Mission Accomplished

[Anonymous-0]

After commanding the operation that toppled Saddam Hussein, Gen. Tommy Franks suggested that President Bush publicly mark an end to major combat in Iraq - an idea that led to the president’s politically controversial appearance aboard an aircraft carrier.

Bush’s announcement, under a banner that read “Mission Accomplished,” took place just six weeks after the start of the war, generating harsh criticism as being a premature celebration and political grandstanding.

Franks, who retired a year ago, said he thought a public announcement would send a green light to countries that had balked at joining combat operations but had expressed willingness to join efforts to rebuild Iraq.

“That was not so everyone could have a victory lap,” Franks said in a telephone interview Monday. “We’d been given to believe that once major hostilities were over, we would have lots and lots more help from the international community.”

 

[noncompos]

This statement just begs for a comment--or, perhaps, requires a comment--yet there's never an open email to reply to, so we don't clutter the board...

 

[Anonymous-0]

You clutter the board with an endless list of off topic discussions. Why are you unwilling to respond with a thoughtful response?

 

[sbin]

The banner should have said "Nothing accomplished"
America was attacked by Saudi nationals that were funded by Saudi nationals.

 

[rexhellwig]

 

[noncompos]

Eddie, would be happy to send reasoned (?) response, if I just knew where; pls adv email. Bud

 

[Anonymous-0]

Bud, is there some reason you can't just post a reasonable response here for others to consider?

If you disagre with General Tommy Franks then just say so. I have no problem admitting that I disagree with some people some of the time. I don't know of anybody that I would agree with 100% of the time.

Please share.

 

[noncompos]

Ok::to be (relatively) brief:
For me, Gen Franks has a great deal to answer for, begining with not supporting Shinseki's (larger) force estimates and for permitting Rummy's dreams to nnalert realities. (Shinseki was forced out; Franks opted to go along and stay in.)
Iraq has been a litany of military subservience to political dreams, subservience that continued after the Washington dream turned into a troop nightmare.
Failure to armor HV's, failure to provide body armor, failure to provide concussion resistant helmets, on and on and on, to and including the ongoing failure to provide medical care/support, was and is an outright betrayal of the troops; primarily Rummy's betrayal, yet countenanced by the Generals, and thereby a betrayal by the Generals as well.
Military leaders accepted "acceptable casualties" (your children) rather than risk their stars by refusing to follow what all too quickly became an obviously botched "adventure". I place no credence in any pronunciamentos by Gen Franks.
My email is open.

 

[Anonymous-0]

It looks like you have been well indoctrinated by the media.

 

[noncompos]

Eddie..just slow down, and think a minute here...we're at "war", worldwide, with a dedicated, vicious enemy, bent on the utter destruction of freedom and democracy...to combat this, we:
Allow hundreds of thousands of illegals to hop, skip, jump, walk across our borders...
Run airline passengers thru screening, so they can sit in airliner seats, above a hold full of UNINSPECTED packages...
Still don't have radiation sniffers at seaports able to check every container...
These aren't media lies or distortions.
In Iraq, we've got private armies of "contractors" (political plums) running around like crazies...
We've got an understaffed Army using the Guard and Reserve as crutches because Washington is politically afraid of enlarging the Army or putting the homefront on any kind of real "war" footing.
We allowed basically the whole of the country to be looted, because that made for cushier rebuilding contracts for political friends...
My God!! remember the pix of the Iraqi intelligence records, just blowing around??? That was absolutley priceless info, let blow away...that was criminal...
Send me an email address.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Eddie..just slow down, and think a minute here...we're at "war", worldwide, with a dedicated, vicious enemy, bent on the utter destruction of freedom and democracy...to combat this, we:


Allow hundreds of thousands of illegals to hop, skip, jump, walk across our borders...

So enforce the laws we have and tell your luiberal pals to get rid of sanctuary cities.

Run airline passengers thru screening, so they can sit in airliner seats, above a hold full of UNINSPECTED packages...

I don't know what that has to do with the subject at hand.
Still don't have radiation sniffers at seaports able to check every container...

nnalert are in charge of Congress. Tell them to get on it.

These aren't media lies or distortions.
In Iraq, we've got private armies of "contractors" (political plums) running around like crazies...

You are very confused.

We've got an understaffed Army using the Guard and Reserve as crutches because Washington is politically afraid of enlarging the Army or putting the homefront on any kind of real "war" footing.

I am about tired of you #$^^ calling us National Guardsmen " crutches". Until you drag your asss over there, mind your own business.


We allowed basically the whole of the country to be looted, because that made for cushier rebuilding contracts for political friends...
My God!! remember the pix of the Iraqi intelligence records, just blowing around??? That was absolutley priceless info, let blow away...that was criminal...

We LET it get looted??? The looting stories were greatly exaggerated. Our soldiers are not there to keep track of merchandise being stolen. Did you remember that we were being shot at?

Did you notice all the looting during Hurricane Katrina? It happens during peacetime and it most certainly will happen during a war.

You have really swallowed, hook line and sinker, the whole myth of war profiteering haven't you?

And as far as these intelligence reports that you say we let blow away in the wind, we have millions of pages of documents that we got in Iraq. You won't hear anything about them because they reveal what Saddam was really up to and it doesn't match the garbage your treasonous newspapers have put out.

Did you know that China was in Iraq installing fiber optic missile defense systems?

Did you know that Saddam told the FBI shortly before he was hung that he was working on getting nuclear weapons?

You have chosen to believe what you want to believe. You don't let facts get in the way.

 

[Sid]

I believe you have mistaken this site for another one. This site is "Tractor Talk
A general discussion group focusing on any theme related to tractors."

 

[noncompos]

Eddie, you're jumping to conclusions that have no basis...my reference to "crutches" was re' the RA/Washington failure to put enough RA people in Iraq, and then trying to plug holes with Guard and Reserve people who's hearts and patriotism exceeded their training, equipment and RA/Washington support.
Won't you please send an email address?? If we are in a "worldwide war", we need to understand each other, and save our fighting for enemies. Over and out, except by email (and my apologies to the board for taking up so much space).

 

[WantACaseLASomeday]

Yikes - when I want politics I go to a political web site. But I can't help myself this time because my daughter is one of those 'crutches' you refer to. She is currently living at forward operating base grizzly, sticking her head out the roof of a humvee, operating a mouted 50 cal. As far as not really being in a war, she sure hasn't been shot at by friends nor would she be firing at friends - so if they aren't friends and they aren't enemies then what are they?

As someone else said - either drag your sorry self over there and do your part or just pipe down. If you aren't over there and you don't have family over there then just keep quiet and let those who are willing to risk their lives do your share for you. They are keeping people like you free to make a dumba** out of yourself.

 

[Anonymous-0]

"and then trying to plug holes with Guard and Reserve people who's hearts and patriotism exceeded their training, equipment and RA/Washington support"

You really don't know what you are talking about. With the help of these "crutches" we were able to liberate 50 million people who are now our allies in a war against terror. And your biggest problem seems to be that a few stores were looted during a war.

You need to put down the kool-aid and do some research.