Day By Day

Friday, April 14, 2006

The Generals Revolt

Dafydd ab Hugh has an excellent analysis of the current controversy over Rummy's administration of the Iraq adventure. [here]

I'm not convinced by his argument that many of the complaining generals harbor Clintonista loyalties, but his analysis of the bureaucratic resistance to Rummy's reform efforts is spot on. Read it and be informed.

One of my correspondents, one in a position to know what happened, has suggested another factor that seems to me to be more plausible than Dafydd's "Clintonista" thesis. After a couple of dustups with the military brass early in his first term Clinton, recognizing the political cost he would pay, became extremely conflict averse. Essentially he let the military alone and under Clinton's appointee, SoD Cohen, field commanders operated with very little oversight, essentially setting up personal fiefdoms within the military structure. With Rummy that came to an end, oversight was reinstated, and many commanders actively resented the interference in what they considered to be their prerogatives. We are now seeing that resentment boil to the surface.

Both Dafydd and my correspondent feel that Gen. Zinni, in particular, is way over the line in his criticism.

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