[fluff]

So says the NSA executive director.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6364507.stm

The strange thing is that I'm not so sure he's right. They only became impossible once the US made certain political decisions that ran contrary to the plan. Such decisions as disbanding the Iraqi security forces, dismantling the government and allowing widespread looting & disorder.

 

[Kihaji]

So says the NSA executive director.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6364507.stm

The strange thing is that I'm not so sure he's right. They only became impossible once the US made certain political decisions that ran contrary to the plan. Such decisions as disbanding the Iraqi security forces, dismantling the government and allowing widespread looting & disorder.

Just to point out something of great importance here, that might be quickly overlooked. The NSA here is NOT the National Security Agency, but the National Security Archive. This is nothing more than glorified LIBRARIANS saying something was wrong, after the fact.

 

[rockwool]

Just to point out something of great importance here, that might be quickly overlooked. The NSA here is NOT the National Security Agency, but the National Security Archive. This is nothing more than glorified LIBRARIANS saying something was wrong, after the fact.

What the hell can they know, it's not like they're all cought up in books.

The documents - in the form of PowerPoint slides - were prepared by the now-retired Gen Tommy Franks and other top commanders at the time.

The documents were presented at a briefing in August 2002 - less than a year before the US invasion of Iraq in April 2003.

Not to mention the belife that the US would be greeted by people throwing flowers at the soldiers...

 

[DRB]

So says the NSA executive director.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6364507.stm

The strange thing is that I'm not so sure he's right. They only became impossible once the US made certain political decisions that ran contrary to the plan. Such decisions as disbanding the Iraqi security forces, dismantling the government and allowing widespread looting & disorder.

I agree with you.

From a military perspective the invasion plan was sound and well executed.

Like you said it didn't go off the tracks until political decisions were made that knocked the whole thing out of kilter. Another was large scale pullback of US troops from Baghdad which left a vacuum into which rushed the looting, disorder and infighting.

 

[fluff]

Just to point out something of great importance here, that might be quickly overlooked. The NSA here is NOT the National Security Agency, but the National Security Archive. This is nothing more than glorified LIBRARIANS saying something was wrong, after the fact.

Well, it does say that if you read the article, but I agree, it is potentially misleading.

 

[JohnE]

Rock, I dont know if you missed the news back then, but the troops were well received by the Iraqi populace. Its the stayine too long, lack of clear directives, and other general b.s that has fouled the works since. Winning the WAR was done. The military was soundly defeated, and the government taken down. Its wining the peace that is the b*tch of it.
Shrub and his mis-administrations lack of foresight...

 

[fluff]

He's probably anethema to the frothers (not that he's any fan of Bill Clinton either), but there is an interesting account of the reasons behind the screw-up in Greg Palast's book Armed Madhouse; basically a difference of objective between the Neo-Cons (eg. Wolfowitz) and the big oil corps. Sadly the political battle allowed the military situation to deteriorate beyond easy rectification.