Retired US Marine General Anthony Zinni's name was
scrawled on the John O'Neill Wall of Heroes during the
long desperate months in 2002-2003 while the Bush
Cabal geared up for its foolish military adventure in
Iraq. Zinni continues to speak out...The Emperor has no uniform...
Rick Rodgers, San Diego Union Tribune: 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?"
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."
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http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20040416-9999-7m16zinni.html
Retired general assails U.S. policy on Iraq
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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick Rogers: (760) 476-8212;
rick.rogers@uniontrib.com
Posted by richard at April 17, 2004 12:02 PM