The Same Playbook-- With a Twist


Those that watched President Bush's speech from the White House were
disapointed if they expected anything
different in his approach to the conduct of the war he started. Except
for a couple of sniveling, much too late, very tiny mea culpas, we pretty much saw nothing except more of the same. The same script continued with a visit to Fort Benning and the usual captive audience of soldiers.Far fewer unwashed citzenry and for some reason the Rovian playmakers think there might be fewer of them Dem'crats. They don't seem to realize that every day there are more Democrats in the Army.Only this time there was a twist.

The base commander, Major General Walter (I was at Abu Graibe) Wojdakowski, in lockstep with the White House plan ordered that none of the soldiers present speak to the press. Interesting order coming from an officer who figured in the Abu Graib scandal in his position as Gen Sanchez's deputy.

I have been a soldier for many years and in that time I have had a lot of contact with the press, overseas on operations and domestic. I have been told how to say things, what not to say,
not to pretend I knew what was above my pay grade (eg- gov't policy) and above all to say something. I have never been ordered not to talk to the press. This is a first for me and I find it disconcerting to say the least. The Generals rational is that he wanted the focus on the President's speech. A poor rational. It is not his concern to worry about the focus on the President's speech. It most most certainly his his concern that his focus be on the soldiers under his command. General Wojdankowski failed his soldiers in forgetting the rights they serve to defend. In his effort to toady he forgot his place. And that is definitly something to consider when he comes up for a higher position, as has been rumored ( he was considered for a command position in Europe that required a third star and Senate approval). The General makes for a poor representitive of values he stifles himself. I know the type. Any career military person does. They are, unfortunatly,rathar common and some do go a long way. But this suckholing glory monkey should be put out to pasture soon. It would give him time to read up on the First Amendment.
At Fort Benning, a Quiet Response to a Presidential Visit - washingtonpost.com