Top US Army general calls Iraq war an opportunity for US forces

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Iraq war is a test of wills from which the US Army will grow stronger as it seeks to transform itself into a 21st century fighting force, a top army general said.

General Peter Schoomaker, army chief of staff, refused however to guarantee that the US military would successfully defeat the ongoing insurgency and pave the way for a democratic Iraqi government to take power.

"There's nobody dumb enough to stand up here and guarantee anything," he said in a speech at the Heritage Foundation think tank.

"In my view, we're making progress. And everybody that's there thinks we're making progress. ... This is a test of wills to do it."

Earlier, President George W. Bush refused to say when US troops would leave Iraq, days after the Pentagon said it would increase its strength there from 135,000 to about 150,000 soldiers amid ongoing violence which has claimed the lives of over 1,000 US troops.

"As chief of staff of the army, I have to plan on this being the new reality. I have to plan on this being open-ended," Schoomaker said.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/afp/20041208/pl_afp/us_military_iraq

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. In serious denial. But I guess that's why he's a general.

[steely]

2. Heritage Foundation - ha - 'nuff said

please pass the kool aid brother

[teryang]

3. Opportunity for colonial contractor careerists....

death and hardship for others.

[54anickel]

4. The new corporate speak. Part of I believe Six Sigma training -

never say we have a problem or issue - it's ALWAYS an opportunity. Put a positive "spin" on it. This was very big with the GE transplanted management at my old employer.

[jmcgowanjm]

5. cancellation of the Comanche program "a huge success from our standpoint

If this is what they think in GE
then GE is a walkin' dinosaur.

[Redleg]

6. Smells like the Vietnam.

Even worse, since during Vietnam Westmoreland had the sense to request more troops.

[dkofos]

7. WTF

Sounds like he is dumb enough.
Makes you wonder who's dick he's been sucking to
become army chief of staff.

[kodi]

8. just gotta' test them expensive weapons systems somewhere, doncha'?

.

[insane_cratic_gal]

9. re-listment my ass

it's called stop loss.

He also noted that several army units increased their re-enlistment rates after being deployed to Iraq, mirroring previous statistics released by the Pentagon showing the army would meet both its recruiting and retention goals this year.

[tngledwebb]

10. The horror.

Anyone who talks of 'making progress' in Iraq must mean progress towards the End Times. Might be right.
Though there are many ways to interpret his words.

[TahitiNut]

11. "test of wills" ... this was how Vietnam was described

The Psychotic Krusaders like to recycle language.

[Tempest]

12. An opportunity to get killed or permanently maimed

This guy needs to be fired.

[gratuitous]

13. "As chief of staff of the army . . ."

Schoomaker apparently believes that it is his job description to be delusional: "I have to plan on this being the new reality." Any facts, developments, situations or inconvenient reality that intrudes on his vision of progress and the triumph of his will are to be disregarded or ignored.

It's dangerous to deal in reality when the leadership is so heavily invested in fantasy.

[gatorboy]

14. Reading this made me realize that Iraq was simply a "practice run"

for the troops. Something to give them more training for when Bush starts invading every other damn country in the world.

[Supersedeas]

15. Mission Accomplished v. Making Progess - Is pRes on same page?