Originally posted by zraver
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2. Franks was retired on active duty when the de-Baathification decision was made. Because of this, he wasn't in tune with the information about what de-Baathification meant in terms of consequences.
3. The geographical combatant command is responsible for the war plan, which includes how the military endstate achieves the national endstate. The war plan which existed when Franks took command had a robust post war stabilization component which would allow for post-war governance. Franks didn't even know much about this and then allowed it to be neutered with a myopic focus on the march to Baghdad. This is the job of the military professional to ask these questions and plan for, even if the civilian chain of command doesn't. If they make a decision to override this, then that's the deal, but you don't abrogate your responsibilities.
Bottomline, Franks should have never been a combatant commander. He rode on the success of tactical commands and networking to the top and was exposed. Cobra II and Fiasco clearly argue this and then when you contrast Franks to Petraeus, you'll find a world of difference in terms of standing up with a voice to be heard.
Originally posted by zraver
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