(Another) Retired US Iraq general demands Rumsfeld resign (John Batiste)

[Barrett808]

Retired US Iraq general demands Rumsfeld resign
By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A recently retired two-star general who just a year ago commanded a U.S. Army division in Iraq on Wednesday joined a small but growing list of former senior officers to call on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign.

"I believe we need a fresh start in the Pentagon. We need a leader who understands teamwork, a leader who knows how to build teams, a leader that does it without intimidation," Maj. Gen. John Batiste, who commanded the Germany-based 1st Infantry Division in Iraq, said in an interview on CNN.

In recent weeks, retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold, Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton and Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni all spoke out against Rumsfeld. This comes as opinion polls show eroding public support for the 3-year-old war in which about 2,360 U.S. troops have died.

"You know, it speaks volumes that guys like me are speaking out from retirement about the leadership climate in the

Department of Defense," Batiste said "But when decisions are made without taking into account sound military recommendations, sound military decision making, sound planning, then we're bound to make mistakes."

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060412/pl_nm/iraq_usa_general_dc

[NNadir]

1. It's becoming a stampede.

Generally I think of the senior military as coming from the right. This is all part and parcel of the disillusionment on the right.

[cliss]

2. How many is it now?

4, or 5?

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. We need them to join together

One here and there isn't going to be enough but if suddenly there is a mass retirement or if all the ones who have left come together, they could do a heck of a lot to stop this madness. For the good of the country, I hope they do.

[swag]

4. .

[rodeodance]

5. interesting. he says Rummy intimidates people

"I believe we need a fresh start in the Pentagon. We need a leader who understands teamwork, a leader who knows how to build teams, a leader that does it without intimidation," Maj. Gen. John Batiste, who commanded the Germany-based 1st Infantry Division in Iraq, said in an interview on CNN.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. WP,pg1: Rumsfeld Rebuked By Retired Generals

Rumsfeld Rebuked By Retired Generals
Ex-Iraq Commander Calls for Resignation
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 13, 2006; Page A01

The retired commander of key forces in Iraq called yesterday for Donald H. Rumsfeld to step down, joining several other former top military commanders who have harshly criticized the defense secretary's authoritarian style for making the military's job more difficult.

"I think we need a fresh start" at the top of the Pentagon, retired Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq in 2004-2005, said in an interview....Batiste noted that many of his peers feel the same way. "It speaks volumes that guys like me are speaking out from retirement about the leadership climate in the Department of Defense," he said earlier yesterday on CNN.

Batiste's comments resonate especially within the Army: It is widely known there that he was offered a promotion to three-star rank to return to Iraq and be the No. 2 U.S. military officer there but he declined because he no longer wished to serve under Rumsfeld. Also, before going to Iraq, he worked at the highest level of the Pentagon, serving as the senior military assistant to Paul D. Wolfowitz, then the deputy secretary of defense.

Batiste said he believes that the administration's handling of the Iraq war has violated fundamental military principles, such as unity of command and unity of effort. In other interviews, Batiste has said he thinks the violation of another military principle -- ensuring there are enough forces -- helped create the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal by putting too much responsibility on incompetent officers and undertrained troops.

His comments follow similar recent high-profile attacks on Rumsfeld by three other retired flag officers, amid indications that many of their peers feel the same way....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/12/AR2006041201114.html

[grytpype]

7. Why do all those generals hate America?

[0007]

9. These very same Generals didn't want the US to war against Iraq

either.

[rodeodance]

8. nice, nice, nice.

[EVDebs]

10. Col. Larry Wilkerson on CSpan last night, "more to come"

According to Colin Powell's military aide, Col. Larry Wilkerson speaking at the Middle East Institute in Wash DC the other night on CSpan, there are even more scandals coming down the pike. Wilkerson singled out Rummy and Cheney in particular. Hopefully either CSpan or the ME Insitute has this speech on audio for computer access.

Middle East Institute
http://www.mideasti.org/about/about_press.html

(also, it seems Wilkerson teaches at William and Mary, so maybe a contact there on this ?)

Ah, here is CSpan's link to the speech, scheduled for 12:45 EST April 13th:
""Is America a Radical Republic?""
http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/cspan.csp?command=dprogram&record=195627596

[DarleenMB]

11. And how soon

before they're all swift-boated?

[Roland99]

12. Would it be easier to count the ones still in support?

[Moderator]

13. kick

[leftchick]

14. Ex-General: Rumsfeld Deserves Criticism (Batiste)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060414/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/rumsfeld_generals_10

WASHINGTON - Retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste, one of several high-ranking military men urging the ouster of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said Friday there is no coordinated effort to get him fired, calling a recent series of critical statements "absolutely coincidental."


"I have not talked to the other generals," Batiste, interviewed from Rochester, N.Y., said on NBC"s "Today" show. Nevertheless, he said he thinks the clamor for Rumsfeld to step down is "happening for a reason."

Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division forces in Iraq, said he declined an opportunity to get a promotion to the rank of lieutenant general and return to the wartorn country as the No. 2 U.S. military officer because he could not accept Rumsfeld's tough management style.

He said he does not believe Rumsfeld has been sufficiently accountable for the plan that led to the invasion of Iraq and the ouster of Saddam Hussein, although he also said that "we have no option but to succeed in Iraq."

[kenny blankenship]

15. "we have no option but to succeed in Iraq."

That's why such decisions are best not left to Generals. When success is not an option, they are bone dry for bright ideas and just say more money, more killing.

[leftchick]

19. it makes them more money

when they take new civilian jobs in the defense industry.

[hadrons]

16. "accept Rumsfeld's tough management style" ....

no, its "accept Rumsfeld's INCOMPETENT management style"

BTW, this Batiste guy is still downing the kool-aid, he doesn't seem to be blaming Bush and admitted to voting for him twice and he still thinks it can be "won" in Iraq, but its just Dumsfeld fucking up

[mainer]

17. When are we going to hear from Shinseki?

The guy who got canned by Rumsfeld for speaking the truth?

[Judi Lynn]

18. ABC story: Ex-General: Rumsfeld Violated Principles of War Planning

Ex-General: Rumsfeld Violated Principles of War Planning
John Batiste is One of Six Ex-Generals Calling for Rumsfeld's Resignation

April 14, 2006— Retired Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste says he is calling for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation because he believes the defense secretary violated the principles of war planning when deciding to invade Iraq, and as a leader he needs to be accountable for that action.

"We went to war with a flawed war plan," Batiste told "Good Morning America." "We certainly had the troops necessary to win the fight to take down Saddam Hussein, but we in no way considered the hard work to win the peace. There were 10 years of good, deliberate war planning that was essentially ignored."

Although the president approved the plan, Batiste said his criticism was focused on the defense secretary.

Batiste is one of six retired generals demanding Rumsfeld step down, breaking a long tradition of the military steering clear of politics.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1842182&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

[0007]

20. The whole media is jumping up and down on Rumsfeld today. I love it!

Newsweek article here

Retired Army Major Gen. John Riggs told National Public Radio that Rumsfeld fostered an "atmosphere of arrogance." And retired Army Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack told CNN that Rumsfeld micromanaged the war. "We need a new secretary of defense," he said.

Military experts say the parade of recently retired military brass calling for Rumsfeld's resignation is troubling and threatens to undermine strong support that Bush has enjoyed among the officer corps and troops.

With public anti-war sentiment increasing, "the president and his team cannot afford to lose that support," said Kurt Campbell, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense.

Earlier calls for Rumsfeld's replacement came from retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, retired Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold and retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton.

Rumsfeld has been a lightning rod for criticism since the war began in March 2003.

He was blamed for committing too few U.S. troops and for underestimating the strength of the insurgency. He took heat in 2004 over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the U.S. Army-run Abu Ghraib prison, and for a brusque response he gave to an Army National Guard soldier in Kuwait who questioned him on inadequate armor.

Republicans in Congress have offered Rumsfeld little in the way of public support.

Hey Judi Lynn:hi:

[kitty1]

21. Libby and Rumsfeld. 2 down, about 5 to go