Senator: Commander Told of Military Drain

[mia]

10 minutes ago


By WILLIAM C. MANN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A former Senate Intelligence Committee chairman asserted Sunday that the general who ran the war in Afghanistan (news - web sites) said more than a year before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq (news - web sites) that his resources were being shifted in preparation for taking on Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).

Sen. Bob Graham (news, bio, voting record), D-Fla., contends that just months into combat in Afghanistan, Gen. Tommy Franks also told him that fighting terrorism in Somalia, Yemen and elsewhere should take priority over invading Iraq.

Graham said Franks told him he thought the United States knew less about the situation in Iraq than did some European governments, and the Bush administration should ask them for advice.

The senator, who is retiring at year's end, said his conversation with the now-retired general came in February 2002, when Graham was chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

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[JohnOneillsMemory]

1. Pentagon Generals For Truth speak up now!

lol.

[Kimber Scott]

2. Tommy Franks Spoke and the RNC. He will deny Graham's claim.

Whether it's true, or not. I believe Graham. We'll see who else does.

[ewagner]

4. If Bob Graham ever told a lie

his tongue would fall off!

Bob Graham is the most principled person I've ever known.

Beleive him or Franks? No f-ing contest!

[Kimber Scott]

5. Easy for us to say, but some people believe it doesn't matter if

there were really any WMD in Iraq and that Elvis lives.

[MasonJar]

3. Graham was outraged that the troops were sent to Iraq instead

of fighting the al Quaeda in Afghanastan. I know the neo-cons wanted to go after Iraq, but I also wonder if Bush really wanted to catch a Saudi.