New Acting CentCom Commander Opposed Surge, Is A ‘Fan Of Transition’ In Iraq
New Acting CentCom Commander Opposed Surge, Is A ‘Fan Of Transition’ In Iraq
Yesterday, CentCom commander Adm. William Fallon resigned — a day before an Esquire article that points out stark policy differences between he and the Bush administration hits newsstands. Fallon’s interim replacement will be his top deputy, Gen. Martin Dempsey, who previously led the training of the Iraqi security forces.
In the past, Dempsey has made statements suggesting a critical approach to the administration. In a hearing on the Iraq escalation on Nov. 15, 2007, then-CentCom commander Gen. John Abizaid said Dempsey in fact opposed the “surge”:
I’ve met with every divisional commander. General [George] Casey, the corps commander, [Lt.] General [Martin] Dempsey — we all talked together. And I said, ‘In your professional opinion, if we were to bring in more American troops now, does it add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq?’ And they all said, ‘No.’
“I’m all about transition,” Dempsey urged on Dec. 25, 2006. In an interview with the National Journal last June, he again emphasized that the U.S. needs a “transition scheme” with Iraqi forces. Dempsey added that the administration should come clean on future force levels, something which it has yet to do:
To some extent, I am a fan of transition. After we move to protect the Iraqi people with this surge, at some point we’ll need to go back to transitioning responsibilities. … I think we need both a stated transition scheme and a long-term security agreement with Iraq. Because at some point, the United States is going to move from its present posture of 20 brigades on the ground to something less.
I don’t know what the eventual U.S. force level will be, but we need to know what it is, and the Iraqis do too. That way, a future commander in my job can build forces to that established need.
When he testified to Congress last June, Dempsey said Iraqi forces were still “riddled with sectarianism and corruption” and will be incapable of being fully independent for “many years.”
Nevetheless, in a December 2006 interview with Bill O’Reilly, Dempsey said he thinks the Iraq war was “absolutely worth it” despite the costs.
UPDATE: The Washington Post reports today that for the permanent position, a “likely successor to Fallon is Petraeus, some defense experts said.”
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Sheesh… look at the ribbons on that guy.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:15 amMay we hope Dempsey will also not allow an attack on Iran on his watch?
March 12th, 2008 at 10:15 amTROS; I don’t have that many ribbons, I have some, but not THAT many. But then, I only did 2.5 years active service, and when I got my discharge, ran like hell.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:17 amReich-wing smear of yet another troop in 5…4….3…..2….1….
March 12th, 2008 at 10:17 amBut will the civilian leadership actually listen to the General?
Doubt it.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:18 amComment by Uncle Ho — March 12, 2008 @ 10:17 am
So ya got the snark outta Dodge, huh?
March 12th, 2008 at 10:18 am“Sheesh… look at the ribbons on that guy.”
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
As an article by a former pentagon officer once stated, a lot of the medals are for “been there,” not “done that.”
March 12th, 2008 at 10:19 amTROS; for a while, it was like the snarkfight at the OK Corral. (if you know what I mean)
March 12th, 2008 at 10:25 amJust an observation, barfly… just an observation.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:25 amOh… I know EXACTLY what you mean, Uncle Ho.
(I’m never gonna get away from the snark, am I???)
March 12th, 2008 at 10:26 am(I’m never gonna get away from the snark, am I???)
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — March 12, 2008 @ 10:26 am
The snark will be with you. Always.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:28 amThe problem isn’t with the generals on the ground. It’s that giant idiot of one sitting on the oval office who has just sent his partner to go rattle some cages in the middle-east. Watch for a massive walk-out of generals and top military brass if Walker Texas Ranger decides to go cacti wrangling in Iran.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:30 amDo you get the feeling that this position of CentCom Commander is little more than a guillotine for the administration to use to get rid of select high ranking (and thinking) officers who oppose another war?
Looks like these career and decorated professionals who suggest a more diplomatic approach to avoiding bloodshed and destruction are being marched one-by-one though this process to a firing/resignation. This allows the administration to get them out of the way, permitting the rise of the generals and admirals who are OK with another mid-East shoot’em up.
Why else would the administration place in this position another general officer who has shares similar positions with the four-star they just canned (I know, he said he resigned, but really…)?
March 12th, 2008 at 10:32 amhttp://www.defenselink.mil/ news/ newsarticle.aspx?id=18505
Check out this article for news of Cheney’s trip and the new generals’s role. Especially enjoy the quote by “historian” Lynn Cheney. Superb!
March 12th, 2008 at 10:34 amby “historian†Lynn Cheney
What’s her, ahem, “area of expertise”… Lesbians of the Old West?
March 12th, 2008 at 10:36 amIraq, the vice president’s wife said, obviously has benefited from U.S. experience and guidance. “We’ve been able to bring our knowledge to the people of Iraq,” she said.
And our bombs, our tanks, our cannons… white phosporus…
Oh yeah… feelin’ the LUV…
March 12th, 2008 at 10:38 amHistorian Lynne Cheney said today that, in comparison to where the United States was at a comparable point in its own history, the Iraqis are doing remarkably well.
Oh please, shove a big, stinky sock in it whore.
Considering the US declared IT’S OWN INDEPENDENCE as opposed to us forcing down someones throat, at the end of a loaded missile launcher?
March 12th, 2008 at 10:38 amThe snark will be with you. Always.
Comment by toasterhead — March 12, 2008 @ 10:28 am
And that’s exaaactly what I’m afraid of…
Ashes to ashes… snark to snark…
March 12th, 2008 at 10:39 amI’ve been wondering why Europe and China are sitting by and letting the Boy-King and President Cheney destroy America. I sincerely believe that if Cheney/Bush bomb Iran it will ruin America. Then it occurred to me this really fits into their game plan. Our political, economic, and military demise, and the further loss of American lives really only serves to strengthen Europe and China. Without question they will also take a big economic hit, but while we’re running around the world killing people, Europe and China are signing business deals and developing relationships. The Presidency of Bush/Cheney will forever mark the decline of America.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:41 amWhile searching for more information about this general i found this terrifying little piece of propoganda on the Multinational Force website :
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/ index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=729&Itemid=45
Wonder how the Sunni population of Iraq feel about being labeled terrorists automatically?
This is terrifying.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:41 amRR; did you go from roger-roger to robertoroberto? Did you get a sex-change operation? just asking.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:45 amfrom antiwar.com (Justin Raimondo):
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=12503
March 12th, 2008 at 10:53 amNo Uncle Ho. Have always been robertoroberto. No sex-change as of yet. One cannot rule out such a move though. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to enjoy Oprah.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:54 amrr; ouch! I’ll pass on any such thing myself. You might say I’m attached to what I have.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:56 amComment by robertoroberto — March 12, 2008 @ 10:34 am
“Historian Lynne Cheney said today that, in comparison to where the United States was at a comparable point in its own history, the Iraqis are doing remarkably well.
An estimated 100,000 Americans, just 3 percent of all eligible voters, participated in America’s first election under the new U.S. Constitution, she noted. And more than half of the U.S. population — all women and slaves — were ineligible to vote. In Iraq, by contrast, women are eligible to vote, there are no slaves, and more than 70 percent of the population voted. ”
Wow! Iraq is more demoratic than America! That must mean Bush is a dictator and should be overthrown! Thanks for picking up on that for us Lynne Cheney.
Seriously, who would have their own daughter be the primary source for historical reference in an article about themselves? Because I’m sure Lynne Cheney is the epitome of objectivity in reporting. To think the right has the balls to even talk about liberal media bias when they quote their own family members as “experts”
March 12th, 2008 at 10:56 amTo think the right has the balls to even talk about liberal media bias when they quote their own family members as “expertsâ€
Comment by dim wit — March 12, 2008 @ 10:56 am
Sir, are you insinuating that Lynne Cheney might have “balls”???
March 12th, 2008 at 11:05 amCheck out this article for news of Cheney’s trip and the new generals’s role. Especially enjoy the quote by “historian†Lynn Cheney. Superb!
Comment by robertoroberto — March 12, 2008 @ 10:34 am
In case no one noticed, this article is over 2 years old (December 2005).
March 12th, 2008 at 11:06 amO’REILLY: Thomas Friedman, the columnist for The New York Times said on the radio that the insurgents are defeating the U.S. military. Your reaction?
DEMPSEY: Well, my reaction is that the U.S. military has never been defeated on the battlefield at any time in this mission since I’ve been here. And I’ve been here almost the entire time.
O’REILLY: But 3,000 American dead, and you know, what, 15,000 wounded or something. You know, Americans are saying, not worth it.
DEMPSEY: It is absolutely worth it. Left unchecked, we would have been doing this in 2025 or so, but it would have been a far more horrific experience for all of us and I think far more casualties.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:07 amLynn Cheney has balls?!
Impossible!!!!
her father, 5-deferment Dickhead, NEVER had ANY balls to begin with!
March 12th, 2008 at 11:07 amThe issue is that we have entered a new era of micromanagement and control, where the view of the “commander” in the field is secondary to the needs of Washington.
“…needs of Washington”=oil contracts
Again, this Operation Iraqi Liberation (O.I.L.) is nothing more than an oil grab.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:08 amSir, are you insinuating that Lynne Cheney might have “balls�??
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — March 12, 2008 @ 11:05 am
Dick Cheney’s Historian. I wonder who she had blow to get that job?
March 12th, 2008 at 11:10 amIt’s an old article. But i was point out the role of the new commander in Iraq. Still, history Lynn Cheney - strange.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:14 amOperation
March 12th, 2008 at 11:18 amIraqi
LongWar
Because at some point, the United States is going to move from its present posture of 20 brigades on the ground to something less.
Yeah. McCain might take us all the way down to 19 brigades… This century even…
March 12th, 2008 at 11:29 amR.I.P. Fallon. Wanting to know “things” like dates and numbers is the kiss-o-death with bul$hCo.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:32 amI see little substance in Dempsey’s words as quoted here.
“To some extent I;m a fan of transition” WHAT? To what extent? And what does a “long term security agreement” mena? It sounds like it means a couple of permanent US bases in Iraq. After all for this illegal war to “be worth it” the US has to get something out if it—like access to Iraqi oil and a base dead center in the ME. That is the ONLY VALUE this f-ing war can provide.
His emphatic “absolutely worth it” comment sounds pretty eager–if NOT his personal or professional opinion but just the boilerplate approval he’s obliged to give the press by his superiors, then he’s clearly not shy of doing some chearleading, is he?
The lesson of Fallon’s departure should be blindingly obvious to him. If he shares the same views as Fallon he won;t last long and if he expresses dissent he’ll be out of Fallon’s seat before his ass has warmed it up.
I can’t see Dempsey as being anything more than a rubber-stamping beaureaucrat. If he isn’t well then he’ll be gone in short order too. ANd don’t forget he can be easily overridden. We’ll just have to wait and see.
If he starts getting trotted out to the press and doing the rounds, then something will definitely be in the offing. That’s something to watch out for.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:07 pmThanx for that Lieberman-Kyle vote Hillary!!!!
Miserable failure of a campaign manager!!
March 12th, 2008 at 12:18 pmWhat a travesty for our democracy, the loss of patriot Fallon.
Another travesty is the poor grammar of this writer:
“Yesterday, CentCom commander Adm. William Fallon resigned — a day before an Esquire article that points out stark policy differences between he and the Bush administration …..”
“Between” is a preposition and takes the objective “him”. I really have no patience with grammatical errors from professional writers.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:20 pmAs a heterosexual, it pains me to say this but:
“I am sick and tired of Bush.”
March 12th, 2008 at 12:25 pmWhat exactly makes Lynn Chaney a “historian”? Was she a history major in college? What work has she done to qualify her as a “historian”. Another example of that “liburl” media talking. That anyone could write that without barfing I find amazing.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:40 pmShave the Bush, DieNow? I am with you.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:57 pmBe interesting to see how long he remain ‘a fan’ of transition. Then again fans sit on the sidelines, I suspect the coach will change his attitude right quick before he gets in the game.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:00 pmthe permanent position, a “likely successor to Fallon is Petraeus,
Will that be when all the troops come home? /sarcasm
March 12th, 2008 at 5:56 pmMore likely it will be before the election.