[Vision2020] 05-24-04 Washington Post: Retired General Assails Planning for Iraq War
Art Deco aka W. Fox
deco@moscow.com
Mon, 24 May 2004 06:35:20 -0700
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washingtonpost.com
Retired General Assails Planning for Iraq War
Zinni Warns Against Staying the Course
By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 24, 2004; Page A19
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, former U.S. commander in the Middle East,
charges in a book to be published today that "everybody in the military knew"
that the Bush administration's plan for Iraq consisted of only half the troops
that were needed, and says that country is now "a powder keg" that could break
apart into warring regions.
Zinni has been a critic of the Iraq war since before the invasion and served
briefly as a special envoy for President Bush. He wrote that he was moved to
speak out by "false rationales presented as a justification; a flawed strategy;
lack of planning; the unnecessary alienation of our allies; the underestimation
of the task; the unnecessary distraction from real threats; and the unbearable
strain dumped on our overstretched military."
"In the lead-up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw, at a minimum, true
dereliction, negligence, and irresponsibility; at worst, lying, incompetence,
and corruption," he wrote. " . . . If there is a center that can hold this mess
together, I don't know what it is. Civil war could break out at any time.
Resources are needed; a strategy is needed; and a plan is needed."
The harsh new critique is being released just as Bush heads to the U.S. Army War
College in Carlisle Barracks, Pa., to present his latest strategy for Iraq in a
prime-time address at 8 p.m. today. Zinni is hitting the interview circuit at a
time when Republican lawmakers have turned sharply pessimistic about the
situation in Iraq and the White House continues trying to restore confidence in
its handling of the war despite falling poll numbers and continuing revelations
about brutality against detainees in Iraq.
The book, "Battle Ready," is by novelist Tom Clancy, with Zinni and Tony Koltz.
Zinni was U.S. special envoy to the Middle East for Secretary of State Colin L.
Powell from November 2002 to March 2003. In several interviews and statements at
the time, Bush mentioned Zinni's presence in the region as one reason for his
optimism about the peace process and said he was looking forward to his
recommendations. Referring to himself and Vice President Cheney, Bush said
during an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office, "We both trust General
Zinni."
A passage written by Zinni voiced support for the views of retired Gen. Eric K.
Shinseki, the former Army chief of staff, whose estimate that several hundred
thousand troops would be needed in postwar Iraq was dismissed by the
administration as wildly off the mark. "Recently, the Army chief of staff
testified that we would need 300,000 troops to pacify Iraq," Zinni wrote.
"Everybody in the military knew he was right. But the party line down from the
Pentagon decreed that the number was half that, and he was pilloried."
Zinni, 60, appeared last night on CBS's "60 Minutes" and said that staying the
course in Iraq is not feasible. "The course is headed over Niagara Falls," he
said. "I think it's time to change course a little bit or at least hold somebody
responsible for putting you on this course." He said the current situation is
the product of "poor strategic thinking" combined with "poor operational
planning and execution on the ground."
Zinni was one of the earliest and most outspoken critics of the war and remains
highly regarded in the military. He was commander of the U.S. Central Command
from 1997 to 2000. He wrote that when he left, he had a preliminary plan for
attacking Iraq. "I'm not sure where it went after I left. As far as I can tell,
the plan was pigeonholed," he said.
His successor, Gen. Tommy R. Franks, prosecuted the war past the fall of Baghdad
and is now retired. Discussing the Iraq war with The Washington Post in
December, Zinni said he believed that "the American people were conned into
this."
© 2004 The Washington Post Company
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<FONT size=3D3> </FONT><A =
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<P><FONT size=3D+2><B>Retired General Assails Planning for Iraq =
War</B></FONT>=20
<BR>Zinni Warns Against Staying the Course=20
<P><FONT size=3D-1>By Mike Allen<BR>Washington Post Staff =
Writer<BR>Monday, May=20
24, 2004; Page A19 </FONT>
<P><NITF>
<P>Retired Marine Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, former U.S. commander in the =
Middle=20
East, charges in a book to be published today that "everybody in the =
military=20
knew" that the Bush administration's plan for Iraq consisted of only =
half the=20
troops that were needed, and says that country is now "a powder keg" =
that could=20
break apart into warring regions.</P>
<P>Zinni has been a critic of the Iraq war since before the invasion and =
served=20
briefly as a special envoy for President Bush. He wrote that he was =
moved to=20
speak out by "false rationales presented as a justification; a flawed =
strategy;=20
lack of planning; the unnecessary alienation of our allies; the =
underestimation=20
of the task; the unnecessary distraction from real threats; and the =
unbearable=20
strain dumped on our overstretched military."</P>
<P>"In the lead-up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw, at a =
minimum,=20
true dereliction, negligence, and irresponsibility; at worst, lying,=20
incompetence, and corruption," he wrote. " . . . If there is a center =
that can=20
hold this mess together, I don't know what it is. Civil war could break =
out at=20
any time. Resources are needed; a strategy is needed; and a plan is =
needed."</P>
<P>The harsh new critique is being released just as Bush heads to the =
U.S. Army=20
War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pa., to present his latest strategy =
for Iraq=20
in a prime-time address at 8 p.m. today. Zinni is hitting the interview =
circuit=20
at a time when Republican lawmakers have turned sharply pessimistic =
about the=20
situation in Iraq and the White House continues trying to restore =
confidence in=20
its handling of the war despite falling poll numbers and continuing =
revelations=20
about brutality against detainees in Iraq.</P>
<P>The book, "Battle Ready," is by novelist Tom Clancy, with Zinni and =
Tony=20
Koltz. Zinni was U.S. special envoy to the Middle East for Secretary of =
State=20
Colin L. Powell from November 2002 to March 2003. In several interviews =
and=20
statements at the time, Bush mentioned Zinni's presence in the region as =
one=20
reason for his optimism about the peace process and said he was looking =
forward=20
to his recommendations. Referring to himself and Vice President Cheney, =
Bush=20
said during an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office, "We both =
trust=20
General Zinni."</P>
<P>A passage written by Zinni voiced support for the views of retired =
Gen. Eric=20
K. Shinseki, the former Army chief of staff, whose estimate that several =
hundred=20
thousand troops would be needed in postwar Iraq was dismissed by the=20
administration as wildly off the mark. "Recently, the Army chief of =
staff=20
testified that we would need 300,000 troops to pacify Iraq," Zinni =
wrote.=20
"Everybody in the military knew he was right. But the party line down =
from the=20
Pentagon decreed that the number was half that, and he was =
pilloried."</P>
<P>Zinni, 60, appeared last night on CBS's "60 Minutes" and said that =
staying=20
the course in Iraq is not feasible. "The course is headed over Niagara =
Falls,"=20
he said. "I think it's time to change course a little bit or at least =
hold=20
somebody responsible for putting you on this course." He said the =
current=20
situation is the product of "poor strategic thinking" combined with =
"poor=20
operational planning and execution on the ground."</P>
<P>Zinni was one of the earliest and most outspoken critics of the war =
and=20
remains highly regarded in the military. He was commander of the U.S. =
Central=20
Command from 1997 to 2000. He wrote that when he left, he had a =
preliminary plan=20
for attacking Iraq. "I'm not sure where it went after I left. As far as =
I can=20
tell, the plan was pigeonholed," he said.</P>
<P>His successor, Gen. Tommy R. Franks, prosecuted the war past the fall =
of=20
Baghdad and is now retired. Discussing the Iraq war with The Washington =
Post in=20
December, Zinni said he believed that "the American people were conned =
into=20
this."</P>
<P></P></NITF>
<P>
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