Digby: "This makes Iran-Contra look like the Canuck letter."

[understandinglife]

<clip>

Bush just issued a statement of support for Rumsfeld. He is stubborn and refuses to change course, as we know. But if what Hersh reported back in 2005 is correct, Rumsfeld owns him. Back in the heady days of his 2% landslide, Bush authorized a covert war with Iran, with no congressional oversight and without even the cooperation of the CINQ's. This makes Iran-Contra look like the |Canuck letter].

These retired generals are speaking for a military establishment that has been used like monopoly money by Rummy his fellow magical thinkers (like his "advisor" Newt Gingrich) who have spent the last five years attempting to destroy the military with their useless, incompetent war planning and their surreal Toffler-esque vision of a military that doesn't require an actual army.

I realize that the armed forces always resist change. But I think it's fair to assume, considering the Iraq cock-up, that Rummy doesn't know what in the hell he's doing. The military is finally saying "enough." We are witnessing a coup by media.

The congress has completely abdicated its oversight responsibility, the media is shallow and incompetent, our allies are considered irrelevant, the UN is being run by a nutcase even more far-out that Rummy and the wishes of the people are, as usual, not considered. It looks like the only institution in America that can bring us back from the brink of a tragic, tragic mistake is the military itself.

<clip>

From Digby's Black Reconnaissance:

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_digbysblog_archive.html#114504197724915416

The actions by retired military leaders, the escalating comments from , the formation of , .... Something's cookn and we can all hope it's Bush, Cheney and Rummy's rumps.


Never Forget: George W. Bush willfully violated National Security to cover-up his willful launch of a war of aggression and illegal occupation of Iraq.

[fooj]

1. Just talking with my dad about this the other day.........

Peace.

[muntrv]

2. Ah just look at those chicken hawks.

You know that's what the generals think.

[fooj]

3. None of which have served a day in their miserable lives.

Peace.

[understandinglife]

4. Precisely!

:hi:


Peace.

[understandinglife]

5. "Stuff Happens"

One By One Military Leaders Want Rumsfeld Out …

Link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/04/13/one-by-one-military-leade_n_19077.html

Tick. Tick. Tick. ....

[EFerrari]

6. K&R

:kick:

[understandinglife]

7. Sgt Major Myers: "One must understand this in order to understand the

... gravity of what is occurring.

As I continued to contemplate these officers' remarks another thought became crystal clear. Though not clearly spoken I believe that these soldiers are very, very concerned that Iran could be next. I believe this could well be the second major driving force behind them speaking up and I believe this should signal to the American people the gravity of the situation. These are not the kind of people who take talking to the public lightly. It is important to the military that they stand behind the civilian leadership. That is part of the bedrock of our constitution and these officers take that very seriously. So the mere fact that they are stepping forward and breaking their silence is more than significant.

<clip>

More from Generals All - Or The Burden Of Duty And Conscience at:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/14/174535/796

Serious.


Peace.

[understandinglife]

8. Swopa: "Iran: Calculated Madness and Common Sense"

A picture is often worth way more than a thousand words:

hmmm ... I might be a bit nervous ...

The post by Swopa contains one more excellent image, and some incisive analysis:

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/04/14/iran-calculated-madness-and-common-sense

Check it out.

[flyarm]

9. TOMMY FRANKS I JUST THINK BLEW IT WIDE OPEN ON HARDBALL

TOMMY FRANKS I JUST THINK BLEW IT WIDE OPEN ON HARDBALL

Tommy Franks on Harball.."we were planning this thing for 14 months" !..i think franks just blew it..

that means bush and rumsfeld started planning war jan 2002!!!!!!!!!

HE JUST BASICALLY CONFIRM WHAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE DOWNING STREET MINUTES!

fly

[understandinglife]

13. Sure hope someone has that on video tape!!!

Peace.

[flyarm]

16. I HOPE SO TOO..I AM GOING TO pm TEXOAK...PERSON@!! N/T

[fooj]

17. Here you go........

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2227692

Peace.

[understandinglife]

18. Thank you!

:thumbsup:


Peace.

[bleever]

29. I saw this too. Worthy of its own post, if not done already!

Great catch, fly!

:hi:

[mtnsnake]

10. If I were Rumsfeld, I'd stay away from traveling on any small planes in

the near future.

If Bush fires Rummy, he knows Rummy will spill the beans on him, and both could end up in prison. If I were Rumsfeld, I'd be watching my back very very carefully.

[fooj]

11. UL- I have a question...

Once a General...always a General, right? Retirement doesn't signify a change in that, does it?

Peace.

[understandinglife]

12. You are correct.

And, that applies to whatever rank you have when you resign your commission or/and retire.


Peace.

[fooj]

15. Thanks.

:hug:

Peace.

[hootinholler]

24. You retire at pay grade, not rank held...

An officer can be 'franked' serving in a post or holding rank higher than pay grade. The form of address in person after retirement is the highest rank held, but the actual rank is the pay grade held. Officers also serve at the pleasure of the president.

-Hoot

[understandinglife]

27. Correct, Hoot. My response was strictly focused on "form of address."

:hi:


Peace.

[Cha]

14. I like Digby's analysis..

HOw ironic if we were saved by the military!

[malaise]

19. No doubt Bushco is scared

shitless. The best news for US citizens is that the military is fed up. The chicken hawks are comig home to roost. Bushco is history.

[NewJeffCT]

21. I'm sure they can see the future

When we've got thousands of mercenaries in Iraq & Halliburton serving sewage water to our troops, I'm sure it's not a far leap to see an even more privatized military in another 10-20 years if things keep going like this - I mean, who is going to volunteer without being bribed?

[fearnobush]

28. Interesting, my ret. Army Officer step Dad just said they same thing today

, that its gonna take the military to save this nation from Bush and the BFEE. He served in both Korea and Nam.

[ms liberty]

20. Great post, UL - I have a question...

How many more retired officers are there that have NOT spoken out yet? Do you, or does anyone, know?
I can't help but wonder, who's next?

If I were a retired/soon to retire military leader, and I saw my country being driven to hell in a handbasket, and I and my fellow officers needed to save my country from it's criminal civilian leaders, but we didn't want to overthrow those leaders directly in a military coup, what would I do?

I think I'd plan it with the same care I would take to plan a military campaign.

It would be logical to me, that a big part of the campaign would be a measured and steady flow of legitimate and insightful criticism from me and my fellow officers, beginning with the already retired and openly critical, with the regular addition of never before publicly critical officers going public and speaking out. This would then become a "drumbeat" of dissatisfaction, each new critique building upon the previous, until the noise became so loud that the citizenry and elected representatives would have no choice finally, but to act in a manner consistent with the constitution and the law.

Am I wishful thinking, or seeing syncronicity where there is none?

[understandinglife]

25. What we've seen in the past several days does have a "syncronicity" ...

... appearance. Col Wilkerson began the steady tom-tom messaging in the Fall of 2005. It is interesting how it has accelerated since Sy Hersh's New Yorker article posted last weekend.

It seems reasonable to expect more and to have more and more names emerge that the general public has never heard any public comment about the disaster that is Bush and everything he has done, internationally and domestically.


Peace.

[steve2470]

22. correct canuck letter link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canuck_Letter

[understandinglife]

26. Oooppss!! Thank you!!!!

:toast:


Peace.

[TexasLawyer]

23. Wow

West Point Grads Against the War is incredible! Ending the war is REALLY the cause to fight for.

[sofa king]

30. Nothing would make me prouder to be an American...

...Than to see our armed forces be the first to stand up and say, "the rule of law is no longer being followed," and use their influence to help restore democracy and the rule of law.

But it's a scary thought, because oftentimes when military leadership feels they have to intervene in their own government, they shortly thereafter realize that they can be their own government, and that's it for democracy.

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

31. "Strange bedfellows" indeed...

Editorial Cartoon by Bruce Beattie, Daytona Beach News-Journal, Saturday, April 15, 2006
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