Pep talk
June 2nd, 2008 11:50 am · 8 comments
And you wonder why it’s taken so long to get traction in this lovely little war.
Getting lost in the media furor over McClellan’s memoir is the new autobiography of retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, the onetime commander of U.S. troops in Iraq, who is scathing in his assessment that the Bush administration “led America into a strategic blunder of historic proportions.”
Among the anecdotes in “Wiser in Battle: A Soldier’s Story” is an arresting portrait of Bush after four contractors were killed in Fallujah in 2004, triggering a fierce U.S. response that was reportedly egged on by the president.
During a videoconference with his national security team and generals, Sanchez writes, Bush launched into what he described as a “confused” pep talk:
“Kick ass!” he quotes the president as saying. “If somebody tries to stop the march to democracy, we will seek them out and kill them! We must be tougher than hell! This Vietnam stuff, this is not even close. It is a mind-set. We can’t send that message. It’s an excuse to prepare us for withdrawal.”
“There is a series of moments and this is one of them. Our will is being tested, but we are resolute. We have a better way. Stay strong! Stay the course! Kill them! Be confident! Prevail! We are going to wipe them out! We are not blinking!”
Emphasis added. That ought to be the national motto, don’t you think? Enough with the E Pluribus Unum; If someone tries to stop the march to democracy, we will seek them out and kill them!
Smarter presidents, please.
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Tags: Teh Leader · War in Iraq
There are currently 8 comments on this blog postView Topic | Comment on this blogdragonrider
6/2/08
12:18 PM | QUOTE(Lancaster Online @ Jun 2 2008, 11:55 AM) [snapback]396319[/snapback]
Post your thoughts and comments about this blog post. Wow Scary. But the good news is that the war does appear to be ebbing and peace may be settling in for Iraq. One can have hope that Americas nightmare may be almost over. |
Pericles
6/2/08
3:10 PM | QUOTE(Lancaster Online @ Jun 2 2008, 11:55 AM) [snapback]396319[/snapback]
Post your thoughts and comments about this blog post.
Results Gil. Results. See dragonrider's post.
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dragonrider
6/2/08
3:14 PM | QUOTE(Pericles @ Jun 2 2008, 03:10 PM) [snapback]396391[/snapback]
Results Gil. Results. See dragonrider's post.
yeah and I am one of those scary liberals and even I can see that things seem to be working now in Iraq. |
Pericles
6/2/08
3:42 PM | QUOTE(dragonrider @ Jun 2 2008, 03:14 PM) [snapback]396392[/snapback] yeah and I am one of those scary liberals and even I can see that things seem to be working now in Iraq.
Then we really must have turned the corner. 
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ArtVandolay
6/2/08
4:08 PM | QUOTE(Pericles @ Jun 2 2008, 03:42 PM) [snapback]396401[/snapback] Then we really must have turned the corner.
If there is good news to report, you won't hear about it. No one is going to credit the admin, but the soldiers should get kudos big time for what they have done.
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dragonrider
6/2/08
7:01 PM | QUOTE(ArtVandolay @ Jun 2 2008, 04:08 PM) [snapback]396405[/snapback]
If there is good news to report, you won't hear about it. No one is going to credit the admin, but the soldiers should get kudos big time for what they have done.
I wouldn't credit this admin for being able to hit the bowl when he pee's but the troops seem to be doing good and so is his new general. But Bush couldn't plan a game of checkers. |
2fat2ride
6/2/08
8:46 PM | QUOTE(dragonrider @ Jun 2 2008, 12:18 PM) [snapback]396323[/snapback] Wow Scary. But the good news is that the war does appear to be ebbing and peace may be settling in for Iraq. One can have hope that Americas nightmare may be almost over.
Which war are you talking about? The War on Iraq, or the War on Terror ? Keep in mind, dragon, there's currently still five state sponsors of terrorism to deal with. This nightmare ain't over just yet. One way or the other, they all gotta get crossed off that list before the War on Terror is over.*
QUOTE
Summary of the Regional Strategic Initiative
---The enemy is a federated terrorist threat complex with the character of a global insurgency.
---Our strategy acts to create conditions for enemy collapse, by disaggregating the extremist networks through attacking enemy leadership, safe havens and the conditions that terrorists exploit with all elements of U.S. national power.
---We must build trusted networks that displace terrorist networks; undermine, marginalize and isolate the enemy; and empower legitimate alternatives to extremism.
---The Regional Strategic Initiative is a regional, field-driven, interagency approach designed to successfully bring all the elements of national power to bear on the terrorist enemy.
Of course, there is always a good chance that we will add a few more onto the list next year...and the year after that...and the year after that...
*It won't matter who is elected, they will all have to deal with that list and the charge of making that list smaller.
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Rural Conservative
6/2/08
8:55 PM | QUOTE(dragonrider @ Jun 2 2008, 12:18 PM) [snapback]396323[/snapback] Wow Scary. But the good news is that the war does appear to be ebbing and peace may be settling in for Iraq. One can have hope that Americas nightmare may be almost over.
How has the war been a nightmare for us? Isn't that a little dramatic? The troop losses are far below those of Vietnam, Korea, WW2, WW1, and pretty much every other conflict we've been in (that I can think of) except the gulf war. Certainly, any number of casualties is a horrible thing, particularly for the families of those casualties, and I do not in any way minimise the terrible pain they go through, but to call the war in Iraq a nightmare for America? For many if not most Iraqis, sure, but not for us.
We get to sit in our nice homes, with our internet and our TV, or cell phones, and our SUV's (those that can still afford SUV's that is). Some nightmare.
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