Comments on: Top Marine: No Plan For Post-Saddam Iraq

CBS News Exclusive: General And Superiors Didn't Have Plan For Control Of Iraqi Cities

[ww9000]

Hagee should have made his reservations known a long time ago. By not standing up to the civilian leadership, he consigned many marines to death and injury, and abetted what is now a defeat.

Hagee was USMC commandant when Gen. James N. Mattis, a Marine Corps three-star, was videotaped telling an audience that it was "fun" to shoot people in Afghanistan. This was not the comment of a warrior, it was the comment of an undisciplined cowboy, and in fact a faker.

Rather than disciplining Mattis, Gen. Hagee issued a statement regretting Mattis's "choice of words." This effectively condoned Mattis's speech, and I think it set a tone within the Marine Corps that led to the massacre at Haditha.

Where was Hagee when the White House was institutionalizing torture? That policy was a shocking departure not only from common decency but past practice, in particular USMC practice during World War II when marines suffered horribly at the hands of the Japanese.

Senior USMC officials such as Hagee had a sacred duty not just to this country, but to the honor that the USMC represents, to vigorously and publicly protest torture. By not doing so, Hagee effectively supported that policy, which in my opinion has been and will continue to be an absolute disaster for the United States not only now, but in the years to come.

Gen. Hagee, you failed your country and now we will pay for that failure.

[badgerman696]

There are not enough forces in the entire US to take Iraq, convert it to any semblance of a "democracy", beat back the inevitable insurgency that is a guarantee when an outside occupying force takes over, and to keep any form of peace long enough that some form of government can gain control of.

When the "plan", or rather the lack thereof, is hatched by a nest full of birdbrains that have NO military combat history and who won't ask for or listen to advice, failure looms in the dust clouds behind the wheels that rolled from Kuwait north.

And before some sniveler on here squeals about my qualifications to make such remarks, I have none. I never rose above the rank of PFC in almost 4 years in the Marines Corps. I liked PFC so much I made it 3 times. And we had enough problems in SE Asia related to the same types of nincompoops who start wars or prolong them and never ask soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen or any of their leaders if any of us/them knew Horton Heard A Who!

[machoward57]

When you watch this video it is evident we didn't have enough troops to secure Iraq, or let alone prevent any looting, and what made matters worse was disbanding the Iraqi army to go home with their weapons. Bad idea.

[jmarkw1]

Oh My Goodness!! WATCH THE VIDEO!!! Then you'll see why YOU & I MUST take the time to discover the TRUTH for ourselves!! We must ALL STOP just believing what we are told is the truth. The issues that have an affect on us all - for generations to come - are WAY TOO VITAL to politicize them like we all just did on Nov 7th.

[blahblahbla5]

Jeez Louise! Did any of you bother to actually watch the video. It is at odds with the story above.

[blahblahbla5]

Jeez Louise! Did any of you bother to actually watch the video. It is at odds with the story above.

[blahblahbla5]

Jeez Louise! Did any of you actually watch the video. It is at odds with the CBS story above.

[dns4030]

I am a Ronald Reagan Republican not a GWB RHINO.

Last Friday, I went to Fort Bragg to remember the fallen on Veterans Day. There, I met a young paratrooper named Steve. He had already served one tour in Iraq and was headed next to Afghanistan. He was with his Mother who could not be any prouder of her son. While we agreed to our own opinions on the current situation, I did thank him for his service to our country. He mentioned that I was the first person to say that to him.

I do not want to see any more service personnel like Steve die senselessly in a war without end or true purpose.

If Iraq wants to be a country, the Iraqis must fight for it and build it up. If they don't, let it partition itself.

If our troop must engage the enemy, they should be fighting for clear and legitimate American interests not some %u201Civory tower%u201D theory about democracy which is unsupportable in light of the situation on the ground.

Our enemies should know that America is capable of whatever is needed to protect itself.

I believe Hiroshima speaks for itself.

[machoward57]

Iraq was a mistake the minute Bush believed in his fuzzy math, and not realizing he needed 500,000 troops for a functional transition of the country. He should of read Gertrude Bell's book on Iraq in the 1920's. He is no student of history, but he knows a lot about grounds-keeping at his ranch, because he always mentioning about clearing brush there. Bush clearing brush alla Peter Sellers in 'Being There'. Bush's strategic skills is much like a roach exterminator, it must be nice to think that simple.

[twhitti1]

freeses6; I think you have posted the most insightful comment all night. I agree 100%. I have a son who just entered the Army and I don't know if he is headed to Iraq or not, but as Rich Lowery at NRO said; "If you are going to fight a war; then fight a war". I am beginning to think GWB is no different than LBJ. When politicians fight a war "on the cheap" the soldier is the one who pays the price.