Another one joins the club

Think Progress has this up

Breaking: Another General Calls For Rumsfeld’s Resignation

CNN is reporting that a fifth retired general is calling for Rumsfeld’s resignation.

“I really believe that we need a new secretary of defense because Secretary Rumsfeld carries way too much baggage with him. … Specifically, I feel he has micromanaged the generals who are leading our forces there,” said retired Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack, former commander of the 82nd Airborne Division.

Actually, this may be the sixth general. Generals Newbold, Eaton, Zinni, and Batiste have gained prominent attention in calling for Rumsfeld’s resignation. But another less-noticed general, Ret. Army Gen. John Riggs, told the Washington Post recently:

[Riggs] believes that his peer group is “a pretty closemouthed bunch” but that, even so, his sense is “everyone pretty much thinks Rumsfeld and the bunch around him should be cleared out.”

Given the inability of Bush to do what needs to be done, it’s time to revisit one of “Rumsfeld’s Rules” pertaining to presidential staff:

Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the President and do wonders for your performance.

Swannack led the 82nd during the first months of the occupation. He retired after commanding the premier division in the US Army, when that job was almost certain to lead to both higher command and another star, for a reason.

This isn't just a coincidence. The Army is going to fall apart this summer as the number of new enlistments can't keep pace with the number of people leaving the Army. Even worse, the quality of the new enlistments have dropped like a rock. For the units which started the war, their members are now facing a fourth combat tour. How many marriages can withstand that, how many psyches?

The equipment in Iraq is clapped out and needs to be replaced. Guard and Reserve units are also losing members. They didn't sign up for years of war and multiple combat tours. Much less the back door draft. Lives are being ruined, and in far less traumatic ways than comabt injuries.

How many marriages can withstand the loss of much of their income, the seperation, the stress of a combat deployment they were never expecting.

Bush is killing the Army day by day.

Why do you think the Iranians aren't scared of US reaction to their nuke program. They know they can tip the US Army into crisis in Iraq and cut oil supplies. They can create a crisis, long, long before anyone plans a nuclear attack.

When you start to lose division commanders like Swannack, I mean he commanded the 82nd, it indicates a deeper problem in the Army. Given the serious responsibilities of the 82nd ABN, only those likely to go higher up would get that command, same with the 101st. A list of 82nd commanders includes some of the Army's best officers. It is a job for those likely to move up.

This isn't going to be the last officer to leave earlier than he planned.

posted by Steve @ 12:02:00 AM