Tommy Franks was the guest speaker tonight at the "Center of the American Experiment" annual dinner in St Paul MN. Some of his gems (from memory - not transcribed or recorded at the time):
Openly admitted that he flunked out of college two years in. Presumably, those first two years would have been where he would have taken those gen ed courses to learn the history of the middle east that would have enabled him to think critically about the plans to attack Iraq.
Unequivocally stated " we didn't go to Iraq for WMD's, but to get rid of Saddam and to set up a democracy so that 9-year-olds have an example other than being a suicide bomber." We didn't go to Iraq because they had WMD's? YOu want to talk to Colin and Condi and Dick about that?
after the fold---
Sang the praises of Don Rumsfeld repeatedly and completely ripped into the generals who have made critical statements about him to the press.
Claimed to have not had a plan to go into Iraq for 8 years (implying the Clinton years), but that there had been a good one prior to CLinton. Ripped apart George HW without naming any names for not attacking Baghdad at the time. Nothing like a little daddy one-upsmanship.
Pointed out that Afghanistan had been a disaster for 2000 years (that's not a typo) before we got there. Indeed, we've helped out tremendously.
Ripped on the media. OK, I can agree with that for different reasons.
Marveled that the fact he had once referred to CLinton as "Mr. President". "What a country this is." -eyeroll- ...Massive applause from the audience...
Reminisced about riding about the ranch with W. Good times. Praised him as a good man and claimed that history will show Bush to have been a fantastic president when viewed through the lens of 50 years of world events.
Had the temerity to tell the audience that "war is a bad thing, so that's why we try not to engage in it often."
Added insult to injury by telling the audience that "countries with McDonald's don't attack each other." What? Not enough Golden Arches in these Middle Eastern nations? We thought the unending war in the Middle East was all about oil when in fact it was all about polyunsaturated fat? No wonder the Congressional Democrats haven't been able to raise a good counterargument. It's all about the Freedom Fries, baby!
Riffed on Al GOre's movie title repeatedly - not clear if he's smart enough for it to have been intentional. "Bush is president at an inconvenient time", "events were not convenient" etc. I kept waiting for "An Inconvenient Truth", but he never quite got there.
THe war on terror necessitates that we do WHATEVER is necessary to fight it.....* a few minutes later in closing remarks to the audience, "do what you can to defend the Constitution." Oh, the irony.
All in all, a painful if educational experience. What's the phrase? "Constant vigilance."