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Former Centcom commander says heads should roll at Pentagon
Washington, Oct 01: A former top US military commander has called for the dismissal of key Pentagon officials, saying he was `disappointed` by their failure to properly plan for post-war developments in Iraq and warning that the US military could reach `the breaking point.`
Washington, Oct 01: A former top US military commander has called for the dismissal of key Pentagon officials, saying he was "disappointed" by their failure to properly plan for post-war developments in Iraq and warning that the US military could reach "the breaking point."
Retired General Anthony Zinni, who headed the US central command from 1997 to 2000, did not name the officials he would like to see leave.
But when asked on a television channel, "If heads should roll at the Department of Defence, Zinni answered: "absolutely." "Any time we lose lives, any time we have miscalculated, any time we have to go back to the American people and ask for more treasure, more sacrifice and it was not calculated and it should have been, then somebody should be held responsible," he pointed out.
He also made it clear he did not think highly of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the main driving force behind 'Operation Iraqi Freedom'.
"I'm disappointed in the planning for this operation," Zinni said when asked to assess Rumsfeld's performance. "I'm disappointed in what was advertised as transformation of the military. I have yet to see it. I don't understand it. I see a military that's very strained, that could reach the breaking point." The interview marked the second time the non-nonsense former Centcom (Central Command) commander and Middle East special envoy blasted President George W Bush's administration's handling of the war and military affairs in general.
Bureau Report
But when asked on a television channel, "If heads should roll at the Department of Defence, Zinni answered: "absolutely." "Any time we lose lives, any time we have miscalculated, any time we have to go back to the American people and ask for more treasure, more sacrifice and it was not calculated and it should have been, then somebody should be held responsible," he pointed out.
He also made it clear he did not think highly of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the main driving force behind 'Operation Iraqi Freedom'.
"I'm disappointed in the planning for this operation," Zinni said when asked to assess Rumsfeld's performance. "I'm disappointed in what was advertised as transformation of the military. I have yet to see it. I don't understand it. I see a military that's very strained, that could reach the breaking point." The interview marked the second time the non-nonsense former Centcom (Central Command) commander and Middle East special envoy blasted President George W Bush's administration's handling of the war and military affairs in general.
Bureau Report