Thursday, December 20, 2007

Good news from U.S. Military! - our best hope?

Long ago I noted that CentComm Commander Adm Fallon may be our best hope against a pre-emptive strike against Iran on any pretext, he having put himself on the record declaring that Iran would not be attacked on his watch.

News from the past few days suggests that others in uniform are also getting fed up with W's heavy-handed agenda.

On 15 Dec the Boston Globe reported that the White House was seeking to politicize promotions within the Judge Advocate Corps by having political Pentagon appointees vet all proposed promotions.
On 18 Dec the Army Times reports that Plan to politicize JAG promotions blocked:
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Thursday Dec 20, 2007 9:03:22 EST
An attempt within the Pentagon to politicize promotions for military judge advocates general appears to have been blocked after protests from military lawyers and threats from key lawmakers.
In other heartening news, USN Capt Keith J. Allred, JAGC, ruled in favor of Gitmo detainee Salim Ahmed Hamdan regarding his request for a hearing to determine his status as a POW. Capt Allred found that the Combatant Status Review Tribunal before which Hamdan has appeared had not the competence to determine, and did not in fact address the issue of, Hamdan's alleged status as a POW. Another blow for team W.

In still other news, Marine Maj. Gen. Doug Stone, who oversees detainees for the US-led force wonders, Do U.S. prisons in Iraq breed insurgents?
By Gordon Lubold
Thu Dec 20
Christian Science Monitor
Washington - American officials have detained thousands of insurgents in the months since the surge of forces began this spring, in an effort that most agree has improved security in Iraq. But now the commander of the American detention facilities in Iraq is wondering aloud if holding all those detainees is breeding a "micro-insurgency" and asking whether it's time to begin releasing thousands of people.

Does anyone recall W's proposed "gift" to the new Iraq?
A new Iraq will also need a humane, well-supervised prison system. ... America will fund the construction of a modern, maximum security prison.[Remarks by the President on Iraq and the War on Terror
United States Army War College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
24 May 2004]

In a related note,
Afghanistan Commanders Want Iraq Troops
By Mark Impomeni
Dec 17th 2007
AOL News
The U.S. military is looking to step up its efforts in Afghanistan and is pressuring the White House for troops from Iraq to help strengthen it's fight against Taliban militants. The Administration is said to be cautious about removing troops from Iraq, in order to protect the military progress made there over the past year. However, commanders in Afghanistan are seeking an additional three combat battalions and see a planned drawdown in Iraq as a potential source of troops for their conflict.

Will W listen to his generals?

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