US general damns Iraq 'nightmare'

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US general damns Iraq 'nightmare'


Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez said the US currently was only delaying defeat
A former US military chief in Iraq has condemned the current strategy in the conflict, which he warned was "a nightmare with no end in sight".

Retired Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez also labelled US political leaders as "incompetent" and "corrupted".

He said they would have faced courts martial for dereliction of duty had they been in the military.

The best the US could manage under the current approach in Iraq was to "stave off defeat", Gen Sanchez warned.

"There is no question that America is living a nightmare with no end in sight," he said, addressing journalists at Arlington, near Washington.

'Desperate'

A catalogue of political misjudgements had paved the way for the insurgency after the fall of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, according to Gen Sanchez.

He blamed the US disbanding of the Iraqi military as well as the failure to set up swiftly civilian government and cement ties with tribal leaders.

US troops on patrol in Baghdad
Gen Sanchez commanded coalition forces in Iraq for a year

The White House this year injected an extra 30,000 US troops into Iraq in the hope of stemming sectarian violence and sowing some political stability.

But Gen Sanchez branded this so-called "surge" strategy a "desperate attempt" to make up for years of shortcomings.

"The best we can do with this flawed approach is stave off defeat," he warned.

The White House responded by pointing to the report by current commander Gen David Petraeus and US Ambassador Ryan Crocker, who said the situation was difficult but marked by gradual improvements.

White House spokesman Trey Bohn said: "We appreciate his (Gen Sanchez's) service to the country... As General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker have said, there is more work to be done, but progress is being made in Iraq."

Gen Sanchez was commander of coalition forces in Iraq for a year from mid-2003.

He retired last year in the aftermath of the scandal over detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. He was cleared of any wrongdoing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle ... 042805.stm

What would happen if all levels of government, the police, the military were disbanded, a price put on their head, and hunted down to be hung, in the United States?

Besides that, the money is made worthless, there is no water, no food, and we have more guns than the Iraqis.

Close the schools, end employment, make everybody stay in their houses, and kill people at random.

It would be the same as Iraq.

George Bush did bring them Democracy, a Police State run with lots of guns, no law, no freedoms, no Constitution, just Homeland Security, another name for Secret Police.

Europe knows all about this path and where it leads.

Vote them all out, at every level!

Yes, I too wonder about the future of Iraq. I have little faith in many of our political leaders also.

I do think that in time if the world got involved (yes, i know, it sucks that im basicly calling on the world to fix our major screw up, sorry ) , but I think if the US left and the UN decided to come back to try and stabalize as a more neutral force, then the Iraqi's may be able to stand up and build a governement and stable nation, that or even divide the country along ethnic lines??????

I see no success for my country in Iraq, only death and defeat, we should pull out, but then thatll make us look like we lost (hmmm... didnt we leave some country in defeat like 30+ years ago AND after a 14 year long war!! )

Its eather that or because we fail and the UN wont get involved, we eather stay and die or leave and turn Iraq into a haven for terrorism that will affect the world for gnerations.

We have created a horrible mess, and ill admit, politicans have tough jobs, they make decisions many cannot make, or will not make true... but lets face it, once again they let us down, and made the US look even worse in the eyes of the world.

Even in postWWII Europe and Japan, in the ex-fascist countries the police and the civil service were retained because people were well aware that they needed them for the country to function, even though in many of thesde countries the Allies had a military presence that, relative to the country's population, was larger than the US presence in Iraq. Even in Germany, the economic elite was also preserved; in Japan, Hirohito remained head of state (after the surrender, there was noa rmed resistance whatsoever in Japan). the first priority was order, followed by economic reconstruction. Grass-roots politics took precedence over national elections. if Bush truly believed the war against terror was like WWII, wouldn't applying the methods that worked then have been a good place to start? Instead, he disbanded all police forces and the army, repealed all laws except a law banning unions, fired all baathists (i.e. anybody with actual experience), and US troops stood by while looters wrecked the place (in postwar Europe, the Allies would've shot them on sight).
The surge is better at containing violence than before the surge, but it is not creating a viable government or anything that can unify Iraq. I think it will go the way of Yugoslavia.

Dont worry about Iraq, the Iraqis are very astute and resourceful people who will rebuild their society in no time once the invaders are their Machiavellian schemes are thwarted.

The USA on the other hand has badly played their hand in Iraq and it ha set a whole chain reaction of Geopolitical miscalculations.

The Iraqi resistance has shown what true grit and style is in dismantling and destroying the USA professional superpower army using antiquated weaponry.

The USA has made great errors in Ukraine and also with Russia and China.

USA will spend hundreds of Billions (2 trillions?) on an investment in order to plunder and steal Iraqi oil but will not benefit 1 cent.

Now China has the industry and will soon take Taiwan.

Russia is rich with oil and gas and now that they are expensive is facing a very lucrative future and is not pleased with the Wests hand in their being plundered by the western backed Yeltsins buddys.

For the USA it is looking like it will become like Africa.

Jeeze man... sometimes you make sence and I agree with you then other times you say weird ass stuff that is difficult to understand, i wonder if its a cultural/communication thing.

ANyways, I really hope the the US leaves Iraq, and that the Iraqi's can rebuild their nation and society and have a govnerment that works for all the people, and they can live safely and prosperously.

The US has screwed up in Iraq and in many other places, as well as at home, and I sure hope someday these politicans that did bad things are held accountible, and that the US can in the future be more willing to be diplomatic and wont start wars but stop them as well as work with the rest of the world and not against it. The US needs to fix our international global policy, the use of force is not working and should be last resort.

While some insurgents have had an effect on the US military, they are by no means distroying the American Superpower professional army, America still remains strong even tho we will loose the war in Iraq and may not be prepaired for major conflict elseware we do remain the top military power and will for a long time to come.

I dont understand the errors with Ukrane, Russia and China, but I do know we need to work more with these nations and less against them, symbionic relationship worldwide should be encouraged.

Indeed we invested a large amout of $$ in our wars, all I know is oil shipping remains and I payed less for gasoline to drive this year then last, tho their may be little correlation, I think the reason Iraq has not collapsed into civil war is because of our investment that exceeds just $$

China does have an esplosive economy, unfortunatly I doubt they will take Thiawan anytime in the near future. China also needs to get their economy under control, perhapse even reduce it or they may have problems in the near future with resession and currency devaluation.

Russia and the US have many resources, and the melting artic promisses even more gas, oil resources, however Russia has many more domestic issues to deal with and should not be worried about building weapons or makine stupid investments elsewhere but instead about their people starving and needing a more stable economy/currency. they have in recent years improved.

The USA will become africa... hmmm... again, dont see this happeining anytime soon. America is doing... well... at least decently, id like to see things improve and more power in the hands of the people and politicans with ethics and the willingness to do what is right.

I live in New York State, about 200 miles away from NYC, whereabouts do you live, I assume you are middle eastern?? Tho our views may be different, I think we also shair some common thoughts and I would like to be friends and not fight over beleifs!

Woodsman25 you sound like a very decent and astute fellow. Thanks all you folks its good to see there are people who know whats what.

why thank you sir! , I also feel the same about you, tho we may be from different backrounds and their may be some hostilities between your people and my country (which are very reasonable, I think I understand) I see no reason why we cant get along and discuss these issues in a friendly way. Its too bad people like us are not in office I really think more hand shaking and less violence could occure in our world. I hope our generation does not make the same mistakes our parents generation have!!

I hope whereever you are Manalitwist that you have safety, security and prosperity thruought your life.

heh, I say that only cause Ill assume you are Iraqi or from that area, if/when we leave I hope that area as a whole can improve.