Joint Chiefs Chairman Says Expectations Not Lowered in Iraq (Myers turn)

[sabra]

Me thinks, some weren't happy with the reports that came out over the weekend?

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2005/20050817_2464.html

Joint Chiefs Chairman Says Expectations Not Lowered in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2005 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today dismissed rhetoric that the United States has lowered its expectations in Iraq.
Speaking with Matt Lauer in Baghdad, Iraq, on NBC's "Today" program, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers blamed the rhetoric on people hoping to expose a rift between military leaders in Iraq and officials in Washington.

Emphasizing that plans in Iraq are "on track," the United States' top military officer said those who say otherwise are "are trying to find some divide between the military leadership over here and the folks back in Washington and so forth."

"I can guarantee you there is none," Myers said.

The chairman acknowledged that not every initial expectation came to pass in Iraq. "Before all this started, we had academic experts from all over the world explain to us what we were going to find after major combat," he said. "Sometimes they were right (and) we found what they said. And other times we didn't find what they predicted."

[geomon666]

1. lol

I'm just waiting for it. Come on you scum suckers. Say it...say Flip Flop just once!

[papau]

3. Perhaps WaPo will feel embarrassed and use the words "Flip Flop" ??

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/13/AR2005081300853.html?sub=AR

WaPo just reported they redefined success of the "realistic" mission


U.S. Lowers Sights On What Can Be Achieved in Iraq
Administration Is Shedding 'Unreality' That Dominated Invasion, Official Says

By Robin Wright and Ellen Knickmeyer
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, August 14, 2005; A01



The Bush administration is significantly lowering expectations of what can be achieved in Iraq, recognizing that the United States will have to settle for far less progress than originally envisioned during the transition due to end in four months, according to U.S. officials in Washington and Baghdad.

The United States no longer expects to see a model new democracy, a self-supporting oil industry or a society in which the majority of people are free from serious security or economic challenges, U.S. officials say.

"What we expected to achieve was never realistic given the timetable or what unfolded on the ground," said a senior official involved in policy since the 2003 invasion. "We are in a process of absorbing the factors of the situation we're in and shedding the unreality that dominated at the beginning."<snip>

Barbers post signs saying they do not shave men, after months of barbers being killed by religious extremists. Ethnic or religious-based militias police the northern and southern portions of Iraq. Analysts estimate that in the whole of Iraq, unemployment is 50 percent to 65 percent.<snip>

"We didn't calculate the depths of feeling in both the Kurdish and Shiite communities for a winner-take-all attitude," said Judith S. Yaphe, a former CIA Iraq analyst at the National Defense University.
<snip>
Washington now does not expect to fully defeat the insurgency before departing, but instead to diminish it, officials and analysts said. There is also growing talk of turning over security responsibilities to the Iraqi forces even if they are not fully up to original U.S. expectations, in part because they have local legitimacy that U.S. troops often do not.
<snip>
Pentagon officials originally envisioned Iraq's oil revenue paying many post-invasion expenses. But Iraq, ranked among world leaders behind Saudi Arabia in proven oil reserves, is incapable of producing enough refined fuel amid a car-buying boom that has put an estimated 1 million more vehicles on the road after the invasion. Lines for subsidized cheap gas stretch for miles every day in Baghdad.

Oil production is estimated at 2.22 million barrels a day, short of the goal of 2.5 million. Iraq's pre-war high was 2.67 million barrels a day.
<snip>

Knickmeyer reported from Baghdad.

[calimary]

2. So let me get this straight, dick:

Your own commander of coalition forces in Iraq, Army General George W. Casey, is all wet when he says they ARE lowering expectations in Iraq, trying to be more "realistic."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1707754

This Myers asshole should be court-martialed.

[Art_from_Ark]

4. Considering that their real goals have always been oil and bases

I don't they have lowered their expectations.

[tanyev]

5. Missed the talking points memo, Gen. Myers?

Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers blamed the rhetoric on people hoping to expose a rift between military leaders in Iraq and officials in Washington.

Yet the original story was credited to a senior official involved in policy since the 2003 invasion.

Why don't you all get together and get that story completely straight before anyone else goes blabbing to the media, K?

[MADem]

8. He is out of the loop

He is, right now, on his FAREWELL SWING. His replacement is the number 2 at JCS, Pete Pace (who will be the first Marine to hold the Chair).

Here's the interesting thing: Bush could have nominated Myers to continue in the post for a third term...time of war, don't change horses in midstream, the usual drill, and the Senate would have rubberstamped the decision, as they will rubberstamp Pace.

But Myers is going home....and I think he would have liked to stay. Judging by the stricken look on his face the day chimpy made the announcement, I am pretty sure he would have liked to stay.

Interesting, eh?

[Eloriel]

6. Apparently they succeeded

by Meyers' own admission:

Myers blamed the rhetoric on people hoping to expose a rift between military leaders in Iraq and officials in Washington.

[unhappycamper]

7. Myers is a sock puppet.

His messages are from whoever has their hand up his ass.

[samsingh]

9. yah i'm sure

and we won Iraq three years ago