TxPolitics_CurrentEvents

General Sanchez - Media Storm

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ricardo S. Sanchez delivered a public speech to the Military Reporters and Editors at a luncheon on 12 October.  The speech was widely referenced in the media and considerable comment has been generated.  Because of that comment I've provided the link above as a public service.  It is to the transcript of the speech posted on the host's website. 

Of interest are the opening paragraphs which have generated a lot of smoke in the blogosphere.  For those interested, here is a set of blog references found in Technorati.  Reading some of them makes me wonder if some even read the reports in the NYTimes and the rest of the mainstream media which have generated the controversy.

Technorati Tags: Ltg Sanchez, Iraq, Media, Sanchez

Iraq Debate - January 2007

A RFE/RL (Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty) interview with one Michael Sheuer, a retired (22 year) CIA veteran.  Has some interesting views on Al-Qaeda and a antidote on the beginning of the "practice of rendition".

Iraq Debate - December 2006

John E. Carey in Peace and Freedom Blog has a updated piece that outlines thinking and rationale for a surge in the Army and Marine forces in Iraq.  Has some decent quotes "in favor" but a little lean on the "not in favor".  But it is the best piece I've seen on the subject.  I am not familiar with this author but his profile is interesting.

The New York Times online has a long piece on how the administration's 2006 plan for Iraq fell apart.  The story outlines how the reality on the ground  forced changes on the Washington strategy for Iraq.
It also appears to be setting Gen. Casey up as a possible scapegoat if things get worse.

Iraq? December 2006

Major news events over the past couple of weeks has increased the level of interest about what what we do in Iraq?  Here is a group of links that I believe are necessary for background.

For those of you with broadband you can watch Colin Powell's appearance on Face The Nation on 17 December at CBS news.  Aside from the news making statements the General provides some interesting background of how we got to this point

The infamous Iraq Study Group's report (aka Baker-Hamilton) can be downloaded in PDF format here. It is obviously a committee report and getting through the compromises makes for tough reading.  It skims well but for some reason I have a gut feeling that the Executive Summary is disconnected from the recommendations.  I cannot point at specifics yet.

A more international view can be obtained from the "International Crisis Group"  Of the reports on Iraq, these ones I found interesting: 

The 15 February 2006 report  "In Their Own Words: Reading the Iraqi Insurgency" and the 19 December 2006 report "After Baker-Hamilton: What to Do in Iraq". 

At least their recommendations have a specificity that you don't find in the mainstream media that I watch, listen to, or read.

I've found the World Affairs Council "Daily Analysis" Iraq section good source to follow interesting threads on Iraq and other areas of current interest.