Warnings ignored, says retired Marine
By Rick Rogers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 16, 2004
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni wondered aloud yesterday how Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld could be caught off guard by the chaos in
Iraq that has killed nearly 100 Americans in recent weeks and led to
his announcement that 20,000 U.S. troops would be staying there
instead of returning home as planned.
"I'm surprised that he is surprised because there was a lot of us who
were telling him that it was going to be thus," said Zinni, a Marine
for 39 years and the former commander of the U.S. Central Command.
"Anyone could know the problems they were going to see. How could they
not?"
At a Pentagon news briefing yesterday, Rumsfeld said he could not have
estimated how many troops would be killed in the past week.
Zinni made his comments during an interview with The San Diego
Union-Tribune before giving a speech last night at the University of
San Diego's Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice as part of its
distinguished lecturer series.
For years Zinni said he cautioned U.S. officials that an Iraq without
Saddam Hussein would likely be more dangerous to U.S. interests than
one with him because of the ethnic and religious clashes that would be
unleashed.
"I think that some heads should roll over Iraq," Zinni said. "I think
the president got some bad advice."
Known as the "Warrior Diplomat," Zinni is not a peace activist by
nature or training, having led troops in Vietnam, commanded rescue
operations in Somalia and directed strikes against Iraq and al Qaeda.
He once commanded the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp
Pendleton.
Out of uniform, Zinni was a troubleshooter for the U.S. government in
Africa, Asia and Europe and served as special envoy to the Middle East
under the Bush administration for a time before his reservations over
the Iraq war and its aftermath caused him to resign and oppose it.
Not even Zinni's resumé could shield him from the accusations that
followed.
"I've been called a traitor and a turncoat for mentioning these
things," said Zinni, 60. The problems in Iraq are being caused, he
said, by poor planning and shortsightedness, such as disbanding the
Iraqi army and being unable to provide security.
Zinni said the United States must now rely on the U.N. to pull its
"chestnuts out of the fire in Iraq."
"We're betting on the U.N., who we blew off and ridiculed during the
run-up to the war," Zinni said. "Now we're back with hat in hand. It
would be funny if not for the lives lost."
Several things have to happen to get Iraq back on course, whether the
U.N. decides to step in or not, Zinni said.
Improving security for American forces and the Iraqi people is at the
top of the list followed closely by helping the working class with
economic projects.
But it's not the lack of a comprehensive American plan for Iraq nor
the surging violence that has cost allied troops their lives –
including about 30 Camp Pendleton Marines – that most concerns Zinni.
"In the end, the Iraqis themselves have to want to rebuild their
country more than we do," Zinni said. "But I don't see that right now.
I see us doing everything.
"I spent two years in Vietnam, and I've seen this movie before," he
said. "They have to be willing to do more or else it is never going to
work."
Last night at the Kroc institute during his speech "From the
Battlefield to the Negotiating Table: Preventing Deadly Conflict,"
Zinni detailed the approach he believes the United States should take
in the Middle East.
He told an overflow crowd that the United States tries to grapple with
individual issues in Middle East instead of seeing them as elements of
a broader question.
"We need to step back and get a grand strategy," he said.
.
|
|
| User: "TonyZ2001" |
|
| Title: Re: US general says warnings ignored |
18 Apr 2004 07:22:06 AM |
|
|
Zak
wrote:
Warnings ignored, says retired Marine
By Rick Rogers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 16, 2004
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni wondered aloud yesterday how Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld could be caught off guard by the chaos in
Iraq that has killed nearly 100 Americans in recent weeks and led to
his announcement that 20,000 U.S. troops would be staying there
instead of returning home as planned.
"I'm surprised that he is surprised because there was a lot of us who
were telling him that it was going to be thus," said Zinni, a Marine
for 39 years and the former commander of the U.S. Central Command.
"Anyone could know the problems they were going to see. How could they
not?"
Oh really, so where are Mr. Zinni's pre war statements on this?
Tony
.
|
|
|
| User: "Woodswun" |
|
| Title: Re: US general says warnings ignored |
18 Apr 2004 08:44:34 AM |
|
|
In article <20040418082206.06898.00000046@mb-m24.aol.com>, (TonyZ2001) wrote:
Zak
wrote:
Warnings ignored, says retired Marine
By Rick Rogers
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 16, 2004
Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni wondered aloud yesterday how Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld could be caught off guard by the chaos in
Iraq that has killed nearly 100 Americans in recent weeks and led to
his announcement that 20,000 U.S. troops would be staying there
instead of returning home as planned.
"I'm surprised that he is surprised because there was a lot of us who
were telling him that it was going to be thus," said Zinni, a Marine
for 39 years and the former commander of the U.S. Central Command.
"Anyone could know the problems they were going to see. How could they
not?"
Oh really, so where are Mr. Zinni's pre war statements on this?
The Rumsfeld statement on which Mr. Zinni was commenting was made the previous
day. Unless he is a remarkable prophet, he would not have known before the
war what Rumsfeld was going to say on April 15, 2004.
Woods
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
Iraq had Chemical Weapons, Israeli General Says
U.S. General Says Qaeda, Iraq Links May Be Growing
General Says Enemy Not Powerful Enough to Attack Iran
ALL TIME LOW - A Study of Freedom and the Enemy - Death to the lawless bushite, death to the enemies of Mankind. Again, George W. bush did 911 with General Ahmad, but CNN FOXNEWS and CBC Zionists, actual treasonous LIARS, actually smile to dying Cana
WAKE UP ! ! ! 911 General Strike
IRAQ WAR: INTELLECTUALLY BANKRUPT & FATALLY FLAWED...British General attacks 'flawed' U.S. Iraq policy.....3/9/7
- The Bushite Nazi Liar Show - where they, our elite corporate media masters, kill our stupid kids with their flagrant naked monster lies... "Al-Qaida" = "General Mahmoud Ahmad" - Death to the bushite, death to the enemies of Life
Re: Saddam "moving every few hours" - U.S. general
| Iraqi General Urges Support of U.S. Troops
Iraq general supports US
New Fascist Attorney General: Gonzales
UK General Election
Abu Ghraib General Claims Conspiracy
General Abizaid is appealing to Muslim countries to send troops
Iraqi General Urges Support of U.S. Troops
|
|
|
