Tuesday, March 14, 2006
British memos reported US failures in Iraq...
back in 2003. The memos excerpts of which are printed in the Guardian newspaper. Provide a scathing indictment of the US post invasion response in Iraq and an impressive laundry list of administrative failures.
Among the observations made in the memos:
· A lack of interest by the US commander, General Tommy Franks, in the post-invasion phase.
· The presence in the capital of the US Third Infantry Division, which took a heavyhanded approach to security.
· Squandering the initial sympathy of Iraqis.
· Bechtel, the main US civilian contractor, moving too slowly to reconnect basic services, such as electricity and water.
· Failure to deal with health hazards, such as 40% of Baghdad's sewage pouring into the Tigris and rubbish piling up in the streets.
· Sacking of many of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party, even though many of them held relatively junior posts.
In addition John Sawers, Tony Blair's envoy in Iraq, is quoted as saying of the US response, "No leadership, no strategy, no coordination, no structure and inaccessible to ordinary Iraqis."
Hmm, that sounds strangely similar to this administration's response to Katrina, as well as their execution of Medicare reform, and their plan for Social Security. I shudder to think what will occur if this administration faced an even larger challenge like say, an Avian Flu pandemic.
Among the observations made in the memos:
· A lack of interest by the US commander, General Tommy Franks, in the post-invasion phase.
· The presence in the capital of the US Third Infantry Division, which took a heavyhanded approach to security.
· Squandering the initial sympathy of Iraqis.
· Bechtel, the main US civilian contractor, moving too slowly to reconnect basic services, such as electricity and water.
· Failure to deal with health hazards, such as 40% of Baghdad's sewage pouring into the Tigris and rubbish piling up in the streets.
· Sacking of many of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party, even though many of them held relatively junior posts.
In addition John Sawers, Tony Blair's envoy in Iraq, is quoted as saying of the US response, "No leadership, no strategy, no coordination, no structure and inaccessible to ordinary Iraqis."
Hmm, that sounds strangely similar to this administration's response to Katrina, as well as their execution of Medicare reform, and their plan for Social Security. I shudder to think what will occur if this administration faced an even larger challenge like say, an Avian Flu pandemic.
