Tucker: Active-Duty Generals Will ‘Revolt’ Against Bush If He Maintains Escalation Into 2008

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/13/generals-revolt/

Tucker: Active-Duty Generals Will ‘Revolt’ Against Bush If He Maintains Escalation Into 2008

Appearing on NBC’s Chris Matthews Show this morning, Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Cynthia Tucker revealed that sources within the military are warning of “a revolt from active-duty generals if September rolls around and the president is sticking with the surge into ‘08.” Watch it at link~

Noting that retired generals such as Gen. John Batiste have already begun voicing their discontent with the president’s strategy in Iraq, Tucker added that the generals “don’t want to fall by the wayside like the generals in Vietnam did, kept pushing a war that they knew was lost.”

When President Bush vetoed the Iraq timeline legislation earlier this month, he claimed that “the measure would ‘impose impossible conditions on our commanders in combat’ by forcing them to ‘take fighting directions from politicians 6,000 miles away in Washington, DC.’”

But despite past claims that “the right force level” will be determined by “the sober judgement of our military leaders,” the Bush administration has a proven track record of disregarding the advice of military leaders. As recently as last December, when the White House was first pushing its escalation plan, the administration explicitly ignored “the unanimous disagreement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

It appears the commanders on the ground in Iraq are getting tired of “taking fighting directions” from a politician “6,000 miles away” in the White House. And they might not stay quiet for long.

Transcript:

TUCKER: Look for a revolt from active-duty generals if September rolls around and the president is sticking with the surge into ‘08. We’ve already heard from retired generals. But my Atlanta Journal-Constitution colleague Jay Bookman has lots of sources among currently serving military officers who don’t want to fall by the wayside like the generals in Vietnam did, kept pushing a war that they knew was lost.

[hippiechick]

He'll just replace them with some underling yes men ...

Never let it be said that "The Commander and Deciderer" took advice from his military professionals ...


:eyes:

[hippiechick]

1. oops, dupe comment

n/t

[KittyWampus]

2. is there an historical precedent of this? it seems unusual.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. No problem.

Why doesn't Bush keep doing what he's been doing and give the job to a College Republican fresh out of school?

[speedoo]

4. It's time for Pace, Myers and all the other high level generals to go public.

Pace is a Marine, he has to know that additional troops are dying because of the surge policy he is allowing. The rest of the JC's, standing with pace in some kind of announcement ceremony, would be pretty impressive.

Myers is an Air Force stooge, I have no confidence in him.

Colon Powell also has an opportunity here to salvage some honor.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. I doubt it.

The only time the military revolts is when the grunts on the ground go into search and avoid mode. The top has too much corrupt revolving door military industrial complex back slapping at stake to 'revolt'. Nobody wants to be in charge when the plug gets pulled.