Rumsfeld and the Generals

We have been making the same mistakes we made back in the '60s. A Secretary more interested in "revamping" the military than in getting the job done. It is a wonder some of the Generals have spoken out at all as they are "generally" a castrated lot; spending years saying "yes sir" to orders that may get them killed. I have to question the mental state of anyone whose profession centers on killing others, all the while they stand a good chance of having "those others" killing them. Their rationale is questionable too--to preserve "the State" at the expense of their "individuality" and lives, and to follow questionable policies such as the war in Iraq. I guess some poor bastard has to do it. I was once one of those "poor bastards", unfortunately.
It is one thing to retaliate against an enemy, such as Germany and Japan were, but to go to war because of "bad intelligence", against an enemy already on the ropes, all the while ignoring real threats; it is asking a lot out of a volunteer military. The real problem is that this war is showing our vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and incompetency. Because of "policy" we are in a quagmire, sinking deeper and deeper into a mess.
We either have to make a decision to "win" in the region or get out as gracefully as we can. As it is we are becoming the "paper tiger" to our enemies--such as Iran and China. Our incompetancy in Iraq is just encouraging others to thumb their noses at our policies and leadership.
How to win? First of all do what needs to be done, the old fashioned way. We won Iraq--it is ours. All this political garbage is just that--garbage. Take over command of the country. The Germans took over many countries and controlled them, why can't we? The answer to that is because we are playing politics and not acting as conquerors--we are conquerors and it is about time to start acting as such, or get out of Iraq.
We have been trying to be lean and mean--mean is good enough. Being lean might work against a third rate military and regime but "lean" hasn't been the solution in Iraq, or at any time against guerrilla fighters.
More troops would do two things at least--controlling movement and access of would-be guerrillas and it would send a message to those in the region that we aren't anyone to fool with. Unfortunately we were in with a penny; and now its in with a Pound.
I wasn't in favor of this war to begin with--it was like opening up Pandora's Box--no one knew what would happen, still don't. Certainly not flowers at our feet. Our Administration has depended on Propaganda to pull their chestnuts out of the fire--that works for a time--but real issues demand real solutions and it is now at that point--now is the time for real solutions.