. Not a one o these "heros" ever picked up a gun to defend the country they CLAIM to love....and every damn one of 'em had the chance. Most of 'em bent over backwards to AVOID service when called.
And yet the hard right follow these people. Why? Birds of a feather flock together is why. These pussies would rather talk tough, and then let others fight the fight. If our shores ever are invaded, I'll take one Zinni, Kerry, Glenn, Cleland, Murtha, or their "liberal" pals fighting beside me over thousands of the I-RIGHT-I Pussy types. Cause you Just KNOW when the fighting starts and THEY are in danger, you will look beside you and they will be gone......other priorities don't ya know.
April 18th, 2006 at 6:07 pm[...] As the situation on the ground in Iraq deteriorates, history will reflect on this war as a strategic failure. That responsibility rests solely on the shoulders of the civilian leadership and their poor planning, management and lack of real leadership. Our armed forces fought bravely in a war that evidence continues to suggest was based on lies and deception. America’s fighting men and women did the job they were sent to do and did so courageously. General Anthony Zinni remarked on NBC’s Meet the Press on April 2nd: There’s a series of disastrous mistakes. We just heard the Secretary of State say these were tactical mistakes. These were not tactical mistakes. These were strategic mistakes, mistakes of policies made back here. Don’t blame the troops. They’ve been magnificent. If anything saves us, it will be them. [...]
May 23rd, 2006 at 3:33 am[...] The former head of US Central Command had some great things to tell Tim Russert this morning. Now if anyone will listen it will be a first: (Video and transcript available at Think Progress) Zinni, who headed the US Central Command from 1997 to 2000, was asked if anyone should lose their job over how Washington has managed its Iraq policy. [...]
June 30th, 2006 at 3:29 pm