Retired Generals Slam Bush's Iraq Plan

(CBS/AP)  The President's troop build-up — already taking political fire from both Democrats and Republicans — came under withering attack on Thursday from a panel of retired generals on Capitol Hill, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.

"The proposed solution is to send more troops and it won't work. The addition of 21,000 troops is too little and too late," former Marine Gen. Joseph Hoar said.

Hoar once commanded all American forces in the Middle East and has nothing good to say about the war.

"This administration's handling of the war has been characterized by deceit, mismanagement and a shocking failure to understand the social and political forces that influence events in the Middle East," Hoar said.

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who commanded a division in the first Gulf War and was consulted by the president in drawing up the new Iraq strategy said, "They're going to try to muscle this thing out in the next 24 months with an urban counterinsurgency plan that I personally believe, with all due respect, is a fool's errand."

It will take political compromise to end Iraq's sectarian violence, and retired Lt. Gen William Odom, who once headed Army intelligence, doubts it will happen.

"The Sunnis certainly are not committed to it, and I don't think the Shiites have ever been committed to it," Odom said.

Even the build-up's lone supporter, former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Jack Keane, acknowledged that success depends on an unknown quantity — the performance of Iraqi Prime Minister al-Malaki and his government.

"Who is Maliki and who is the Maliki government? And I don't believe our government, I don't pretend to speak for them, but I don't believe our government truly knows that answer," Keane said.

At another hearing, reports Martin, the head of the CIA was asked if his analysts think the Maliki government can deliver. He replied, "It's an unknown."

Meanwhile, opposition to the president's plan is also growing on Capitol Hill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged the support of House Democrats for legislation declaring that Mr. Bush's decision to send additional troops to Iraq is "not in the national interest of the United States."

Pelosi's commitment came as Senate Democrats said they intend to begin advancing a nonbinding measure next week that criticizes the White House's new strategy.

Democrats sought to bring public pressure to bear on the president's new policy as Mr. Bush and senior administration officials worked to limit Republican defections.

"He said, 'If you can help us out, I really appreciate your help,'" Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said after a White House meeting with the commander in chief.

Even a Republican senator who won't speak out against the president for fear it will hurt the war effort told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer there is virtually no enthusiasm among Senate Republicans for the plan. With the exception of Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, the senator said almost no one among Republican senators is enthusiastic about enlarging the force.

Senate Democrats, backed by two Republicans, unveiled legislation Wednesday that criticized Mr. Bush's decision to increase troop levels by 21,500. "It is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating the United States military force presence in Iraq," the nonbinding Senate measure states.

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[vincan-2009]

We are in a terrible war. The election showed that the country - democrats, republicans and independents - want the war to end and want to have real representation in Congress. Now is the time for all members in the House and Senate to think about the people, our troop lives and families, and the Iraqi people. More troops is not going to change this Iraq situation from what it is. Please consider doing the people's business instead of a psychopath president/vice president who won't listen and won't hear anything they don't like. Help this country out from under the criminal decisions that have been made for enrichment of the richest corporations and people. We are sick of it.

[annd2302]

feelfree1

Bull ***, I say scalp them all if you can get through all the layers of towels.

[macusweil]

Troop Buildup Called "A Fool's Errand" By Commander In First Gulf War -- PERFECT!!

A real commander in chief would have won this war years ago. Its taken a knuckle head like Dubba a while but he has run one the greatest military engines on earth into the ground. He could not win it with 50,000 or even 75,000 more. It was lost the day the looting started and baby Bush gave orders to do nothing.

[garnetqueen]

This war was a tragic mistake, and this president wants to send more troops? It won't get any better, it's getting worse by the minute.

[feelfree1]

gdmoore2,

Re: "Boy, it is hard to read stuff like that about my country, feelfree1. Hard to read. Hard to think that way. And hard to admit that it is not far off. What a mess."

Agreed. Thanks for the comment.

[exusmcsgt]

FARTKNOCKER2-

It is not a lie that Cheney was Haliburton's CEO prior to joining the adminitration. Check some facts yourself, if you're capable of doing so.

[exusmcsgt]

docpeter-

Even more ironic that Bubba Dubya continues to overrule career military experts considering he didn't even make his National Guard drills, eh?

[frankly6]

lieberman18

We've got plenty of homegrown Nazi Thugs to worry about. Just look in the mirror.

[grumpas]

lieberman18 kind of venom fueled hatred defies all mean's of rational response! He just rants on and on like a lunatic! All of us love our country lieberman18, probably a whole lot more than folks like you ever have! You made it clear several years ago what you think of our system of government! We care enough about our country to not set by quietly while fascist's like yourself destroy democracy! You have become so amoured with the criminal George W Bush you have lost your perspective! It happened in Germany years ago when people like you choose to overlooked crimes Hitler was committing for what you considered the betterment of the country! Well, I hate to be the one to tell you! A lot of us are not planning on following der fuhrer quietly over the cliff!

[frankly6]

At this point the only rational explanation for Bush's strategy or seeming lack there of is that he wants to prolong the war. After all, Halliburton, big oil and other GOP connected companies are making huge profits.