[Vision2020] Retired Army Two-Stars Say Rumsfeld Must Go

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (September 25, 2006) Roundup Edition of the Army Times -

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Retired Army two-stars say Rumsfeld must go

By Gordon Lubold
Staff writer

Two respected Army generals who retired within the last year said Monday
that there aren't enough troops in Iraq to do the job, Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld should step down, and that while they don't speak for all
active-duty military leaders, many have privately encouraged them to come
forward.

Retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste and ret Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton spoke before the
Senate Democratic Policy Committee saying the time has come to get serious
about Iraq. "Donald Rumsfeld is not a competent wartime leader," Batiste
told seven Senate Democrats, who were also joined by Rep. Walter Jones, a
North Carolina Republican. "He knows everything, except 'how to win,' "
Batiste said in a packed Senate hearing room. Batiste said he is a lifelong
Republican who turned down a third star and retired after 31 years of
service "on principle."
 
After Rumsfeld, the biggest problem is providing commanders in the field
with enough forces, he said.

"We were undermanned from the beginning, lost an early opportunity to secure
the country and have yet to regain the initiative," said Batiste, who
retired a year ago after leading the 1st Infantry Division, where he led
troops in north-central Iraq until February 2005.

Batiste was joined by Eaton, whose job in the Army was to train Iraqi
forces. Eaton said he was not there to debate the wisdom of going to war in
Iraq. Instead, he said the way ahead must be improved by replacing Rumsfeld,
significantly better resourcing of the Iraqi security forces, and better
oversight. 

"The war on terror demands we mobilize the country and significantly
increase the size of our ground forces," Eaton said in prepared remarks.
Eaton, who retired earlier this year, has two sons in the Army, one an
officer and the other enlisted. Batiste and Eaton were accompanied by a
retired Marine colonel who estimated that Iraq needs another 60,000 American
troops. 

T.X. Hammes, a retired Marine colonel and author of a widely read book on
counterinsurgency titled "The Sling and the Stone," said the effort in Iraq
will take at least a decade.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Vandalville, Idaho

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"In America, anybody can become president.  
That's one of the risks you take . . ."

- Adlai Stevenson

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