Another Member in Rummy's World?

Ah, the rose colored glasses were being fully utilized this past Sunday. Gen. Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff appeared on Meet The Press and made some amazing statements:

RUSSERT: If you were to be asked whether things in Iraq are going well or badly, what would you say? How would you answer?

PACE: I’d say they’re going well. I wouldn’t put a great big smiley face on it, but I would say they’re going very, very well from everything you look at....

MR. RUSSERT: The American people were asked that exact same question, how things are going in Iraq, and here’s how they responded: Well, 36; badly, 62. Why do you think there’s such a disconnect from your view and that of the American people?

GEN. PACE: I don’t think we’re getting the goodness out to the American people the way we should..... People don’t get a chance to see or hear about all the good things that are happening.

MR. RUSSERT: But we have been told the insurgency was just a small group of dead-enders, that it was in its last throes. That just isn’t correct, is it?

GEN. PACE: I think what is correct is that the number of individuals who will participate in insurgent-like activities is going to be dependent on not only military power, but more importantly economic and political power that’s taking place in the country.

MR. RUSSERT: Knight-Ridder reported this week that U.S. intelligence agency more than two years ago said that the insurgency “had deep local roots, was likely to worsen, and could lead to civil war.” And that was just ignored by political and military leadership because they wanted to believe their own rosy scenario.

GEN. PACE: I do not believe it has deep roots. I do not believe that they’re on the verge of civil war. I do believe that there are a small number, relatively small number, of individuals who are ideologically committed to the terrorist ideology and are going to do whatever they need to do to try to bring those citizens back under tyrannical rule.

Hopefully Gen. Pace just had a bad hair day and really doesn't believe his own statements last Sunday. He can't be like his boss, because Donald Rumsfeld just doesn't believe anything that will not fit neatly into “Rummy's World”. Say the troops don't have enough body armor – you're told no, they do. Say there aren't enough troops in Iraq – you're told no, there are. Say that abuses are occurring in detention camps – you're told no, there are not. According to Rummy, the current situation in Iraq is an "exaggeration". Rummy once told America - 'you don't go to war with the troops you want – but with the troops you have.' We know the Secretary of Defense we have is not the one we want, let's hope the General doesn't fall into Rummy's trance.
Posted on The Human Stain