(Adm. William Fallon) 'I don't know the details' (of Bush's new Iraq plan)

[sabra]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20070131-121249-2282r.htm

'I don't know the details'
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The admiral picked by President Bush to oversee his new strategy for Iraq testified yesterday that he does not know much about the plan that the administration says will determine whether the U.S. wins the war.

"I have not gotten into the detail of these plans," Adm. William J. Fallon told the Senate Armed Services Committee, adding that he has been concentrating on his current job as head of the U.S. Pacific Command.
Adm. Fallon specifically declined to endorse Mr. Bush's plan, saying he first has to get to the region and assess matters.

The admiral's lack of knowledge startled some senators.
"I'm surprised that you don't have that understanding going in, frankly," said Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat and panel chairman. He had asked whether the flow of new troops could be slowed based on battlefield conditions.

...

"I do not know the details of how he plans to use" the new troops, Adm. Fallon said. "I'm sure he's going to have to consult with his generals on the ground once he gets into position and then figure it out."

[C_U_L8R]

1. no one knows the details

especially Bush

[Jacobin]

2. The generals don't want more troops but the Decider is gonna

send them some anyway, so he can pretend we are doing something 'different' in IraqNam and give it a clever name that focus groups like, something like, oh, "The Way Forward", something that a nice brain candy beach book title would sound like.

Let congress piss and moan a bit and argue about it to salve the voters, but then carry on as usual.

That is what we are up against.

[Old and In the Way]

3. The message couldn't be much clearer.

Bush is clueless on how to "win" and his commanders are unable to probe the vast wasteland of his mind to devine the plan. "We just have to win" is no plan at all.

[SutaUvaca]

4. Damn! Fallon's not there for the Irag fight at all.

He must just be there for the Iran invasion.
How can Fallon undertake or accept his new command and NOT know Chumpster's plan, unless he has no reason to care.
He must know instead the plan for Iran for which his Navy experience is so important.

[amandabeech]

11. Yup, the admiral is all about Iran.

However, I don't think that there will be a full scale invasion at this time--there simply aren't the troops to do it.

Instead, there will be a massive bombing mission run from carriers and Diego Garcia, if there is anything at all any time soon.

I think that one of the carrier groups will protect the Bab el Mandeb strait that connect the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. That allows sea traffic from the Suez Canal into the Indian Ocean. The Saudis have a refinery and oil loading facilities on the Red Sea at Yanbu. If the Gulf is closed, the Saudis may be able to get some juice out through Yanbu. That's why Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia are so important, and why the alarm was so great last year when the cruise liner was attacked.

I'll get more worried if a third carrier group sets out for the Gulf. I think that there is one steaming into the Pacific that could reach the Gulf in a few weeks.

I just hope that the idiots don't attack Iran. Problems for us, the region and the world will multiply by 100 if they do.

[Barrett808]

12. Word. n/t

[gratuitous]

5. Uh, maybe this isn't an OTJ training position?

I have a friend who sings professionally. She talks about going to an audition unprepared, and knew that she wasn't going to get the job. She hadn't trained for a couple of months, her voice wasn't performance ready, and even though she knew the director, saying, "You know me; I'll be ready when things get going" wasn't going to cut it. She had to show up prepared, rehearsed and at the top of her talent. And this was just a little musical theater chorus gig, not the lead or even a soloist.

Here comes Admiral Fallon, clumping into his hearing, and he doesn't know what he's doing, he doesn't know what the plan is, and he doesn't know the situation on the ground for the command he's about to assume. Maybe we need a few more musical directors in the Senate, and a few less dumbasses who are going to send Mr. Fallon off to work with a cheery smile and a friendly wave.

[xchrom]

6. bush knows how to plan to steal elections -- beyond that

he's in deep shit of his own making.

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. What makes Fallon think there's a plan?

There hasn't been on so far..............

[pinniped]

8. I think stupid's new Iraq plan is Vietnam's old plan.

There is nothing new about sending more troops.

Calling it a 'surge' is FN ridiculous.

John Kerry used 'surge' in on of his campaign speeches. Copycat jerks.

[tabasco]

9. The only detail is to keep the war going as long as possible because

Exxon, Halliburton, etc. are making a killing!

[lumpy]

10. It is so simple. The 'plan' is to send in more troops

to continue following the same 'let the chips fall where they may plan' that has been in use all along.