"WASHINGTON - A retired Army general on Friday continued the volleys of criticism against Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his handling of the Iraq war, telling NBC News that “a fresh start in the Department of Defense ... would be incredibly uplifting” for the armed forces.
Retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq until last November, appeared on NBC’s “Today” show to reiterate criticisms he leveled earlier this week.
Batiste said Rumsfeld had “failed to build the peace” in Iraq, and criticized “a leadership style which is intimidating, abusive. There was not a two-way street of respect.”
Whether the United States should be in Iraq in the first place was “moot” given the circumstances, he added. “We have to succeed” now that we are there, he said.
Five other retired generals have also spoken out in recent days against Rumsfeld’s war strategy. Batiste emphasized that the generals were speaking independently and had not organized their criticism. “There is no political agenda at all,” he said, adding that he had not spoken to the other officers."
Hell hath no furrry than a woman scorned.
You know, If the good General had such "conviction" he should have spoken up during the active duty days, not after when you're shopping around for network pundit jobs. If you had a beef Batiste you should have openned your yap during your service years to the man's face, not take shots between his shoulder blades after the fact.
People also might find it surprising that there are democrats and republicans in the military. As well as supporters of both parties. Before I give creedance to a few (very few) according to the total number of senior officers involved in Iraq, and ex-generals at that, I'd love to see their voter registrations.
Gives me something to do today.
UPDATE: Batiste seems to have had a 'recent' change of mind about Rumsfeld and the war in Iraq, specifically as in 2004 when introducing Rumsfeld to his troops in December of 2004 Batiste described Rumsfeld as the one who had the "courage and conviction to win this the war on terrorism".
Makes you wonder eh?
Two articles from the American Thinker to "consider the source", here, and here
UPDATE II: A REAL hero, former Top Gun takes on the "Armchair Generals"
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