Wednesday, June 6, 2007

On Lute

And I am still trying to figure out why a smart guy like Gen. Lute took the job as "war czar". Unless of course he either has a strong masochistic streak or an ego larger than his supposedly immense IQ.

He took the job even though he disagreed with the president's methods and objectives.

Other than that, he seems a perfect candidate to carry out the administration's plan

Read this latest:


War Adviser Was Skeptical of Strategy
Jun 6 05:39 PM US/Eastern
By ANNE FLAHERTY
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, picked by President Bush as his White House war adviser, said Wednesday he had been skeptical of Bush's decision to send thousands more U.S. troops into Iraq.

In a written response to questions by the Senate Armed Services Committee, Lute confirmed news reports that he had voiced doubts during a White House-led policy review that led to Bush's Jan. 10 announcement that 21,500 more combat troops would go to Baghdad and Anbar province.

The buildup was hotly contested in Congress, including among several Republicans who favored greater pressure on Iraqi security forces to take over combat.

"During the review, I registered concerns that a military 'surge' would likely have only temporary and localized effects unless it were accompanied by counterpart 'surges' by the Iraqi government and the other, nonmilitary agencies of the U.S. government," Lute wrote in a document obtained by The Associated Press.

"I also noted that our enemies in Iraq have, in effect, 'a vote' and should be expected to take specific steps to counter from our efforts," he added. "The new policy took such concerns into account. It is too soon to tell the outcome."

Lute was scheduled to testify in public for the first time Thursday since being picked for the position.

If confirmed by the Senate, Lute would hold the title of deputy national security adviser. He would report directly to the president—briefing Bush daily—and work with other government agencies, including the Pentagon and the State Department.

White House officials said Lute's challenge would be to cut through bureaucracy and deliver fast responses when requests come in from military commanders and ambassadors.

"In practical terms, this will mean taking a sober view of where we are now and focusing fully on the needs of Iraq and Afghanistan, even though there is a full range of competing global commitments," Lute wrote committee members.

Several senators were expected to question whether putting a three- star general at the White House now amounts to too little, too late to salvage a deeply unpopular war.

"I think there's a lot of questions that need to be answered as far as what his role is" and his relationship to other administration officials, said the committee chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. "Where does he fit in precisely?"

The position was difficult to fill, given the unpopularity of a war in its fifth year and uncertainty surrounding the clout that the war coordinator would have.

The search was complicated given Democrats' demands that Bush bring U.S. troops home from Iraq and Republican's skepticism over the troop buildup. The White House tried for weeks to fill the position and approached numerous candidates—including retired four-star generals who turned the job down—before settling on Lute.

At the confirmation hearing, Lute was expected to tell senators that early results of the troop buildup have been mixed.

"No one is satisfied with the status quo: not the Iraqis, not key regional partners, not the U.S. government, and not the American public," according to his prepared remarks.

Lute noted that "conditions on the ground are deeply complex and are likely to continue to evolve—meaning that we must constantly adapt."

Lute has meet in private with committee members. While Lute's position has drawn questions, lawmakers said his character has not.

"He has a lot of stature," said Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb. "This is a very good general."

When asked whether he thinks Lute could make a difference in the war effort, Levin indicated he had his doubts.

"Look, the policy is set by the president," the chairman told a reporter shortly before meeting with Lute.

Another concern is whether Lute would be exempt from testifying before Congress in future hearings on Iraq because of his role as a presidential adviser. White House officials have not guaranteed the war adviser will be made available, claiming executive privilege.

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., "believes this is a position that has a strong role in this war ... and that the people's representatives ought to have the ability to talk to and ask questions" of the individual, said Byrd's spokesman Tom Gavin.

Lute has been director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff since September. Before that, he served for more than two years as director of operations at U.S. Central Command, during which he helped oversee combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Last month, when Bush announced that Lute was his choice, the president described him as an "accomplished military leader who understands war and government and knows how to get things done."


Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Apologies

As i said when i started this endeavor, i have a real life which sometimes must take precedence over my beloved blog. For the past few weeks I have been unable to post new material. Face it, the political world right now is in the equivalent of the "phony war" (look it up). The Iraq situation is just more depressing. I am looking for signs of hope in the fact that US and Iranian diplomats have and are talking, and the fact that nutty Iran president Ahmanijad seems to be on a short lease, held closely in check by his real masters. Oh , he will bark now and then when the clerics who run Iran want to stir up the population with patriotic and nationalistic rantings, but so far, he is pretty quiet.

More later.