"Scolding Donald Rumsfeld"

[Equilibrium]

The author wrote in my opinion, one of the best critical analysis of Iraq war policy with his book "Fiasco".

How does an Army chief of staff chew out his boss, the defense secretary?

Gen. Eric K. Shinseki shows how it's done in this letter written to Donald H. Rumsfeld just before Shinseki stepped down in June 2003. During the run-up to the war, the general told Congress that more troops would be needed to secure Iraq, which earned him a famously public rebuke by then-Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz. Shinseki was said to still be angry about the dust-up when he retired.

The general's letter may be more history than news at this point, but its criticism of the way Rumsfeld's office worked does shed some additional light on the development of the mess in Iraq. And Shinseki's comments are particularly interesting because he has maintained an almost total silence in the five years since his retirement. This may be the most we ever learn about his perspective.

washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines

[astralis]

the link:

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-s...s/shinseki.pdf

[Equilibrium]

the link:

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-s...s/shinseki.pdf

Thanks for the correction astralis.

[Blademaster]

Good letter. I respect Shineski for putting behind the bitterness associated with his forced retirement and attempting to impart his best military advice as he was sworn to do.

Shows great character. I wonder what he is up to nowadays.

[TopHatter]

Eric Shinseki

However else people might feel about about him, for whatever reason, I believe that General Shinseki was a better man, a better soldier and a better USA CoS than a stiff-necked prick like Rumsfeld deserved.

[astralis]

TH,

it literally makes my stomach hurt and (thankfully not so literally) my blood boil every time i read wolfowitz's, rumsfeld's, and (douglas) keith's response to gen. shinseki's comments pre-war.

i think history will bear this statement out, that it will perhaps one of the more tragic and poignant "what-ifs" of the 21st century. what if we had followed shinseki's testimony...

[Officer of Engineers]

Believe me, people, Gen Shinseki takes no pleasure at being right and would've love being wrong. There's no vindication watching Flag draped coffins coming home.

[Blademaster]

OOE,

do you know what he is up to nowadays?

[Shek]

OOE,

do you know what he is up to nowadays?

He pops in on occasion to assist the Leadership program at USMA and to interact wth cadets in that major/department.

[Blademaster]

How do cadets and you and your peer view him now?

[S2]

Four Star Chit-chat

It's always a gas to see these guys express themselves. So oblique and yet so pointed if you understand the jargon.

Fun stuff, these spats at the top.

[sourkraut115]

That answered a lot of questions. If I may display some ignorance, what is the "1-4-2-1" force-sizing?

[S2]

sourkraut115

"The 2004 NDS directs a force sized to defend the homeland, deter forward in and from four regions, and conduct two, overlapping “swift defeat” campaigns. Even when committed to a limited number of lesser contingencies, the force must be able to “win decisively” in one of the two campaigns. This “1-4-2-1” force-sizing construct places a premium on increasingly innovative and efficient methods to achieve objectives."

OSD- National Military Strategy of the United States of America- 2004

[sourkraut115]

So this is the replacement for the "two major regional conflicts, all ongoing commitments, and homeland defense" policy?

[Shek]

How do cadets and you and your peer view him now?

I can't speak for the cadets since I'm in a different department and as a group, the cadets are not very knowledgeable of recent history, so I don't think they really would have much to say. High school was spent text messaging and IMing, not reading about OIF and OEF.

If I had to sum up GEN Shinseki's reign as the CSA in the most simple terms, a thumbs down for the black beret and a big thumbs up for speaking truth to power and then having the dignity to stand above it all when he was being thrown under the bus.