tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post368724654476767435..comments2023-11-17T03:55:40.736-05:00Comments on Ink Spots: Firing officers who deserve it (or: I agree with Tom Ricks!!)Lilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18373158801523577733noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-76267230667133303712010-06-25T12:17:07.063-04:002010-06-25T12:17:07.063-04:00I was not 'against the firing of McChrystal be...I was not 'against the firing of McChrystal before I was for it.' Dunno where you got that.tom rickshttp://ricks.foreignpolicy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-90571753922958017612010-06-25T00:14:56.552-04:002010-06-25T00:14:56.552-04:00Pershing's career progression. (Apparently not...<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._Pershing#Dates_of_rank" rel="nofollow">Pershing's career progression.</a> (Apparently not damaged by his command of the punitive expedition.)Greyhawknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-48070066844124570312010-06-24T23:12:32.584-04:002010-06-24T23:12:32.584-04:00I'll take your word for it. I refuse to kill a...I'll take your word for it. I refuse to kill anymore of my precious few remaining brain cells by reading Tom Ricks.Schmedlaphttp://www.schmedlap.com/weblognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-59340380636646431672010-06-24T22:02:57.586-04:002010-06-24T22:02:57.586-04:00Lil - I think he's right about the bit that Pe...Lil - I think he's right about the bit that Petraeus provided the leadership to get the military on the same page. Spot on there. The rest is open to argument in my opinion.Jason Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18335313679058470722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-28940906745283533152010-06-24T17:06:32.837-04:002010-06-24T17:06:32.837-04:00Lil, I can't imagine a more self-serving (for ...Lil, I can't imagine a more self-serving (for Ricks) and erroneous history of the so-called "Surge" imaginable.<br /><br />Moreover, Petraeus did NOT control the political decision in OIF to "get out." He was sent to execute the decision to stay, and on terms that would maximize the use of force (assisted by the Anbar "Awakening," which began before he arrived, and the widespread ethnic cleansing, which also transpired before he arrived, and the growth of the ISF, which happened often in spite of Petraeus' stewardship of the program).<br /><br />To credit Petraeus with the civilian leadership's political decision is just silly. I'm not sure Ricks understands the distinction.<br /><br />And can we get over the simplistically stupid notion that the US military clearing the Belts, blasting to dots civilians along the way, was "protecting the population?" The numbers of casualties and their trendlines from 2006 - 2009 don't withstand the narrative's lies.<br /><br />Make it stop.<br /><br />SNLIIAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-36620482054676045362010-06-24T16:39:14.766-04:002010-06-24T16:39:14.766-04:00Gunslinger--do you agree with this too? http://www...Gunslinger--do you agree with this too? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/24/AR2010062402982.html?hpid=topnewsLilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18373158801523577733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-28592771603715581332010-06-24T13:26:14.761-04:002010-06-24T13:26:14.761-04:00Ricks was against the firing of McChrystal before ...Ricks was against the firing of McChrystal before he was for it...<br /><br />How Kerry-esque.<br /><br />SNLIIAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com