[Sailormon6]

Originally Posted by SailorMitch

once again, have you read any of these articles???

BUsh announced the surge JAn. 10, 07 against the advice of most of his military brass, including the 2 main guys on the ground at the time (casey and Abizaid).

As it turns out, virtually everyone, Democrat and Republican alike, agrees that President Bush's decision to employ the surge was correct, and "...the advice of most of his military brass, including the 2 main guys on the ground at the time (casey and Abizaid)" was wrong. The surge worked.

The next morning, he went to

Fort Benning, Ga., to address military personnel and their families. His decision had been opposed by Casey and Abizaid, his military commanders in Iraq. Pace and the Joint Chiefs, his top military advisers, had suggested a smaller increase, if any at all. Schoomaker, the Army chief, had made it clear that the five brigades didn't really exist under the Army's current policy of 12-month rotations. But on this morning, the president delivered his own version of history.
"The commanders on the ground in Iraq, people who I listen to -- by the way, that's what you want your commander-in-chief to do. You don't want decisions being made based upon politics or focus groups or political polls. You want your military decisions being made by military experts. They analyzed the plan, and they said to me and to the Iraqi government: 'This won't work unless we help them. There needs to be a bigger presence.' (EMphasis added.)

Which "Commanders on the ground" do you think he was referring to? Do you think he was referring to Casey and Abizaid? They were the ones who opposed it. He obviously wasn't referring to them. Since he wasn't getting the bold and creative advice that he expected from them, he undoubtedly sought out ideas elsewhere. Perhaps he sought ideas from some of the military experts of our allies, such as Israel, or others. Or, perhaps he talked with some of the Generals who were in-theatre, and who had hands-on experience with the problems. Those are undoubtedly the "Commanders on the ground in Iraq" to whom he was referring.

It isn't unprecedented for a President to look to junior officers to cut through the over-inflated egos, petty jealousies, nest-feathering and face-saving timidity of top-ranking Generals. That's why President Roosevelt elevated Dwight Eisenhower to Supreme Commander of all Allied Forces. He needed someone who hadn't yet become prone to such foolishness, and who could get on with the business of winning the war.

President Bush apparently found one or more "Commanders on the ground in Iraq" who gave him the bold, creative advice that he was seeking, and he had the political courage to act on their advice.

You haven't shown where the President's statement was a lie.

SO YOU TELL ME WHAT BUSH DID....

He exercised leadership.