"Mind your tongue, Pasha..."

Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez.

I can understand a little resentment at being passed over for an obvious, and probably deserved promotion to 4 stars after complete command of both the V Corps and the MNF-Iraq by the President in light of the problems in Iraq, and I don't really have issues with any of the things he said in his "speech" the other day.

However, was this the best venue and means to get that particular message out and into the public's eye?

I don't think General Sanchez has said anything I haven't voiced, myself... and many others have said via this forum. So are his comments going to be seen as "sour grapes" or will they actually have an impact on debate before the election?

I was especially intrigued by his comments about the "surge". He is of the opinion (with NO gray area here) that the surge will have no long term impact if their is no strategy behind the increase in deployments. That tells me two things:

1) As a commander in the "loop", he is privy to knowledge that all of us would love to have, but don't. I am inclined to think that, short of coming out and saying something that might compromise his security clearance restrictions, he has as much as stated that the "surge" is simply more troops doing the same thing that has been done for the last four and a half years... to no avail. More meat in the grinder, so to say. I take that as an indictment of MORE poor planning on the administration's part... simply following Rummy's plan, without Rummy.

2) The likelihood of more and more high-level commanders coming forth to repeat what Sanchez has said is looking increasingly likely. This can result in NOTHING but good things for the Democrats... none of which I can, in good conscience, support in this issue. I haven't heard a Dem yet (that is running for PotUS, that is) that has said they want to stay in Iraq as long as it takes to fix the damage and create a functioning state. Even Sanchez, in his rant, stated time and again that we MUST finish the job, or the results will have global ramifications that will be felt for decades, and will cost more lives than we can imagine.

How much will you guys lay against the likelihood of the GOP candidates taking up even a portion of what Sanchez said in debate and platform discussion? 1 to 2? 2 to 3? As bad as $30 behind the 6 and 8? Sanchez will be as troublesome a speaker to them as he is to Bush right now... perhaps more so, as Bush can't run for re-election.

Which candidate has the nuts to take up this cause and run with it? Criticize the President and your Party's policies to ensure continued control of the White House and the war in Iraq? Tough call.