Rumsfeld memo admits Iraq strategy failing

[bishop]

Rumsfeld memo admits Iraq strategy failing - CNN.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told President Bush before he resigned that the administration's strategy in Iraq was not working and he proposed changes, including possible troop reductions, The New York Times reported Saturday. "In my view it is time for a major adjustment. Clearly, what U.S. forces are currently doing in Iraq is not working well enough or fast enough," Rumsfeld said in the classified memo, dated November 6. The Times posted a copy of the memo along with an article about it on its Web site. The Pentagon confirmed the memo's authenticity but declined to comment further. Rumsfeld, as a planner and defender of Bush's Iraq strategy since well before the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, has been a leading public face of the war. His memo adds to the voices calling on Bush to make a significant shift in strategy as the White House, the Pentagon and a congressionally created study group consider changes.

[The Decider]

Rummy leaves office and suddenly the truth comes out.

Who'd a thunk it?

[ByaKya]

Wow, took him long enough?

[Zeebadee]

" To limit the political fallout from shifting course, Rumsfeld suggested the administration consider a campaign to lower public expectations.

"Announce that whatever new approach the U.S. decides on, the U.S. is doing so on a trial basis," he wrote. "This will give us the ability to readjust and move to another course, if necessary, and therefore not `lose."'

"Recast the U.S. military mission and the U.S. goals (how we talk about them)--go minimalist," he added." Chicago Tribune news | Registration

I'm not sure the public could have much lower expectations of this administration. While GI's are dying in his war, SecDef is worried about the administrations political image.

[RickSp]

Quote by: Zeebadee I'm not sure the public could have much lower expectations of this administration. While GI's are dying in his war, SecDef is worried about the administrations political image.

Typical of Rummy's behavior throughout the war. His complete disregard for the troops is well established.

[rmnunez]

I liked the idea of massively employing Iraqi youth, I'd put them on tree-planting crews and truck them to remote encampments in the countryside. The base reduction is an excellent idea, I had no idea there were so many, there ought to be just those final 5, geographically emplaced from which to move these Rapid Deployment Forces with all the airpower you can imagine. Turn over 100 military encampments currently held by the Coalitioneers to Iraqi regulars, start tomorrow, pull all forces back towards the major 5. This will enable countering terrorism and Iranian operatives, while reducing the profile available to insurgents and some of their grief.

I agree with the idea of rewarding those who work for the success of the mission. Long ago I said this should be done, spend reconstruction dollars in places where things are under control and let the locals do everything they are capable of, foster their employment. If the region has low incidence of insurgent activity, few locals involved -then pull back military forces from towns there. Just give them money, provide any support by way of equipment they may need and thank them for relieving your forces to take care of the more difficult areas.

Rumsfeld is right in that the Iraqi regulars need to be given better equipment and lots of it. They should have helicopters with machine guns and be able to call in for air support. They need to have at least as many fully-qualified as there are foreign military in the same capacity.

[Osborn F Enready]

Does anyone who "doesn't" believe in the bi-partisan conspiracy, think this is odd timing, seeing as how it was refusal of some of these positions that caused that last election loss?

[ByaKya]

Quote by: rmnunez I liked the idea of massively employing Iraqi youth, I'd put them on tree-planting crews and truck them to remote encampments in the countryside. The base reduction is an excellent idea, I had no idea there were so many, there ought to be just those final 5, geographically emplaced from which to move these Rapid Deployment Forces with all the airpower you can imagine. Turn over 100 military encampments currently held by the Coalitioneers to Iraqi regulars, start tomorrow, pull all forces back towards the major 5. This will enable countering terrorism and Iranian operatives, while reducing the profile available to insurgents and some of their grief. I agree with the idea of rewarding those who work for the success of the mission. Long ago I said this should be done, spend reconstruction dollars in places where things are under control and let the locals do everything they are capable of, foster their employment. If the region has low incidence of insurgent activity, few locals involved -then pull back military forces from towns there. Just give them money, provide any support by way of equipment they may need and thank them for relieving your forces to take care of the more difficult areas. Rumsfeld is right in that the Iraqi regulars need to be given better equipment and lots of it. They should have helicopters with machine guns and be able to call in for air support. They need to have at least as many fully-qualified as there are foreign military in the same capacity.

This is all great arm chair general blabber, cept one thing, most iraqis hate the US.
Recent polls show 65 % of iraqis think us troops should be attacked.

Your plan would fail anyway, insurgents know where every construction project is at, they know who is working there and when the best time to attack and destroy it. There is no way to win in iraq, you can either leave now and let the insurgents take over whatever they can, or you can stay and bleed to death just as al qaeda wants you to. Victory is dead

[Zeebadee]

Quote by: rmnunez Rumsfeld is right in that the Iraqi regulars need to be given better equipment and lots of it. They should have helicopters with machine guns and be able to call in for air support. They need to have at least as many fully-qualified as there are foreign military in the same capacity.

Ridiculous. Who would fly and maintain these things?? Even if the Iraqi's could, like the thousands of missing weapons we've sent to Iraq, (Report: 14,000 Weapons Missing In Iraq, Guns, Spare Parts Given To Iraqi Forces Gone; October Death Toll Surpasses 100 - CBS News) how many would end up being used against our own troops??

[ByaKya]

Quote by: Zeebadee Ridiculous. Who would fly and maintain these things?? Even if the Iraqi's could, like the thousands of missing weapons we've sent to Iraq, (Report: 14,000 Weapons Missing In Iraq, Guns, Spare Parts Given To Iraqi Forces Gone; October Death Toll Surpasses 100 - CBS News) how many would end up being used against our own troops??

Some of the heavy arms weapons have already been used against our troops. Having US troops get attacked by black hawk helicopters would indeed be one for the military history books. but then again the pro-war side has already made a few additions of their own

[Zeebadee]

Just a note - while rummy and (presumably) bush continue to worry about their political image, 11 more GI's died in Iraq over the weekend and today.