NationStates Jolt Archive

This is pretty awesome, especially the last line. He's not mincing any words here.
Ex-US commander says military alone cannot win Iraq

SAN ANTONIO - Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, former commander of US ground forces in Iraq, retired from the Army on Wednesday, saying the military alone cannot secure a victory in Iraq.

"We have been saying since 2003 that we could fight there for years, if we continue to apply only the element of (military) power," Sanchez told reporters. "We can continue to kill people there for a decade and until you can sort out the political and economic issues in that country, we will continue to have an issue there."

The war in Iraq has come to the forefront of next week's US congressional elections as Democrats try to wrest control of Congress from Republicans.

"Partisan politics have hindered this war effort and America should not accept this," Sanchez said. "The security of America is definitely at stake."

Sanchez, a native of Rio Grande City, Texas, commanded coalition forces in Iraq from June 2003 until July 2004. Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison were abused during his tenure but an Army investigation exonerated Sanchez of wrongdoing.

Sanchez did not mention President George W. Bush or Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld by name in criticising US political leaders.

"I'm a soldier and we have civilian control of the military," he said.

When pressed by reporters to answer who was at fault for the failures in Iraq, Sanchez said, "Where do the policies come from?"
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10408847

Let's hope the people listen.

Guns can't shatter ideologies. That said, I agree. :)

This is pretty awesome, especially the last line. He's not mincing any words here.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10408847

Let's hope the people listen.

So your saying that we're losing in Iraq because of the people of the United States? or am I reading this wrong?

We know. Thats why we brought Poland along. *nods*

So your saying that we're losing in Iraq because of the people of the United States? or am I reading this wrong?
The latter. :)

Guns can't shatter ideologies. That said, I agree. :)

Agreed, countless examples throughout history demonstrate that to be true.

This is pretty awesome, especially the last line. He's not mincing any words here.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10408847

Let's hope the people listen.


Wow really ? They figured it out ....:rolleyes: About time don't you think..its gotta be the Iraqis that win,,,we already WON the war..its the peace thats at stake now. Saddams gone they can pill toghether and be a country and a Democracy...or they can kill each other for years.

really no big secret 150.000 american and coalition troops cant make 25 million Iraqis play nice with each other. And no amount of soldiers will ever defeat terrorism without also attacking its support and its roots .

But that shit don't make a good slogan .

"Stay the course "

" Bush lied people died '

See slogans ! Gotta have a good one or the strategy sucks .

"We can continue to kill people there for a decade and until you can sort out the political and economic issues in that country, we will continue to have an issue there."

No shit sherlock.

No shit sherlock.
yes shit, sherlock.
Why?
Cause you're one of the blinkered multitudes who have been harping on and on ever since the war started that the US is going to win over there and bleating that all the bad news coming out of Iraq is the fault of the 'Liberal' media.

And now, even when faced with the actual commander of the US ground troops saying it's a bucket of shit there, you still close your eyes and ears and try to dismiss it as somehow being so self-evident that it needs no mentioning. A more perfect example of cognitive dissonance I don't think I'll see.

But, gee whiz. You (along with a horde of others) were saying only recently that Iraq isn't as bad as it's made out to be and the people on the ground know better than anyone.
Well, the people on the ground are saying it's bad, understand?
And they're saying it's bad because of the arogant morons you helped elect into the Whitehouse.

So dismiss it all you like, but it doesn't change the cold reality that Iraq is in serious trouble and that as long as Bush & co are running things, it'll only get worse.

yes shit, sherlock.
Why?
Cause you're one of the blinkered multitudes who have been harping on and on ever since the war started that the US is going to win over there and bleating that all the bad news coming out of Iraq is the fault of the 'Liberal' media.

And now, even when faced with the actual commander of the US ground troops saying it's a bucket of shit there, you still close your eyes and ears and try to dismiss it as somehow being so self-evident that it needs no mentioning. A more perfect example of cognitive dissonance I don't think I'll see.

But, gee whiz. You (along with a horde of others) were saying only recently that Iraq isn't as bad as it's made out to be and the people on the ground know better than anyone.
Well, the people on the ground are saying it's bad, understand?
And they're saying it's bad because of the arogant morons you helped elect into the Whitehouse.

So dismiss it all you like, but it doesn't change the cold reality that Iraq is in serious trouble and that as long as Bush & co are running things, it'll only get worse.

Bushevism. It's a way of life.