Bush: ‘No military guy is gonna tell a civilian how to react.’
In April, President Bush defended his plan to veto a bill mandating a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq by arguing that he would not “substitute the judgment of politicians in Washington for the judgment of our commanders on the ground.” But in Robert Draper’s new Bush bio, Dead Certain, the President’s opinion on the wisdom of military commanders is quite different:
So did Bartlett, who shared with Bush the concern that dumping Rumsfeld now would make it appear that the administration was acquiescing to the Rummy-must-go sentiments expressed on April 12 by retired Major General John Batiste and on the following day by retired Major General Charles Swannack (“My reaction,” Bush would recall of the so-called General’s Revolt, “was, ‘No military guy is gonna tell a civilian how to react.’” White House aides who had hoped to see Rumsfeld fired had predicted glumly that the retired generals’ remarks would prompt exactly that response from the boss. As one of them would lament, “The moment someone would say ‘Fire Donald Rumsfeld,’ Donald Rumsfeld would get a new lease on life.”) [p. 398]
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
28 Responses to “Bush: ‘No military guy is gonna tell a civilian how to react.’”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
They elected a spoiled little trust-fund frat boy with the maturity of a 12- year old.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:23 amPrimarily the Betray Us Report is a distraction, but it will also constitute intentionally misleading Congress, a felony, and an impeachable offense.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:26 amComment by NeoCONS ‘R’ SCUM — September 6, 2007 @ 11:23 am
You give him too much credit. Seems to me that he is going through terrible twos.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:28 amSo we have a President who bases his decisions on what he’s being told he can’t do??
Especially that pesky little document called the Constitution…. “No old piece of paper is going to tell a civilian how to act…”
September 6th, 2007 at 11:29 amAre we kicking ass yet?
September 6th, 2007 at 11:31 amSadly, no one can sway the chimperor from his delusions….
tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis
September 6th, 2007 at 11:34 am#1 sorry you are giving him a higher age mentality it is more like two or 3 at the most. Even at 3 you can reason with the person.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:35 amBush cannot be reasoned with, could it be he is just crazy?
‘No military guy is gonna tell a civilian how to react.’
So says the Commander-in-Chief.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:36 amImpeach!
September 6th, 2007 at 11:37 amImpeach? The hell with that….STRAIGHT TO THE GUILLOTINE!!!
September 6th, 2007 at 11:41 amThe Democrats should simply out Bugs Bunny this foolish Frat Boyt
They should start saying they will keep troops in Iraq forever, no matter what Bush says.
Bush will then respond by withdrawing troops.
-GSD
September 6th, 2007 at 11:42 am#
Primarily the Betray Us Report is a distraction, but it will also constitute intentionally misleading Congress, a felony, and an impeachable offense.
Comment by Tobey Tall — September 6, 2007 @ 11:26 am
#
And congress will respond by writing a letter.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:44 amWe have a petulant child as president of this country. How do you feel about that? What are we going to do about it?
September 6th, 2007 at 11:44 ambush; the millstone, slowly dragging the g.o.p. to political oblivion. How sweet it is.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:46 am‘No military guy is gonna tell a civilian how to react.’â€
“Of course, if this military guy tells me that I’m the living reincarnation of Winston Churchill, George Washington, and Jesus Christ all rolled into one, then he can blow smoke up my ass all day long! Woo, we’re kickin’ ass!”
September 6th, 2007 at 11:51 amBush is so fresh, so feminine. Dear God, I can’t get him out of my mind.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:53 amCheck out Sidney Blumenthal at Salon regarding WMD or lack of from two CIA officers. It was as we all know, all a lie from GW’s mouth. He sold it to England and to us.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:55 amOK, so get someone to tell the President “poopy-head liberals want you to STAY in Iraq and they’re saying mean things about you.”
Presto: everyone’s home for The Holidays.
September 6th, 2007 at 12:01 pm.
“I was hopin’ you cud testify befo da tenure committay as backin’ brothas to help me get ma job back. I gots ta get paid!
Peace pipe,
Word Churchill
Comment by Word Churchill — September 6, 2007 @ 11:36 am”
WORD CHURCHILL GOTTA EAT!
September 6th, 2007 at 12:19 pmDear God, I can’t get him out of my mind.
Comment by Mr. P — September 6, 2007 @ 11:53 am
FINALLY… an honest statement. That wasn’t so hard, was it?
September 6th, 2007 at 12:24 pmPeace pipe,
Word Churchill
Comment by Word Churchill — September 6, 2007 @ 11:36 am
I haven’t even posted in this thread, Mr. P. Sheesh!
And my position on this issue was explained fully in the Justice Department thread hijack. If you still can’t understand it, I really don’t care.
September 6th, 2007 at 12:25 pmWe’re gonna trust the Generals…………….except when I don’t want to.
CHIMPEACH!!!!!!
September 6th, 2007 at 1:05 pmGrand Moff Texan nailed it. If all Congressional Democrats rose up and demanded that we still be in Iraq on New Year’s Day, Bu**sh** would yank ‘em all home by Thanksgiving.
September 6th, 2007 at 1:06 pmTrollbuster-all the more reason for citizens to put pressure on their Congresspeople.
September 6th, 2007 at 1:09 pmInsights into the thought processes of our President. A dry drunk, born again (never wrong) Christian.
September 6th, 2007 at 1:25 pmThe boy-king in the White House gives us another glimpse into his petulant, little pea brain.
September 6th, 2007 at 2:04 pmBut … but … I thought that Chimpy respects the military especially those guys that wear stars on their shoulders.
Ya mean he lied about that too?
September 6th, 2007 at 2:37 pmWho said anything about “electing him”. Check the controversies over returns in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004.
September 6th, 2007 at 10:34 pm