| IRAQ -- FORMER U.S. COMMANDER IN IRAQ SAYS WAR IS LOST: Retired Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez commanded U.S. forces during the first year of the Iraq war. In "his first interview since he retired last year," Sanchez has said that the war in Iraq is lost, and the best outcome America can hope for is to "stave off defeat." After a recent speech in San Antonio, Sanchez said, "I think if we do the right things politically and economically with the right Iraqi leadership we could still salvage at least a stalemate, if you will -- not a stalemate but at least stave off defeat. It's also kind of important for us to answer the question, 'What is victory?', and at this point I'm not sure America really knows what victory is." He added that he is "absolutely convinced that America has a crisis in leadership at this time and we’ve got to do whatever we can to help the next generation of leaders do better than we have done over the past five years." Sanchez "is the highest-ranking former military leader yet to suggest the Bush administration has fallen short in Iraq." In April, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) also said that he believes "that this war is lost" and at this stage, "can only be won diplomatically, politically and economically." At the time, the right wing viciously attacked Reid, calling him "an embarrassment" and charging that his comments were "very, very close to treason." But since that time, other generals, in addition to Sanchez, have spoken out against the war. Nevertheless, conservatives continue to pound the issue. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has threatened that if a vote of no-confidence on Alberto Gonzales is brought to the floor, he may bring an amendment on "whether the Iraq War is actually 'lost' as Reid has suggested." |
