Former Rumsfeld Flack Falsely Calls Shinseki’s Opposition To Rumsfeld’s Iraq War Plan ‘A Legend’
Former Rumsfeld Flack Falsely Calls Shinseki’s Opposition To Rumsfeld’s Iraq War Plan ‘A Legend’
In a Washington Post op-ed today, Lawrence Di Rita, former special assistant to Donald Rumsfeld, decries the “myth” surrounding Gen. Eric Shinseki’s February 2003 statement that “several hundred thousand troops” would be needed secure Iraq. Di Rita claims that Shinseki in fact supported the Rumsfeld plan because he did not speak up against it in meetings. The former Rumsfeld aide calls Shinseki’s opposition “one of the most enduring myths of the Bush presidency” and “a legend”:
Here are some facts: First, Shinseki, as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, supported the war plan. . … There was ample opportunity for the chiefs to express concerns and propose alternatives. There is no record of Shinseki having objected.
In reality, Shinseki and Rumsfeld had a fundamental disagreement on strategy. In his testimony, Shinseki stated that “hundreds of thousands” of troops would be needed for “post-hostilities control” over land “that’s fairly significant [in size] with the kinds of ethnic tensions that could lead to other problems.” The Pentagon, in contrast, assumed that there would be minimal internal resistance, thus, there would be no need for so many troops. In July 2003, for example, Paul Wolfowitz admitted that Pentagon officials “turned out to underestimate the problem.”
Di Rita also fails to mention that the Pentagon quickly “castrated” Shinseki by ridiculing him publicly. While Di Rita claimed that “Sinseki was not forced from office, as ThinkProgress has documented, Rumsfeld announced Shinseki’s successor 18 months prior to Shinseki’s retirement — a signal that dissent would not be tolerated:
Feb. 27, 2003: Wolfowitz “opened a two-front war of words on Capitol Hill, calling the recent estimate by Gen. Eric K. Shinseki of the Army that several hundred thousand troops would be needed in postwar Iraq, ‘wildly off the mark.’”
March 19, 2003: A senior Pentagon official dismissed Shinseki’s comments as “bullshit from a Clintonite enamored of using the army for peacekeeping and nation-building and not winning wars.”
March 29, 2003: “For the past two years Gen Shinseki has been in total eclipse.” Shinseki “had already been turned into a lame duck (’castrated’, according to the same Pentagon source) by the apparently unprecedented Rumsfeld decision to announce his successor 18 months in advance.”
Unfortunately, the media have also picked up on the false meme that Shinseki’s silence was indicative of support. “Shinseki never objected to the war plans, and he didn’t press for any changes,” CNN’s Jamie McIntyre wrote in a Dec. 8 piece titled, “Myth of Shinseki Lingers.” Similarly, President Bush remarked yesterday, “I don’t remember him coming to talk to me specifically with the other generals on the joint chiefs.”
I know of nothing, other than the failure to plan adequately for the war in Iraq, that upset the retired community nearly as much as Mr. Rumsfeld's treatment of the chief of staff of the Army, Gen. Shinseki. Just irate. I've been in meetings and breakfasts and lunch where this is a subject of conversation and just a very, very bitter feeling that he would treat someone like that.
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Nice try…
December 15th, 2008 at 1:30 pmNo doubt, just another step in the revamping of history for the sake of Botch’s “legacy”…
Perhaps there’s a reality TV series in this somewhere, along the lines of “Extreme
Makeover: The Botch years”…
Hi Z.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:36 pmWe know the routine by now – Shinseki never said “I object”, therefore, he never objected.
He merely laid out a different – wiser, more realistic – plan, and was roundly ridiculed along with his career being effectively ended for having a different plan.
Same thing, but not to the wingnuts and chickenhawk enablers of war criminals.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:36 pmShinseki’s opposition to the war is legendary, not legend.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:39 pmHow can these people continue to utter such blatent lies? These people need to be led through the streets, figuratively, in disgrace for all to see. Of course, this used to be the job of MSM. Other than a very few the MSM is totally worthless.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pm“A lie told often enough becomes truth”
December 15th, 2008 at 1:43 pm-Vladimir Lenin-
What everyone should remember is that Shinseki was an extremely good soldier and a General. Any soldier, especially an officer, will not EVER dis his or her upward chain of command. They may present alternative ideas, but only to the next person in line and will never disagree if told to do as instructed. In this respect, the military has no ‘teamwork’, only people doing as they are told, top to bottom. The team part comes when people work together to accomplish something. That never happened at the Rumsfeld level (or above). It does happen in lower unit levels in the military.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:44 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
“Extreme Makeover: The Botch years”…
Hi Z.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
I like it. :D
Hi TRoS.
December 15th, 2008 at 1:44 pmAnother reality denier. Yikes.
I’ll betcha he thinks he can fly. Let’s drop him off the top of the Empire State Building and find out, eh?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:49 pmLet me get this straight. The thugs in the Bush administration smeared Shinseki and forced him to retire even though he kept his mouth shut like a good little soldier?
Who writes this stuff?
December 15th, 2008 at 1:51 pmZooey Says:
I like it. :D
Hi TRoS.
__________
Much snow in ID?
Cold as al get out in the Bay Area. Brrrr….
Still gittin’ over the flu, but gotta go to work, at least for a while.
Later, all…
December 15th, 2008 at 2:05 pmNow we’re not to believe the testimoney by General Eric Shinseki that was live on TV. Do these people really think Americans are that dumb? Every Military Family watched and listen to every word Rummy and the General said now this idiot say we didn’t hear what we heard. I guess the Bush Administration says since people believed the lies for 8 years just keep lying because it works.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:08 pmThe only antidote to chronic liars is ridicule. refutation takes so long the liars move on to other lies. These people don’t deserve to be taken seriously enough to take the time and show they’re liars, just take off your shoes and throw them folks.
I think we should all mail our old shoes to bush’s new hideout in Dallas. Let him spend his retirement years opening up boxes of dirty gym shoes that have sat in the back of a mail truck for a week.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:11 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
Much snow in ID?
Cold as al get out in the Bay Area. Brrrr….
Still gittin’ over the flu, but gotta go to work, at least for a while.
Later, all…
December 15th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Not as much snow as promised, thank goodness. Just arctic cold temps — 11 degrees right now. I’ve heard that’s better than other places.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:29 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
Still gittin’ over the flu, but gotta go to work, at least for a while.
No coughing or sneezing as you post, or I have to get the surgical mask out, heh
December 15th, 2008 at 2:30 pmZooey Says:
Not as much snow as promised, thank goodness. Just arctic cold temps — 11 degrees right now. I’ve heard that’s better than other places.
And I thought 35 degrees was too cold to ride my motorcycle to work…..
-11? holy chit.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:32 pmBrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Newsflash: Bushco still tries to polish a turd but it still stinks like sh!t.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:37 pmIt’s a classic abusive situation:
Boss says here’s my plan. Does anyone have any objections?
If someone has any objections, it will be viewed as insubordination aand disloyalty, so everyone says yes, sir.
If someone does object, the boss, eyes aflame, notes the objection politely and fires the guy or gal.
Paul O’Neill detailed that this was exactly the way the Bush Executive was run. The results are threefold:
1) Bad decisions;
2) a climate of fear
and 3) an executive who, either cluelessly or disingenuously, always maintains he has a great relationship with his staff.
These jackasses are everywhere, and civilization would be further down the road to maturity if they were given attitude adjustment seminars out in the parking lot.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:44 pmThat was televised, wasn’t it? Didn’t he retire afterward?
The MSM stinks on ice. Wonder what they’ll do after Bush is gone.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:12 pmUPDATE: Republican flacks puncture the myth that the United States invaded Iraq.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:00 pmTypical BS from a chickenshit chickenhawk. I say lets lock Shinseki and Di Rita in a room and see who comes out in one piece. I’d pay money to see that!
December 15th, 2008 at 8:58 pmIt’s a sure bet they won’t bring General Taguba back, however. Disagreeing with Rumsfeldian strategy is one thing, opposing war crimes is another, and not to be tolerated.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:47 pmThere aren’t enough Republican Chickenhawks in the world to find and re-write, erase or destroy the public record of their crimes and lies . . . history has a way of getting out the truth . . . the madness of Boy George will live in facts and fantasy long after the Boosh Liebury has closed for lack of relevance. . . .
December 16th, 2008 at 1:41 amOne revionsist a day here and there making outrageous claims then a whole bunch on weekends with the likes of Wallace, Gibson, Gregory, or Will interviewing their spinning talking points prepped shows to solidify the lie.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:48 amAin’t working fellas. Its the era of the internet. The spin only works on the GOP’s ignorant base; they take every word and swallow it whole.
Next thing we’ll hear is that the economy is just fine; well ain’t that dandy. It will be nice to track back who gives these clowns their talking points. I am sure Rove is back on the dole.