Larry Johnson:Bye Bye, Perfect Peter

[cal04]

Let there be no doubt -- Perfect Peter Pace has been shown the door because of his letter to Judge Walton pleading on behalf of Scooter Libby. That letter was the final straw demonstrating his incompetence and political tin ear as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

How can you call upon troops to conduct themselves with honor and integrity when you make lame excuses for the conduct of a convicted perjurer and obstructer of justice like Scooter Libby? Pace's Libby letter was the tipping point. His status, already shaky with the debacle of Iraq and a six year record of failure, became toxic with that letter.

"Perfect" Peter Pace and I share one thing in common. We both worked, at one time in our careers, for a crusty old Marine Colonel, Dominick (Dick) R. Gannon. Dick Gannon is like a second father to me and has been a critical mentor in my life. Dick is a warrior's warrior, not afraid to fight, but would not put troops in harm's way unless there is a good reason and clear objective.

During the invasion of Grenada in 1983, Dick reported to Senior State Department officials that a team of Navy SEALS, who had been dropped into the ocean to infiltrate the island, had drowned and that a new mission was being organized. The State Department officials said, "never mind, it is not that important".

When Dick recounted this incident to me in 1989 he still boiled with anger. How dare U.S. officials send military personnel on a mission where their lives were at risk that was not important or critical. I learned from Dick that a leader--military or political--should not ever do such a thing. Unfortunately, Peter Pace did not listen closely enough to Dick.

I believe that Perfect Peter has dishonored himself and dishonored the Marine Corps by his conduct--his weak, vacillating leadership and his craven pandering to political masters. Pace's nickname, "Perfect Peter", is not a term of endearment. It is an acknowledgment that Peter has been more willing than others to sell his soul for political expediency. He leaves in September. Good riddance.


Update <2007-6-8 13:58:45 by L C Johnson>: NOTE: I've rewritten this throughout.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/8/13242/67045

[mod mom]

1. That letter in praise of Libby, did speak volumes about his allegiance.

Glad he is gone.

[Me.]

2. That Was My Thought Too

That the letter for Libby did him in.

www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1069776

[pacalo]

3. Question: the letter did him in because...

(1) Military rules of ethics/conduct restrict him from voicing his opinion on judicial/political matters?

(2) He would have had a hard time getting re-confirmed by the Senate when his two-year appointment was up?

[Me.]

7. He Should Stay Out Of Civilian Matters

That's for sure. But also, writing a letter of support for a man who has effectively committed treason and thought it was sure all right to commit perjury and obstruct justice brings his judgment into question as well as his alliances. Is he a neo-con like Wayne Downing? If he is, the last thing we need is a neo-con chief of staff.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

4. Last week, Pace evoked 9/11 and said that almost as many troops have died in

Iraq. Almost? Almost? He doesn't know how many of our troops have died in the name of this immoral, illegal war and he was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs??? I was also sick to my stomach about what a political tool he is.

:puke:

[annabanana]

5. Thanks for that interesting perspective... I hadn't thought

that any of them gave a tinker's damn about a "tin ear" anymore.

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

6. What's really screwed up is that he's not alone.

How many generals have waited until their number was up before they spoke out against this illegal, immoral, disgusting and degrading spactacle of death and destruction of honorable men and innocents? Too damn many! "Perfect Peter" is just another groveling sycophant who symbolizes the depths to which even our one-vaunted military has fallen.

Patton, Bradley, and Eisenhower must be spinning in their graves, that their carefully crafted legacy has come to this. "Peter Punk' is a more apt moniker.

And his successor is a Christianist Doninionist freak of the first order! The leadership of our military has reached the Nth level of depraved indifference to the lives they have squandered for their own self-aggrandizement.

And oh, yeah - Good Luck, General Lute - you 4th-tier medal-grubbing twit. Willing fall-guy for Cheney, Rummy, Condi, and whatever know-nothing idealogue trash is posing as National Security Advisor!

Peterless Pace - a limp dildo if there ever was one. FU, please go away NOW!

[Coexist]

8. Here's the letter he wrote:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0605071libby13.html