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[Sanchezs conclusions are as follows:
It turned out that the investigative team [Pentagon audit commission] was so thorough, they had actually gone back and looked at the original operational concept that had been prepared by CENTCOM (led by Gen. Franks) before the invasion of Iraq was launched. It was standard procedure to present such a plan, which included such things as: timing for predeployment, deployment, staging for major combat operations, and postdeployment. The concept was briefed up to the highest levels of the U.S. government, including the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the President of the United States.
And the investigators were now telling me that the plan called for a Phase IV (after combat action) operation that would last twelve to eighteen months.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I had never seen any approved CENTCOM campaign plan, either conceptual or detailed, for the post-major combat operations phase. When I was on the ground in Iraq and saw what was going on, I assumed they had done zero Phase IV planning. Now, three years later, I was learning for the first time that my assumption was not completely accurate. In fact, CENTCOM had originally called for twelve to eighteen months of Phase IV activity with active troop deployments. But then CENTCOM had completely walked away by simply stating that the war was over and Phase IV was not their job.
That decision set up the United States for a failed first year in Iraq. There is no question about it. And I was supposed to believe that neither the Secretary of Defense nor anybody above him knew anything about it? Impossible! Rumsfeld knew about it. Everybody on the NSC knew about it, including Condoleezza Rice, George Tenet, and Colin Powell. Vice President Cheney knew about it. And President Bush knew about it.
There's not a doubt in my mind that they all embraced this decision to some degree. And if it had not been for the moral courage of Gen. John Abizaid to stand up to them all and reverse Franks's troop drawdown order, there's no telling how much more damage would have been done.
In the meantime, hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars were unnecessarily spent, and worse yet, too many of our most precious military resource, our American soldiers, were unnecessarily wounded, maimed, and killed as a result. In my mind, this action by the Bush administration amounts to gross incompetence and dereliction of duty.
/QUOTE]
http://tinyurl.com/63xzrq
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1736831-1,00.html
ccccccLet me get this right? You do not want us there and think we should have just pulled out or should now BUT are complaining cause the plan originally was to pull out in 2 years?
No, I am stating that there was a plan that acknowledged that we would not be able to walk in and walk out and they killed this plan and thus fucked up the entire war.
This goes back to the fact that not only did they start an unneeded war, but the screwed it up from the start.
Idiot. You sure you were a Col? You are aware no plan survives intact once fighting starts?
Are you sure you were a Gunny? Are you able to talk without calling people names? That isn't the best sign of not being an idiot.
If you read the frigging article, you would realize that the plan was made. It was shitcanned outright. It had nothing to do with changing facts that might dictate a change of plan. That left Sanchez completely unprepared for his changed mission. Had they kept this plan, they would have been better prepared for what followed.
Pull your head out of your butt. This is another Military person who is saying the civilians screwed it up. You are so blind about believing everything Bush does that you are ready throw out anything a military person says who criticizes you little tin soldier.
Let me get this right? You do not want us there and think we should have just pulled out or should now BUT are complaining cause the plan originally was to pull out in 2 years?
Idiot. You sure you were a Col? You are aware no plan survives intact once fighting starts?
C'mon RGS, of course he was an officer. That's why he doesn't have a fucking clue as to how things really work. You know, the officer briefs his plan, the NCO "tweaks" it into a functional real plan and the officer claims credit when everything goes great. If it fails, the officer claims that the NCO didn't follow the plan.
If you were unfortunate enough to work with such assholes, sorry about that.
I didn't, I wasn't. I also was privileged to work with some very good Senior SNCOs and junior troops. Maybe, we sometimes attract what we are.
Please explain why they shit canned the plans for what would have to be done after the initial invasion to counter the insurgency they knew would happen.
You are saying that this was good planning? If you are, you really shouldn't be criticizing my statement, my friend.
Put aside the partisan crap for a second. They had a complete plan to deal with what actually happened and they got rid of it. This put Sanchez in a position that he and his troops were not prepared for. That is good planning.
Rummy knew about the plan and it being shit canned.
You make bald faced lies and can not back them up,
You are so full of crap, Retired. Please point out all the ball faced lies I have posted.
I don't have to resort to your level of name calling. That in itself says something about the strength of your arguments.
I CRITICIZE BUSH. I WILL CONTINUE TO AS LONG AS OUR TROOPS ARE DYING FOR NOTHING IN IRAQ. YOU MAY BE A TRUE BUSH BELIEVER, I AM NOT. WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT? THAT I PRAISE SOMEONE I CONSIDER A MURDERER?
I don't blanket curse the right like you do the left. So get off you high horse and face reality. Your partisanship exceeds mine.
If you were unfortunate enough to work with such assholes, sorry about that.
I didn't, I wasn't. I also was privileged to work with some very good Senior SNCOs and junior troops. Maybe, we sometimes attract what we are.
Please explain why they shit canned the plans for what would have to be done after the initial invasion to counter the insurgency they knew would happen.
You are saying that this was good planning? If you are, you really shouldn't be criticizing my statement, my friend.
Put aside the partisan crap for a second. They had a complete plan to deal with what actually happened and they got rid of it. This put Sanchez in a position that he and his troops were not prepared for. That is good planning.
Rummy knew about the plan and it being shit canned.
Should just tell the military what they want done and let the military go handle
That's my point. Right now it's the Bush boys. So who should I criticize now? LBJ. I already did that for Vietnam.
Retired, you attack the left en masse. I attack you statments and Bush. There is a difference that you can't quite grasp.
