Gen. Zinni Says Containing Iraq Can Work
Thu Oct 10, 1:05 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The former commander of U.S. forces in the Gulf spoke out on Thursday against attacking Iraq, saying a policy of containment would work and Washington had at least five higher priorities in the Middle East.
"I think this wolf (Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)) can be left for another shot. There are plenty of wolves on the sled," said retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni.
"I'm not convinced we need to do this now. I believe he is ... containable at this moment," he told the annual meeting of the Middle East Institute, a Washington think-tank.
Zinni has been an outspoken critic of an attack on Iraq, and is familiar with Middle Eastern leaders and has been a mediator between Israelis and Palestinians.
Under the Democratic Clinton administration, Zinni was commander-in-chief of the U.S. Central Command, which runs American forces in the Middle East. The Republican Bush administration sent him to the Middle East to try to arrange a truce between Israel and the Palestinians.
Zinni said in his experience fighting rarely accomplished what politicians intended.
"If we look at this (attacking Iraq) as the beginning of a chain of events that means that we intend to do this through violent action, we're on the wrong course," he said.
"First of all, I don't see that that's necessary. Secondly, I think that war and violence are a very last resort and we have to be careful how we apply it, especially now, in our position in the world," he said.
He said the U.S. priorities in the Middle East should be putting Middle East peace talks back on track, ensuring that Iran continues to move toward reform, helping Afghanistan (news - web sites) and other central Asian states, patching up relations with Arab states and reopening dialogue with the people of the region.
"I would take those priorities before this one (Iraq). My personal view is I think this isn't number one, it's maybe sixth or seventh," he added.
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