Peace Now: Dispatches from the Front

Blowing the Whistle on the War: Gross Military Malfeasance in Iraq, No Stars Here!

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Written by Jim McGrath Saturday, 01 March 2008 21:45

After criticizing or condemning the Iraq War, almost every political candidate, member of Congress, political pundit, or critic at large, pulls their punches by adding: “The U.S Military, of course, has served gallantly in that war-torn land. They have performed magnificently and done everything that was asked of them.” Not Quite! That critique leaves out two crucial facts. First, we never should have gone there; second, we would have been out of there a long time ago if the generals dared tell the truth. That failure masks their glaring malfeasance. Their acceptance of Bush’s complete Iraq script without question is a disgrace, a profound tragedy, and a largely untold story. For not publicly blowing the whistle on the war, especially the obviously inadequate troop levels, they are as responsible as Bush for the thousands of deaths, casualties, and enormous wasted national treasure. They have a lot to answer for in mindlessly carrying out this military fiasco. Even Grand Vizier Donald Rumsfeld, who gets the military booby prize of all time, is less culpable than the battlefield generals. If one or more of Iraq’s top commanders broke with the Pentagon and courageously went public, Rumsfeld, endlessly humored by his “yes men” generals at home, would have folded like a napkin.