Saturday, April 29, 2006
And now a word from the Chief of Staff ...
General Peter Shoomaker, (retired), delivers a stinging rebuke to the generals who called for Rumsfeld's recommendation:
In fairness, I don't think this rebuke can be applied to General Zinni, who actually retired well before 9/11. And as Chief of Staff, Shoomaker's a bigger dog than any of them.
Splash, out
Jason
“I’ve been in the Army 37 years, and I have worked for some tough people,” Schoomaker said. “We’re soldiers. We’re warriors. I’ve never been intimidated in my life, by anybody.”
Schoomaker said that he “offers a lot of military advice, and I have never not been heard.”
He noted, however, “that I can’t say I’ve always been agreed with.”
But no military professional should fool himself into thinking that “offering advice” and “having it taken all the time” are one and the same thing, Schoomaker said.
As top military leaders, “We are responsible to provide independent advice” to civilian leaders, who in turn have the Constitutional authority to make strategic decisions, he said.
“That doesn’t mean they agree with our advice all the time.”
And if a military officer’s advice is not taken, Schoomaker said, “You can’t run around here with your nerves on your sleeve, [protesting] every time someone does something you don’t agree with.”
Military professionals who respect the chain of command must learn when the time has come to accept that, having had their say, they must step back and allow higher-ups to make the final call, he said.
Instead, “I think you end up at a point [saying to yourself] look, is it legal, is it moral, is it ethical, can I live with the consequences?” Schoomaker said.
“If you can’t, you’ve got a responsibility to do something about it, and do it while you’re in the position,” Schoomaker said.
“But if you’ve gone through all of that, and lived with it, I’m not quite sure what we’re doing here cleansing our consciences afterwards,” Schoomaker said.
“I think it’s inappropriate.”
In fairness, I don't think this rebuke can be applied to General Zinni, who actually retired well before 9/11. And as Chief of Staff, Shoomaker's a bigger dog than any of them.
Splash, out
Jason
Comments:
As of today the death toll that resulted from the generals support for the terrorists reached 70. Wonder if the traitors are happy that they killed so many that they left behind on the battlefield? If i ever see one of them face to face i'll tell them exactly what an old retired E-8 thinks of them. Hey we've got free speach to curse the fools out don't we?
# posted by 
: 10:02 PM
: 10:02 PM
CENTCOM's environment promotes a culture of fear. No one speaks up. SOCOM did not have that. I was a fly on the wall in both commands. CENTCOM's (aka as "SADCOM") unofficial motto is "survive or die" and SOCOM's (aka "HAPPYCOM" is "accomplish the mission or die." "
# posted by : 2:10 PM
: 2:10 PM
All these "poodle" generals is why we had to go to the retired list for a "chief'.
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# posted by : 10:54 PM
: 10:54 PM
