General Odierno Says ISIS Was Avoidable

[Valin]

Washington Free Beacon:

Jack Heretik

May 20, 2016

 

Gen. Raymond Odierno said he believes the Islamic State’s creation was avoidable during an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

 

Host Joe Scarborough asked Odierno, who commanded the Multi-National Forces in Iraq for about two years, if ISIS and the current state of Iraq were avoidable when the United States ended formal combat operations there.

 

“Did it ever have to begin? Was ISIS avoidable?” Scarborough asked.

 

“I think it is, and I’m not one for revisionist history,” Odierno said. “Actually, I was, on 1 September 2010, that’s when I gave up command in Iraq and that was the end of, we declared that was the end of combat operations when I left.”

 

“What was the state of Iraq when we got out of there?” Scarborough said.

 

(Snip)

 

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The Whole Interview

 

[SrWoodchuck]

We excel in resolving combat situations with our technology, training, the quality & esprit de corp of our troops...but we fail in politics, for the long term strategy needed for rebuilding nations. We also don't realize that democracy isn't always a good fit for some nations & cultures. Our national symbol of the eagle clutching 13 arrows in it's sinister talon & an olive branch in it's dexter talon...represents a lofty goal...and we struggle with it. What is good for our domestic tranquility (the ability to peacefully change the power structure) is detrimental, at times, to our foreign policy. At least we try.