Former U.S. Iraq Commander on Bush's Failure

In that capacity, I saw firsthand the consequences of the administration's failure to devise a strategy for victory in Iraq that employed, in a coordinated manner, the political, economic, diplomatic and military power of the United States. That failure continues today. At its base is the mistaken belief, despite years of evidence to the contrary, that victory can be achieved through the application of military power alone.

Exactly right, this Administration apparently never read Clausewitz, because it certainly doesn't seem to understand that war is politics by another means.  To this bunch, war is war is war.  Period.  Politics?  Diplomacy? What are those?  Duhhhh.

More Sanchez, this time on the damage Bush and the Republicans have done to our military:

...It will take the Army at least a decade to repair the damage done to its full-spectrum readiness, which is at its lowest level since the Vietnam War. In the meantime, the ability of our military to fully execute our national security strategy will be called into doubt, producing what is, in my judgment, unacceptable strategic risk.

Let's face it, if a Democrat had been in power while the military was being decimated, Rush and his dittoheads would be gearing up to tar and feather the person in a heartbeat.  But Bush gets a free pass, pretty much.  Gee, I wonder why THAT is.

Meanwhile, as we've been distracted by a leaderless, strategy-less war in Iraq, one that our fighting men and women have done an incredible job at salvaging despite the utter incompetence of their top "leaders," the rest of the world's been falling apart.  Whether it's the Taliban resurgent in Afghanistan, the move "back to the brink in the Balkans, the turmoil in Lebanon, or the absurdly belated stab at Arab-Israeli peace after 7 years of almost criminal neglect (and much bloodshed), the Republicans have proven time and time again that:

a) they are NOT friends of our military or our fighting men (see the Walter Reed scandal;

b) they have absolutely ZERO concept of strategy, Clausewitzian or any other brand;

c) they have no clue about getting us off our addiction to oil from countries that hate us (and that brutally punish victims of gang rape, and that are the main source for terrorist coming into Iraq to kill Americans (not to mention the source of 15 of 19 hijackers on 9/11, plus Osama bin Laden himself)

The bottom line is that Lt. General Sanchez is right about Bush's strategic failure in Iraq.  He just might have added several other countries to the list as well.

P.S.  Whoops, I nearly forgot the Bush Administration's ineffectual and feeble attempts to engage Iran, rather than lead us on a path where there's nothing else to do but either let them get nuclear weapons or "bomb bomb bomb" the country.  Once again, as in so many areas, "HECKUVA JOB, Republicans!"

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