Phokus

Or as republicans like to say, "why do all these retired generals hate the president and hate america?"


May 1, 2007

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

Today, in your veto message regarding the bipartisan legislation just passed on Operation Iraqi Freedom, you asserted that you so decided because you listen to your commanders on the ground.

Respectfully, as your former commander on the ground, your administration did not listen to our best advice. In fact, a number of my fellow Generals were forced out of their jobs, because they did not tell you what you wanted to hear -- most notably General Eric Shinseki, whose foresight regarding troop levels was advice you rejected, at our troops' peril.

The legislation you vetoed today represented a course of action that is long overdue. This war can no longer be won by the military alone. We must bring to bear the entire array of national power - military, diplomatic and economic. The situation demands a surge in diplomacy, and pressure on the Iraqi government to fix its internal affairs. Further, the Army and Marine Corps are on the verge of breaking - or have been broken already - by the length and intensity of this war. This tempo is not sustainable - and you have failed to grow the ground forces to meet national security needs. We must begin the process of bringing troops home, and repairing and growing our military, if we are ever to have a combat-ready force for the long war on terror ahead of us.

The bill you rejected today sets benchmarks for success that the Iraqis would have to meet, and puts us on a course to redeploy our troops. It stresses the need for sending troops into battle only when they are rested, trained and equipped. In my view, and in the view of many others in the military that I know, that is the best course of action for our security.

As someone who served this nation for decades, I have the utmost respect for the office you hold. However, as a man of conscience, I could not sit idly by as you told the American people today that your veto was based on the recommendations of military men. Your administration ignored the advice of our military's finest minds before, and I see no evidence that you are listening to them now.

I urge you to reconsider your position, and work with Congress to pass a bill that achieves the goals laid out above.

Respectfully,

Major General Paul D. Eaton, USA, Retired

http://www.votevets.org/index.php?op...=249&Itemid=16

Real World

There are like 7,000 retired generals.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Phokus

Funny how the ones who served under Bush's/Rumsfeld's tenure are calling Bush and/or Rummy out though!

Real World

I guess it's estimated to be something like 4,700.

Not all of the Armed Services keep easily accessible records of their retired officers. The Marine Corps has online biographies for 400 retired generals (of all ranks). According to the Department of Defense, the Marine Corps has 82 generals on active duty. The Air Force keeps a partial list of online biographies, which includes 86 retired generals. There are 13 active-duty generals in the Air Force.

The Explainer used the ratios above to estimate the number of retired generals in the other military branches. The Army—which currently has 312 generals—should have between 1,100 and 2,200 retired generals. According to the Army's press office, the number is about 1,700.

By the same logic, there are probably between 750 and 1,500 retired admirals in the Navy and between 1,000 and 2,000 retired generals (of all ranks) in the Air Force. In total, then, you might expect somewhere between 3,100 and 6,300 retired generals and admirals.

http://www.slate.com/id/2139847/sidebar/2140026/

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Holy Diver

"I listen to the commanders on the ground...we have a new direction"

Bush

Translation:

"I need to wait for this lazy Iraqi government to approve the oil revenues to my friends at exxon mobil, BP before we pull our troop s back to our permanent military bases so they can protect the oil fields...($h!t!) .....I mean protect he PEOPLE OF IRAQ...."

All_Around_Brown

I urge you to review the recently passed Iraqi oil law. It establishes that very thing already which is in part why violence is increasing. The problem is the companies are hesitant to invest capital when the country is ablaze and we cant control the situation.

The market (in this case, mainly multinational oil execs) is working and is telling Bush "you had better get control of this situation or this whole operation will have been a complete waste of time and money."

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Holy Diver

What about the Freedom of the Iraqi people....wasn't that what this was all about? I mean to say, the WMDs.....That is what this war is about....Oh wait I'm sorry, was this war about the terrorists and fighting them over there? I'm very confused if infact this is all about....oil.

Its funny when an oil company refers to an 'operation' that kills thousands, and makes 2 million people leave their country. Thats funny to me...ha ha ...I'm frickin dying of laughter over here.

All_Around_Brown

well what we now now from the Tenet book is that the "slam dunk" wasn't in reference to the evidence for WMD, it was in reference to the "case" presented to the public. In other words, this scumbag knew the public was to be sold a bill of goods and he was perfectly okay with that.

Which of course explains why he got the medal of freedom. Congress should haul his effin arse up there tomorrow!!!

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Real World

Congress authorizes the war, who is going to haul their arses in there after?

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Holy Diver

Tenet was downright FREAKY on his 60 minutes interview. I finally watched it last night on my DVR, and was amused at the workout he gave the cameraman with his constant squirm.