Col David Hackworths memo to the president elect.

[fishface]

Since our commander-in-chief announced “mission accomplished” on May 1, 2003, the insurgents have seized the initiative in Iraq. And we’re also not winning the even-more-consequential worldwide battle against the Islamic jihadists. All because our forces are trying to do too much with too little the wrong way.



Lately, I’ve been shoveling through literally truckloads of reader queries along the lines of “OK, Hack, you spent most of the past two years griping, so what’s your solution?” It’s a question that needs an answer. So, as a long-term student of insurgent warfare and a soldier who’s fought guerrillas in post-World-War-II Italy, during the Korean War and for more than four years in Vietnam, here’s what I would do:



* Immediately fire SecDef Donald Rumsfeld, all of his Pentagon senior civilian assistants and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers.



* Replace Rumsfeld with retired Gen. Anthony Zinni and give this tough, smart, proven leader a free hand to bring in the best people to reshape and streamline our armed forces for the long counterinsurgency fight ahead.



* Fire National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and replace her with retired Gens. Wes Clark or John Sheehan.



* Establish a military objective – an often-neglected Principle of War – that will include: how the U.S. is going to regain the lost initiative (another neglected Principle of War) and how we’re going to take and hold the turf seized by insurgents; how we will then win the Iraqi people to our side in the fight against the insurgents; how the nascent Iraqi defense shield will eventually replace our forces; and a detailed, coherent exit plan.

http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Hacks%20Target%20Homepage.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=88&rnd=774.2883552713915

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Got this article emailed to me

by a friend, and I've passed it on. Hackworth is great!

[charlyvi]

2. I've seen Hackworth on Larry King

He's a man of few words, but his words make sense.

[southern democrat]

3. The president elect huh,

[Eloriel]

4. I love Hack

He's great, and his point of view is SO needed right now.

[dogtag]

5. Me thinks Col. Hackworth and JK have already

been doing some talking. Most of Hack's points are already incorporated in JK's plan.

[Auntie Bush]

6. I hope Kerry takes his advice and makes Wes Clark NSA.

Of course I think he should be SoS.

[LynnTheDem]

15. They protested Vietnam together

And I DARE any freeping rightwingnut try and smear Hack.

[troubleinwinter]

7. WAHOOOOO!!!!

I have been HOPING for General Zinni!!!! Yessssssssss.

[mmonk]

8. An exit plan?

It thought this was "enduring". Nice concept though. Hackworth has his stuff together.

[TacticalPeek]

9. Kick.

:kick:

[leftofthedial]

10. good advice

the Iraq invasion went pretty well, considering there was virtually no resistance.

But since then, the entire fiasco has been a debacle. The bushgang have constantly played politics, there is no mission, there is no exit strategy, supply has been botched, we have too few troops, the country has no idea why we are there (other than the sheeple who believe the political lies of the bushgang), and the region has been destabilized.

Utter, complete disaster.

[anarchy1999]

11. Finally, a real exit plan!

Thank you Col. Hacksworth. Finally, a voice of reason in all the insanity. This is a gentleman that cares first for the troops, I think. I do believe he's far smarter and has many more good ideas than any one in charge right now. I like the "you're fired and replaced with".

[anarchy1999]

17. A kick to the top for a real exit plan on behalf of our soldiers, from a

real soldier. (with reservations, but it's the best I've seen put forth yet).

[RummyTheDummy]

12. I e-mailed Hack a couple months ago

Just out of the blue and not expecting a response. It was at the time the Swift Boat thing was going full bore. I simply asked him point blank, were there atrocities committed by US soldiers in Vietnam. At the time the Repugs were claiming none had taken place whatsoever. Not a single incident.

His response was quick and brief. He basically said that atrocities were widespread and it was ridiculous for people to pretend it didn't happen. He should know, he was there for a long time.

I love the guy.

[LynnTheDem]

14. He did 4 tours.

Yes, he knows all about the atrocities that were committed in Vietnam. Repugs are incredibly stupid.

[LynnTheDem]

13. I heart Hack!

A wild & wicked past ;) but he knows what he's talking about when it's war & troops. :)

[Maddy McCall]

16. Dayum, I love this guy. Smart AND Handsome

And anyone who disagrees with me, I don't care. :-)