Where is General Zinni And What Is He Thinking?

In the course of poking around ion the history of the surge I was hit over the head by this, from Dec 2006:

Blurring Political Lines in the Military Debate

By MICHAEL R. GORDON

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 — No military expert was more forthright in opposing the Iraq war than Anthony C. Zinni.

General Zinni, a retired marine who once served as the top American military officer in the Middle East, contended that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was vastly overstated and that invading Iraq would be a burdensome distraction from the struggle against Al Qaeda.

These days General Zinni is delivering another provocative message: that leaving Iraq quickly would strengthen Iranian influence throughout the Middle East, create a sanctuary for terrorist groups, encourage even more sectarian strife in Iraq and risk turmoil in an oil-rich region.

“This is not Vietnam or Somalia or those places where you can walk away,” General Zinni said in a recent interview. (He served in both countries.) “If we just pull out, we will find ourselves back in short order.”

Instead, he says, the United States should leave open the door for a temporary increase in American troops, an argument he included in a broader plan prepared for the World Security Institute, a research organization, and made public on Monday. “It may be necessary to surge them for a short term,” he said.

General Zinni noted that his position was similar to that of Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, a staunch supporter of the decision to invade. “I do believe more troops are required on the ground,” the general said. “I believe what Senator McCain says.”

Two for two. General Zinni is not much in the news, but recently backed more aid for Pakistan.

Comments

[Piehole]

“It may be necessary to surge them for a short term,” he said.

Well then he's an idiot too. The surge was already happening.

[kim]

But still, let's find a leftie to second Zinni on this.
=======================

[Enlightened]

Youch! McCain was for the surge before the surge?

Bless their little brains and hearts the lefties think they can, think they can, reframe the surge.

Madame Blinker said in November 2006 - "Bringing the War to an End is my Highest Priority as Speaker"

Priceless.

[RichatUF]

Enlightened-

The Dems are focusing grouping and polling a few ways to deal with the surge. Once the traveling road show gets back they be able to pour of the data and come up with some sort of coherent statement.

I'm thinking their winner is going to be: there is no war as the security gains are irreversible; the additional troops didn't make a significant difference; the "surge" was well under way before the addition of troops because of Democrat calls for tough diplomacy. The big finish as reported in the WaPo by some Obama stenographers will be that Obama's always been right on Iraq and that US and International opinion is moving towards his views (what ever the polls tell them they should be).

Watch for coordinated talking points in the all the MSM outlets this weekend and the Sunday talkshow circuit.

I can only imagine what his internal polling is looking like on Iraq and his "Commander-in-Chief" pose...

[RichatUF]

opps...suppose 1:40 is bit to early to start drinking...

to pour of the data...to pour over the data...

[Danube of Thought]

Good for Zinni. For those who don't know him, he's an all-but-declared Democrat, and has been positioning himself for a spot in the next Dem administration. He is also the guy who insisted, against staff advice, that USS Cole refuel in Aden.

[Soylent Red]

Right RUF...

This whole thing is being tested and cooked for maximum appeal.

Clinton was "any way the wind blows". Obamessiah seeks to create his own "wind" through I/O.

[narciso]

I've expressed my reservations for General Zinni, before I pointed what Shorrock uncovered about his post military career working with what would be considered
'mercenary' outfits like DynCorp,
particularly their financing Branch. We know from Jason Stanwyck, the press officer
for the 124th NG division; Zinni's role in
First Management; an annuity targeted toward
vets, with some ahem, accounting issues.

I give him props though for ultimately sticking deciding you can't retreat from Iraq; precisely because of its location,
energy considerations, etc. Giving money to Pakistan , means giving it to the Frontier Corps; we've been doing this for a while, hasn't worked very well. Partially because large portions of the feeder population to the FC and the Army; don't consider the jihadis to be their enemies; India, the US, and Israel are the mostly likely choices for adversaries, than the Deobandi/Wahhabi.
The real reason why a surge wouldn't work very well, where it would need to count.

[fdcol63]

Obama's nominee for SecDef will be a toss up between Zinni and Merrill McPeak.

God help us.

[Elliott]

Where does General Zinni figure in the serial? He certainly did not figure in part two. Will he figure in part three? I aver not:

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

A fortnight before Geng Huichang had his unscheduled audience with the Chinese President, those strolling along Government St. shortly before 4 o'clock might have glimpsed a man emerging from the hotel guests only section of the Empress Hotel's tea room.

The man's appearance could not fairly be described as middle aged, though had he not been wearing a straw hat, scattered grey follicles would have been visible and he would have looked older. His clothes were expensive, but his outfit was casual. The addition of an expensive camera attached to a strap around his neck completed the man on holiday look.

But unlike most of those who bring their cameras to the provincial capital, he did not rush across Government St. to photograph the ships in the inner harbor or the imposing parliamentary building that, like the hotel, was located beside the harbor. In fact, though his destination lay to his right, he was not planning a leisurely walk north along the wharf. This was not because he was in a rush, in which case most tourists in his place have turned right toward the taxi stand by the main entrance to the hotel. Instead, he turned left, walking slowly to the side of the hotel and the entrance that leads to the public side of the tea room.

This was the first of a serious carefully planned actions. Once inside, he ducked into the stairwell and, concealing himself as best he could, scrutinized those entering. After a few minutes he was satisfied and, having exited the stairwell, went toward the coat rack of the public tea room. There he claimed the shopping bag that had been left for him and quickly deposited his hat and camera into it.

His next stop was the conference center, where, in a second floor lavatory he donned a well worn brown jacket and a pair of unflattering glasses, each article coming from the shopping bag. He left the lavatory, took the stairs down to the first floor, and emerged behind the hotel on Douglas St.

Though he was quite confident that he had not been followed, his training dictated he take an irregular route. Going first northeast, then west in the direction of the waterfront, he plotted a course through areas of downtown Victoria that are not featured in the travel brochures. Yet only the most careful observer would ever have thought him out of place. Most would form their impression of the man from the tattered jacket he now wore, while his tailored slacks and well made shoes would escape notice.

An hour an a half after he he had exited the tea room he was standing outside his destination in Victoria's Chinatown. His appointment was scheduled for 5:30, and Counsellor Liu, purportedly attached to the Cultural Office within the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Vancouver, had arrived on time.

[Ann]

More, more.......Elliott!!!

(Chapters, pages :))

[hit and run]

Darn. I thought for sure he would encounter John Edwards in the stairwell or second floor lavatory.

[Elliott]

I don't believe horse drawn carriages are not allowed inside hotels there.

[richard mcenroe]

General Zinni stole money from enlisted men. Fuck him.

[battery]

General Zinni stole money from enlisted men. Fuck him.