Planning For After The War In Iraq Non-Existent (Bush Is Toast)

[KittyWampus]

Thanks to fellow DU'er Troublemaker for spotting this.
By WARREN P. STROBEL and JOHN WALCOTT

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - In March 2003, days before the start of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, American war planners and intelligence officials met at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina to review the Bush administration's plans to oust Saddam Hussein and implant democracy in Iraq.


Near the end of his presentation, an Army lieutenant colonel who was giving a briefing showed a slide describing the Pentagon's plans for rebuilding Iraq after the war, known in the planners' parlance as Phase 4-C. He was uncomfortable with his material - and for good reason.


The slide said: "To Be Provided."


A Knight Ridder review of the administration's Iraq policy and decisions has found that it invaded Iraq without a comprehensive plan in place to secure and rebuild the country. The administration also failed to provide some 100,000 additional U.S. troops that American military commanders originally wanted to help restore order and reconstruct a country shattered by war, a brutal dictatorship and economic sanctions.


In fact, some senior Pentagon officials had thought they could bring most American soldiers home from Iraq by September 2003. ........

"We didn't go in with a plan. We went in with a theory," said a veteran State Department officer who was directly involved in Iraq policy.

snip

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/9927782.htm

[qanda]

1. This is not just a shame

It is a crime! Arrest Bush and all the rest of those fools.

[speedoo]

2. Anger and heartbreak.

Those are the two most significant feelings I have when I read this.

Of course, the only thing that's new about this is the number of agencies and groups that warned Rumsfeld, shrub, Cheyney, etc. of what was going to happen.

I pray that after Kerry takes office, there is a full congressional investigation of these failures and that Rumsfeld, Feith, Perle, Cheney, Rice, Bush and others are prosecuted as war criminals.

The blood of 1,000 soldiers is on their hands.

[TacticalPeek]

3. The worst thing is these fools STILL think everything they did was perfect

"Central Command originally proposed a force of 380,000 to attack and occupy Iraq. Rumsfeld's opening bid was about 40,000, "a division-plus," said three senior military officials who participated in the discussions. Bush and his top advisers finally approved the 250,000 troops the commanders requested to launch the invasion. But the additional troops that the military wanted to secure Iraq after Saddam's regime fell were either delayed or never sent."

----------------

Hats off to these reporters for a GREAT article!

:kick:

[Moderator]

4. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=910128



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