US News
Obama names Iraq war critic Shinseki to Veterans Affairs (2nd Roundup)
By Frank Fuhrig Dec 7, 2008, 23:47 GMT
Washington - US president-elect Barack Obama nominated retired general Eric Shinseki, former US Army chief of staff, to head the US Department of Veterans Affairs, in an announcement Sunday in Chicago.
Shinseki, 66, was Army chief of staff from 1999-2003.
He was forced into retirement shortly after publicly voicing his belief that the looming March 2003 invasion of Iraq would require far higher troop strength than planned, in sharp disagreement with then- defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
The invasion force of roughly 150,000 troops quickly toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein but is now widely seen as having been inadequate to keep order and secure the country.
After the Baghdad dictatorship collapsed in April 2003, Iraq suffered growing chaos including looting, and an anti-occupation insurgency, terrorism and sectarian strife gradually spread, until new tactics and a boost in US troop levels helped calm the violence.
In a television interview earlier Sunday, when questioned about Shinseki's departure from the Army in 2003, Obama noted that the general had been 'right' about troop levels in Iraq.
The Department of Veterans Affairs delivers medical and mental health services, career transition assistance and help for veterans seeking disability and other military benefits.
Obama called veterans affairs a 'sacred trust,' as he introduced Shinseki at a press conference in Chicago.
'For many of today's troops and their families, the war doesn't end when they come home,' Obama said, calling for increased screening of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for signs of traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorders.
'The servicemen and women who embody what's best about America should get the best care we have to offer.'
Shinseki was born in Hawaii to a Japanese-American family and graduated in 1965 from the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. He served 38 years in the Army, losing part of his right foot during two combat tours in Vietnam.
'Veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in particular are confronting serious, severe wounds, some seen, some unseen,' Shinseki said.
He said that the department he would head in Obama's cabinet will help veterans 'get on with their lives in this struggling economy.
'They deserve a smooth, error-free, no-fail, benefits-assured transition into our ranks as veterans, and that is our responsibility, not theirs.'
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Older Talkback
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It will be curious to see if he has any criticisms now.
'...yes..this is Senator Clinton....oh,hello Barak...yes...we're busy here.......yes, we're enjoying the holidays (oh jesus christ!)....what is it Barak....you what?...who?...Genral Shinnn.....Shinnwho?...Shineski???...to what?....Veteran's Affairs?...gee, great Barak....yeah, whatever....you know the old saw...'MIA at the VA?'....yeah, sure Barak, whatever you say....look dear, we don't really care about anything but the one's at the top...you know...you get the tiller and we get the oars....that's right...just keep mamma informed....I don't want to have to hit a bitch with a lamp again...but I can....yeees, best to whats-her-name....Michelle?...isn't it?...yeah sure, tell her hello...by the way...if she's milling around in the East Wing and she comes upon some strange Law Firm records...uh...tell her I'll send sandy Berger by to...uh..pick them up...oh..and any funny looking FBI records too...no use letting them go...you know, about 800 of them...well..copies...you know..they took abck the originals....can't be too careful...now run along...Daddy and I have some business to attend to...yeah..sure...whatever...by by...'
re:''It will be curious to see if he has any criticisms now.''
Looks to me as though he has already been vindicated.
...he was just compensated...
No kick in the crutch this time ESS PEE or jibes about being stoned on crack and meths, only a compliment.
I love your opener here, it shows real talent, knowledge, versatility and a great sense of humor. You are incredibly good at this game.
Reminiscent of a master script writer for satire.
OK, we have had our exchanges, but I still admire your undisputed knowledge and talent. Take no notice of the abuse fired at you by some of these other uneducated piss-pots, they are only jealous because they cannot compete. Anyway, most of them are Democratic cretins.
Just a favor - what IS the address of that Bangladesh company that sell degrees or Congressional Medals of Honor for only 10 bucks each ?
I heard that Obanana got his bits of paper there.
...got his???
when I hit to look for NEWS AND INFO on M&C????????????????????
Still recovering...............?
It should be obvious by now to all observers that there is no significant difference between the Republicans and Democrats, despite their loud declarations to the contrary. The Republicans do not really support or champion free markets and the Democrats are not nearly so pacifistic as they claim. Both parties have more than their fair share of idiots and useful fools.
'Republican'.
Hardly idiot stick---far from it. This guy has experience and knowledge, plus he did not have to lie or pay someone off to get the job---big difference.
..one could ask why this person was so compelled to offer his armchair advice back then, and why he is being rewarded for it now. Then again,professor, you never could connect the dots.
I know you guys on the right have a hard time with the truth, but he was right then and he continues to be right---idiot stick.
Only you guys on the right reward someone for doing the wrong thing. Good job Brownie, Nice job Rumsfelt,, etc. with a list so long it would choke a dog.
The sad truth about Iraq is that it has nothing to do with the war on terror that arose from the ashes of 9/11. It is a 4+ trillion dollar distraction. Why the US went there, instead of following osama bin laden and al qaeda into Pakistan is cloaked in mystery. Christpher Hitchens, a supporter of the Iraq invasion, claims that it was a 'humanitarian intervention' just to liberate the Iraq people from an evil dictator. Others say it was conceived by the neocons in their lust to control oil.
Some say GWB was obcessed even before 9/11 to invade Iraq and destroy it, just because his daddy didn't have the balls to do it in 1990.
Meanwhile al qaeda is laughing at the US from their sanctuary in Pakistan.
The US paid the past military dictator over 10 billion dollars to do nothing except protect al qaeda. It is curious that only recently, after Pakistan had democratic elections, that the US has been selectively hitting al qaeda with unmannned drones. After destroying Iraq, it is absurd to talk about protecting the sovereignty of a nation like Pakistan whicl is largely controlled by the very terrorists we are supposed to be fighting.
DO I SMELL AN AGREEMENT ?
IF some pea-nut company like Google can come up with a system which allows any one of us to view in infinite detail any location in the world ;-
See all road names, anywhere out of billions of locations world-wide.
Enter any address anywhere in the world and get a zoom-up.
Count the rivets on Russian missile launch towers.
See what surfers are wearing at Bondi Beach or the bare tits of sunbathers.
See if a sailor on the flight deck of an American aircraft carrier has his flies done up.
ETC. ETC. ETC.
THEN ;- the US military and intelligence agencies etc. with their extensive ultra-high tech satellites and other survailance equipment, all of it completely uncensored, can do a million times better.
THEY know exactly where Bin Laden is and have the GPS co-ordinates to within an inch. THEY can see every detail of Al-Qaeda activity in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
THEY can count the buttons on Bin Laden`s tea-boy`s jacket, THEY can even read the sell-by-date on Osama`s boiled eggs at breakfast time.
SO, with all that infinite detail, WHY have the US not mounted a round-the-clock bombing offensive on this rag-head sanctuary ?
Within 10 days, there would be NO Bin Laden or Al-Qaeda, just a landscape of sand and rubble, plus an assortment of Muslim body parts of course. OK for feeding the local vultures.
What an arsenal we have - Smart bombs, Targeting pods, GPS guided bombs, TV/IR guided bombs, laser guided bombs - GE WHIZ, what a lovely big BANG.
AND WE HAVE NOT USED IT ! WHY ? rather get our soldiers killed and crippled eh ?
It is disgusting, I can smell a rat. Probably a behind-closed-doors agreement that we will not blast these terrorist scum to hell, less we upset the Muslim world, or that den of vermin called Pakistan with it`s tin-pot dictator.
The US should be ashamed of fannying around with these scumbags and get on with the job of ridding our planet of such vile and filthy creatures.
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SP4: PositivelyDec 7th, 2008 - 23:51:33
Republican!
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