http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,18801419-2703,00.html


Gingrich joins call for Iraq pullback

Geoff Elliott, Washington correspondent
April 13, 2006



TOP Republican Newt Gingrich says the US should pull most of its forces
out of Iraq and calls the occupation a "big mistake".
Mr Gingrich, who was Republican speaker of the House of Representatives
from 1995 to 1999, and still commands national attention, told students
at the University of South Dakota this week that the US should simply
have a small reactive force stationed in Iraq.

"It was an enormous mistake for us to try to occupy that country after
June of 2003," Mr Gingrich said during a question-and-answer session at
the university reported in South Dakotan newspaper the Argus Leader.

"We have to pull back, and we have to recognise it."

While public opposition from Democrats to the war is now common, Mr
Gingrich is just one of a number of Republicans and retired senior
military officers expressing serious reservations about the Bush
administration's invasion of Iraq.

There are now regular calls for the resignation of Defence Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld, the latest coming this week from retired Lieutenant
General Greg Newbold, who until 2002 served as one of the country's top
military operations officers.

He called on President George W.Bush to replace Mr Rumsfeld and noted
that the Iraq invasion "was done with a casualness and swagger that are
the special province of those who have never had to execute these
missions - or bury the results".

This prompted the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter
Pace, to offer a spirited defence of Mr Rumsfeld at a joint press
conference at the Pentagon yesterday.

"As far as Pete Pace is concerned, this country is exceptionally well
served by the man standing on my left," General Pace said.

"Nobody, nobody, works harder than he does to take care of the PFCs
(private first class) and lance corporals and lieutenants and the
captains.

"He does his homework. He works weekends, he works nights. People can
question my judgment or his judgment, but they should never question
the dedication, the patriotism and the work ethic of Secretary
Rumsfeld."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,18801419-2703,00.html


Gingrich joins call for Iraq pullback

Geoff Elliott, Washington correspondent
April 13, 2006



TOP Republican Newt Gingrich says the US should pull most of its forces
out of Iraq and calls the occupation a "big mistake".
Mr Gingrich, who was Republican speaker of the House of Representatives
from 1995 to 1999, and still commands national attention, told students
at the University of South Dakota this week that the US should simply
have a small reactive force stationed in Iraq.

"It was an enormous mistake for us to try to occupy that country after
June of 2003," Mr Gingrich said..

during a question-and-answer session at
the university reported in South Dakotan newspaper the Argus Leader.

"We have to pull back, and we have to recognise it."

While public opposition from Democrats to the war is now common, Mr
Gingrich is just one of a number of Republicans and retired senior
military officers expressing serious reservations about the Bush
administration's invasion of Iraq.

There are now regular calls for the resignation of Defence Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld, the latest coming this week from retired Lieutenant
General Greg Newbold, who until 2002 served as one of the country's top
military operations officers.

He called on President George W.Bush to replace Mr Rumsfeld and noted
that the Iraq invasion "was done with a casualness and swagger that are
the special province of those who have never had to execute these
missions - or bury the results".

This prompted the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter
Pace, to offer a spirited defence of Mr Rumsfeld at a joint press
conference at the Pentagon yesterday.

"As far as Pete Pace is concerned, this country is exceptionally well
served by the man standing on my left," General Pace said.

"Nobody, nobody, works harder than he does to take care of the PFCs
(private first class) and lance corporals and lieutenants and the
captains.

"He does his homework. He works weekends, he works nights. People can
question my judgment or his judgment, but they should never question
the dedication, the patriotism and the work ethic of Secretary
Rumsfeld."