It looks like the left has found someone to run for the senate in Texas. Maybe they think that a Hispanic can win in Texas because of his ethnic heritage. That would be the only way he could get elected since those who served under him in Iraq did not value his style of leadership.
As part of my doctoral dissertation, I surveyed several hundred field grade officers who served under LTG Ricardo Sanchez Here are some of the results of my study:
The Army Leadership doctrine is compiled in FM 6-22, published in 2006. The primary leadership style most values by the Army is the “learn and adapt” leadership style. This leadership style is most suited to fighting an asymmetrical war like Iraq and Afghanistan where counter insurgency strategies are needed. The officers surveyed viewed LTG Sanchez as being primarily a bureaucratic leader. I suppose he would fit right in with the current senators!
Officers who responded rated LTG Sanchez about 2.5 on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the most characteristic) as exhibiting the leadership characteristics most valued by the US Army. The same officers rated GEN Petraeus 4.5 on the same survey. (95% confidence level)
I served under LTG Sanchez in 2003 in Iraq. I provided at least one power point slide for his daily brief. My organization identified critical issues during those briefings that required decisions by LTG Sanchez to either make or change policy, rules of engagement or other issues. It appeared to those of us out in the field that our leader was more interested in being the commander than commanding/leading. He would make a good book end for our current president.
Here are a few comments made by those field grade officers who took the survey concerning LTG Sanchez:
Leaders are facing a great challenge in fighting a war while transforming the Armed Forces, unfortunately many young Generals are not adaptive enough to meet the challenge.
Iraq was in a degrading “do-loop” of old methods and poor results through the tenure of both GEN Sanchez and GEN Casey. Neither was prepared for the task they had on hand. It was not until the completely different point of view of GEN Petraeus came into the position that the war changed into a success. His brilliance and capability is evident by how quickly our fortunes there turned in our favor so fast. September 7th or 15th, 2007 (I cannot exactly remember the day of the Shia ceasefire) was the magic day. I was with 1st Cav and went back twice more after that, everything changed that day and it was a result of the change in method implemented by GEN Petraeus.
LTG Sanchez is an exceptional officer. Serving on his staff was a great education and honor.
All from I could observe in the foxhole were good, communication throughout the army on the goals and objectives has improved throughout the campaign
My sense of LTG Sanchez’s leadership was that he was selected because he was present and available, not because he was particularly suited to the task.
What is most indicative of LTG Sanchez was his inability to understand the situation on the ground and that he was more intone with CPA and their desires than what the Division Commanders were telling him. When Ambassador Bremer insisted on closing down a pro-Sadr newspaper because it was printing anti-coalition editorials and news stories LTG Sanchez did so against the advice of MG Dempsey, the then TF Baghdad (1AD) Commander. MG Dempsey argued that the readership (250K) of such an insignificant newspaper in a city of 5 million was not worth the ramifications of such an action. Plus 1AD and 1CD were in the middle of a right seat/left seat portion of the transition of authority. In the end LTG Sanchez acquiesced to Ambassador Bremer and ordered Corps level assets to raid and close the paper and later arrested a top Sadr aid. No 1AD troops participated in the raids that took place in their battle space. The net-result was the 04 April 2004 Shiite uprising widened and lengthened the war.
LTG Sanchez was unable to get the subordinate division commanders to accomplish his priorities. The only exception was then MG Petraeus who really had the right vision and was executing.
Have no idea why LTG Sanchez was promoted to 3 stars. One of the worst commanders I have every worked with. Would not make a decision until it was forced upon him.
LTG Sanchez was clearly commanding at a level well above his abilities and not adept enough to realize the entire theater and what we were facing. His failing were so great that I know of many officers who left the service specifically due to his leadership failures. After one of his visits that was simply a beat down after he disagreed with the BDE’s assessment given to the CENTCOM Commander our S2 summed up his leadership as the Corps commander as: “as a Corps Commander, he makes a great Brigade Commander”.
Very focused on numbers. Disagreed with policy of mandating the wearing of full body armor during our stay at Camp Udairi. We deployed from Germany and I understand the need to get used to the heat. However, 1st Armored Division was the only division that was wearing all of the gear in the secure location of Kuwait. Despite multiple attempts to change the policy it was rejected. I believe that several heat casualties resulted from this policy. When we deployed into Iraq we were not mandated to wear the body armor which led to frustration and disbelief.
Of the four senior leaders we have had in Iraq, 2 have been successes, 1 a moderate failure and 1 a total failure. We are promoting either abusive leaders who achieve results through Herculean efforts by their people (Sanchez) or people who just want to do the job and get along (Casey) or people who are so wedded to their way of doing things that they cannot change (Casey).
Randy recently retired from the Army with the rank of Colonel. His military specialty was environmental science and civil affairs. Randy has completed his doctorate of management and has become involved in local politics.
Hey, if this guy is for stopping the flow of illegals over the border I’ll support him. It would also be nice if he was opposed to shipping US jobs to Asia and Latin America.
Let’s see where he stands on the issues before condemning him to oblivion, okay?
When Gen Sanchez was defending his actions about Abu Ghraib, he claimed 1. that he was keeping things under the Geneva Conventions (found out not to be true via FOIA via the ACLU) and 2. that the ACLU was, ””…a bunch of sensationalist liars, I mean lawyers, that will distort any and all information that they get to draw attention to their positions.” http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/nation/14512702.htm
So, shoot the messenger!
So, when you have stated, “I suppose he would fit right in with the current senators!”, it looks like you’ve got him pegged.
Problems are never his fault.
They are someone else’s doing.
Sanchez has become the most senior retired general to criticize American political leadership of the war.
The NYTimes only allows you 6 or 8 page views a month for free so I’m not suggesting you click this link, but it is called: Former Top General in Iraq Faults Bush Administration, New York Times, October 12, 2007
So, while some of us might see glaring faults in this Gen, I can see why Dems might love him to death.
@Nan G: An organization abhors an vacuum. Lack of leadership from the top of an organization causes subordinate leaders to develop their own philosophies and policies to implement what they think the mission is. After the taking of Baghdad, the mission had changed except there was really no specific guidance from the commanding general on what that new mission really was. The result was inconsistent military action across Iraq that allowed if not fostered the rise of the insurgency. I know, I was there trying to get clarification daily.
In May of 2003, Balad, Iraq was a town that had people in the street shaking our hands and forcing fruit on us. I can not remember how many water melons and grapes we ate in those days. The as the combat units each developed their control of their individual areas of responsibilities (AOR) independent of each other. It was not even safe for our civil affairs units to meet in Balad without heavy security. I could go on and on about the results of poor leadership, but the impact was many unnecessary deaths.
I think Ricardo Sanchez will be another senator who will vote present.
Generals do not get to their position and status not being political. It is usually on the backs of others. Additionally most are liberal.
Sanchez, as Huge an Idiot as Wes Clark. I can imagine an Idiot like Ivan supporting this incompetent Politician in Boots. I was not in this idiots Chain of Command as I reported directly to JSOC but as Randy has stated His subordinate Units were left to their own resources and their Commander’s Guidance was negligible or unclear. My Missions in Country were JSOC directed and quite happily not under this Clown’s leadership. (Small Case L).
Everything that happens or fails to happen is the Commander”s Responsibility. Sadly He was not held responsible for His failures in leadership. General Karpinski also escaped being held responsible which amazed me. The insurgency developed under Sanchez’s watch despite warnings and He dismissed it as inconsequential. Tell that to the Families of the Casualties.
Dave Petraeus cleaned up the mess after Sanchez departed. That is Fact.
As further evidence of his competency as a general, he opposed the surge which turned the situation around as well. He wasn’t the best in Kosovo either.
The real ironic part of this is that the party who is trying to recruit him to run painted everyone associated with Abu Grhaib as a “war criminal”. They are certainly on a roll here. Called Bush’s wars “unjust” even though he obtained Congressional approval PRIOR to war but Obama’s war is okay even though he never got Congressional approval. Were against raising the debt ceiling under Bush but support doing so under Obama. Opposed Bush’s deficits but increased them 300% and that’s okay. The hypocrisy is really telling.
Ivan the pretend Conservative strikes again.
Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be for closing the border….right up until he gets elected. Then his true colors will come out.
As for shipping jobs overseas, the dems controlled congress for some time and they did nothing to stop it while they were in charge. Nothing has changed.
@Hard Right: Hard Right says: 7
Unlike you, I’ll await his candidacy announcement and then I’ll wait to hear what he says about the issues.
Also, as a former Californian who now lives in NM, I can tell you I’ve met many Democrats who are more “conservative” than the Republicans I knew in California.
Agreed, they failed to clean up the Republican mistake of shipping our jobs overseas. A pox on the Dems house for not correcting that blantant error.
You’re agains all those job-killing “free trade” agreements, correct?
Hardright bloviated:
Perhaps you’re right about that. I find myself more and more disgusted at what conservatives stand for now and more and more in agreement with the populists/constitutionalists as I get older.
Here is what I find repugnant about my “conservative” allies:
1. They are beholden to the interests of Wall Street, the big banks, etc., and not the interests of the average person. Hey, I’m not anti-corporation, but I realize that the Republicans are in the pocket of them at the expense of the little guy.
2. Republicans/Conservatives are for massive spending increases at the Federal level. Sorry, When the Republicans a little over a week ago signed onto the budget resolution-which resulted in about $300 MILLION in “cuts”-they showed they are NOT for shrinking government to what it should be. When the fiscal year ends in September of 2011 we’ll see record deficits and will be the fault of the Republicans.
3. Republicans/Conservatives are for raising the debt ceiling. Perhaps I’m premature on this, but I seriously doubt that “Cry baby” will allow the US government to DEFAULT on it’s obligations to creditors. Once again, Republicans will show they are for keeping the power centralized in DC instead of the States, where the power belongs.
4. Republicans/Conservatives support Obama’s war in Libya. Sorry, by not opposing Obama’s illegal war the Republicans tacitly support it. Dumb move.
5. Republicans/Conservatives are still shilling for “Free Trade.” Still pushing for more and more idiotic treaties with other nations. Another idiotic, Pro-Corporate move.
Sanchez might take a few border counties only because he is a) Hispanic and b) a Democrat. But if this is the best the TxDP can come up with, it shows you how bad off they really are.
There are a number of people looking to replace Kay Bailey (but don’t bank on her not running again) and the most conservative of the bunch is Michael Williams (my choice).
Ivan the Idiot, where do you come up with the crap you put out?
I suggest you stay away from DailyKos.
retire-5 said:
Tsk-tsk. It must be tough be a neo-con. Can’t engage in intelligent discourse so you resort to the neo-con’s last, desperate method of converse: the personal insult.
“The last act of the desperate mind is the personal insult”.
That accurately describes you, Retire.
Ivan the Idiot, I doubt you even know what a neo-con is. It is just another one of the catch phrases you have gleened from your time spent at DailyKos. And it is obvious that you don’t know the difference between a small “c” conservative and a big “R” Republican.
Engage in intelligent discourse? With you? Most of the time you are so far off base you are not even in the ball park. You come up with stuff that is so stupid even my liberal friends don’t subscribe to your diatriabes.
You are a troll, nothing more, nothing less. Someone who tries to pretend he is something he is not.
Here is a suggestion: come up with something intelligent and we will have a discourse. So far you’re batting zero.
@Ivan: OK B-Rob, it is time someone hit the delete button!
@Randy: I actually had to double check his IP with his last few comments to make sure it wasn’t BRob…wow
Ivan the moby- more Conservative than CA Republicans. Wow that sets the bar sooooooo high (roll eyes).
Look, stop pretending you aren’t a democrat. 99% of your posts are rants against the GOP. You accuse them of things the dems are guilty of while giving the dems a complete pass. An example would be on spending. You ignore the one trillion in debt they put us in, then pull out of your butt the claim that Republicans are for even more spending than the dems. Maybe if they didn’t cut spending at all or proposed even more spending you might have a point. Let’s see what they do on the 2012 budget before declaring them worse than the dems, shall we? You claim they are beholden to big corporations. Well, take a look at which party got the lions share of campaign donations over the last decade. Hint: NOT the GOP. All your little rant above does is expose your ignorance and double standard. Just because we point out your innacurate claims doesn’t mean we are happy with the GOP, but you know that and don’t care. At first I just thought you were a Ron Paul nut, but it’s clear you are a lib hiding who you are.
If you really were who you say you are, you would already know no matter what he says in his campaign he’s going to vote in lockstep with the dems. That means pro-amnesty, a second “stimulus”, cap and trade, universal health care, and even more EPA regs that destroy industry and push jobs over seas (like unions and current EPA rules and regs already have). If this was as abhorrent to you as you pretend it is, you’d say as much. Yet you don’t. Like I said, you are a phony.
I can’t believe Ivan is as old as he is. I thought he was younger than me for sure. Hmm… first time I’ve ever given a fifty something year old advice on how to address people respectfully…
Randy, I don’t have the amount of leadership experience that an army colonel would be impressed by. I am a manager at a large oil company and am twenty years younger than anyone who has previously held my position, I spend much of my time briefing people that are older than me on what to do and I’m good at it. Now I don’t feel like I’m living at my full potential, I would rather be serving a bigger purpose, I don’t like my job and am not really proud of that but love speaking in front of groups. On some level I understand leadership, not as much as you I’m sure, but I enjoy being a leader and have at least an elementary level understanding of it.
Your story lead me to think a few things, among them: why would someone receive a promotion who does not and may never have the ability to perform at the level of that promotion? My understanding of teamwork means only ever giving someone as much responsibility as they have proven they can handle and using each individual according to their ability, only then can a person lead an effective team. Therefore the real failure of leadership was whoever promoted this guy. I would proudly wear 3 stars but if I have not proven my ability to lead at that level and someone gives them to me anyway, its not really my fault….
Does the army have a system of weeding out those not fit for command? I’m surprised at how many generals seem to have serious character issues. This guy is no McAurthor, that’s for sure.
hard right, sure thing, what got me to also think so and even more when he said the CONSERVATIVES THINK OF PASSING THE AMERICANS BEFORE OBAMA, and I thought that is a good thing to favor
the PEOPLE BEFORE OBAMA WHO IS SPENDING THEIR MONEY LIKE WATER,
SO IT MAKES YVAN MAD, THAT WOULD TELL ME THAT HE IS AN OBAMATOMIC HIMSELF.
@Zac: Zac, first of all, I was successful because I wasn’t concerned with the rank of any of the soldiers who worked for me. I told each one individually that I expected all they had. I made sure they understood it didn’t matter that they would not likely get credit for what they did and there would not be extra pay. When a unit goes to war, there is little one can do to predict how the individuals will perform. Some of the real hotshots in garrison turned out to be duds in a combat zone.
One of the E-4 from my team went to the CPA (US Name for Interim government) and fully assessed the potential of all the Iraqi government industries. He did this in civilian clothes. The COL he was working for made all of the troops at CPA wear their uniforms. When the State Department types found out he was a junior enlisted soldier, they dismissed all of his work. After we demobilized, this soldier moved to Jordan for about 6 months and cornered the market on cement. He and his wife (he met in Iraq) are millionaires and live in Colorado!
It is not only the education the person has that makes him a leader, it is the heart and the willingness to always do the right thing. You never know where you will find a good leader. They just need the chance.
If you know the story of Allen West in Iraq, you know his soldiers would follow him any where. OT2 likely will not talk about his experiences, but his no nonsense approach to issues and his concern for his troops are valued by his troops. If the selection of general officers was not so political, Sanchez would not have made 3 stars. Those colonels who served under him in Kosovo could predict how he would perform in Iraq.
Thank you, Randy!
Randy, I really value your advice on leadership. I take notes when someone posts something on FA that’s useful to me. Much appreciated!
I enjoy most people and rarely feel its necessary to judge anyone by their status. Personally, I’m a fairly silent, introspective individual, so I
would not be the stereotypical leader that the state department would look for, so I understand totally what you are saying, I’ve been judged unfairly many times because I don’t stand out as much as some louder people. That’s life, ill get over it.
I’m really leaning a lot of stuff at this point in my life, particularly about doing the right thing. Everyone’s been taught to do the right thing, seems odd that people question it.
Yes I’ve read a lot about Allen West, its one of my goals to meet him one day. OT2 is quite a guy!. I can say all of my heroes are great soldiers.
You have a better understanding of how general officer promotions work than I do. Mixing politicians and military seems the same as mixing liquor and car keys with 12 year olds. Something bad always happens.
Casey is the one whitewashing the killing of our troops by Major Hasan, the phsychiatrist, remember – claiming not to judge him so harshly?!
Bees, thanks for pointing that out as well. Being upset or distrustful of the GOP is understandable, but he is farrrr beyond that. He gives the dems a pass tho. Rotten…Denmark…
@Ivan:
He absolutely would not do that.
BTW, liberals force the shipping of jobs overseas. Ivan, you can tell us why jobs go overseas in the first place.
@retire05:
Any time you’d like to return to the real world from you little trip to immagination land just let us know! I know that in your mind, one of the voices you hear daily told you I’m some Dem troll from DailyKos or Democratic Underground, but Aye Chihuahua already stalked me on the internet, oh I mean researched me via my email address and found me to be the Republican who donated money to the McLame/Palin campain in ’08. Go ahead, ask him, instead of the voices in your head, who I am.
So we can sum up your analysis as SWING AND A MISS (as is usual with you).
Of course some neo-con RNC hack would say that! That is how you dismiss those of us in the Republican Party who are reclaiming what was and is rightfully ours. You guys came along after our Reagan left and hijacked the party in the name of your internationalist/globalist agenda.
You and your gave us GW Bush. The one man who did more damage to the Republican Party than any other Republican since Richard Nixon.
We have Obama and his stinking mess because of Bush, which by extension means because of you.
The clock is ticking and your days as controlling our party are numbered.
No, I’m a patriot who is going to help overthrow your internationalist control of the Republican Party.
By the time we get done with you and yours you’ll feel more comfortable calling yourself a Democrat than anything else.
@DrJohn:
Well let’s let him make his statement then, okay? If he isn’t for securing the border, like Bush wasn’t, then I’ll oppose him. I’m sick of these internationalists-Obama, Bush, Palin, McCain-and I won’t vote for them.
Obviously, the liberals have over-regulated our economy thus forcing our jobs overseas, but that is but part of the problem.
And God knows you can’t understand the other aspects of the problem.
@ilovebeeswarzone:
What a lie. Obama isn’t even a citizen. He can’t prove it.
But I’ll tell you what and who pisses me off, it’s the Republicans in the House who COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS F*CKER, but don’t because they want to make political hay out of the guy in 2012.
Obama could and should be impeached for starting an illegal war in Libya.
But the Republicans are ignoring their CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY to oversee the Executive Branch.
Why are they doing that? Because in reality, they are all for this war. That is why they dont’ say a f*kcing word about it’s illegality.
Ivan the Idiot, do you live in California? Because obviously, you are doing chemicals that are illegal in my state.
And do I care if someone tracked you on the internet? Nope, but I won’t do that because frankly, I just don’t find you that interesting.
retire05 says: 28
I fled California due to the Dem/Socialists and Republican/Socialists which ruined my home state.
Ha! You’re actually obsessed with me as you keep posting to me and about me.
I also see you’re back in immagination land today. Tell everyone there I say “hi”!
Ivan the Idiot, let me be perfectly clear: I don’t give a hairy rat’s ass about you. Obsessed with you?
Get treatment for that BPD.
Ivan,you sound like a catfish all mouth and no brains.
Retire05.
You care more than you know.
GLOBAL warming?, how about a snow storm today 20 of april,
now where is that global warming situated?
cali, what happen to that criminal? he took many lives of the best of the NATION,
and he was working with injured veterans, one of them came out to complain that he was trying to bring them into his MUSLIM’S RELIGION’S BELEIF. that realy got me more angry,a psycho psychiatrist for helping the injured vets to overcome their nervous weakness, by teaching them to hate the AMERICANS INSIDE AMERICA, WHAT HAPPEN TO HIM?
One Texas Democrat Blogger wrote this:
I think this ”Burnt Orange Reporter,” Karl-Thomas Musselman, has a valid point.
When Republicans try to pick moderates they are shredded by ideologues as well as Democrats – all of whom threaten to not vote for the person.
Apparently in Texas, Democrats have been seeing the same thing for 11 years.
So, it is NOT a done deal….yet.
Still no announcement.
But should Sanchez become the nominee expect a whole lot of Democrats to stay home……again.
NanG, while the author of your link laments the loss of Democrat seats in Texas, he is banking on the Hispanic vote pushing a Democrat over the line. But there is a strange thing happening in the arena of Texas Hispanic politics.
The Pew Hispanic Research center, the left wing go-to source for all things Hispanic, recently reported that in 2008, Republicans garned only 30% of the Texas Hispanic vote. In just two years, during the 2010 elections, Texas Hispanics voted for Republicans by 38%, a huge increase of 8% in just two years. Also, the addition of two Hispanic federal congressmen from Texas, both Republicans, saw the defeat of entrenched Democrats, Ciro Rodriquez and Chet Edwards. Even down to the wire, the political talking heads were predicting that there was no way that Bill Flores could defeat Chet Edwards. But he did. And a state Congressman, elected in a very blue district, recently switched parties, going from Democrat to Republican, and was a leader in the fight for Voter I.D. laws in Texas.
Although Texas is now a minority-majority state, Texas politicians, with their finger on the pulse of the Hispanic community, are seeing that there is a shift in political loyality. If Sanchez decides to run, don’t think that Ted Cruz will not take him on in the Hispanic communities over Sanchez’ absolute failure in Iraq. Don’t think that Abu Ghraib will not be an issue for Sanchez. And remember, Sanchez did nothing to endear himself to the troops themselves. Fort Hood voters will not be pulling the lever for Sanchez whose non-action on the scandal allowed them to be smeared by the left.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53459.html
Too funny!
61% have an unfavorable rating of her? Dudes, the Alaskans know Palin better than any of us and if they can’t stand her, buy a clue from them, okay?
Shit, she couldn’t even get her hand-picked candidate for Senate to win last November.
I think her “career dissipation light has just gone into full-drive.
You can’t make this stuff up.
YVAN, DON’T you worry about SARAH PALIN , SHE is doing good else where,
don’t trust those polls to the minute, because many things come in factor with a pole,
depending also of the intent of the one doing the pole, and who thir contacts are.
Beewarzone: Her hand-picked candidate for the US Senate LOST TO A WRITE-IN Candidate.
This isn’t about a poll or two. This is about mounting evidence that her support is a mile-wide and an inch deep.
Does anyone notice a slight resemblence to someone we know and “love”/sarc
Randy, to add to what I said earlier; if someone happened to choke and not perform in combat, I could not imagine what it would be like for them to face there brothers and teammates again. That must be a rough situation for them, their leaders and subordinates.
This Lt general had endangered lives on a massive scale and seems to still want to use his military experience to influence other positions he may hold in life. That is almost sadistic.
I fully support what Randy talks about. I served with him in Iraq and he is unusual for the current officers in the military. He was genuinely concerned for the soldiers he worked with and also for the people we were supporting. We were outside the wire every day in the local villages and accomplished many things for the populus. We even went head to head with the State Department when they advised us the French were in charge of the money to rebuild the infrastructure of Iraq. We very diplomaticaly explaind the fact that we would contact the press and they saw fit to find us money for the projects we proposed.
@Ret SGM: Thanks SGM. I appreciate you weighing in on this. You may want to check out the thread where Larry thinks there are more opportunities for success in other countries than in the US>
I guess I wasn’t thinking when I wrote a comment and got sidetracked. It is a military tradition on an instalation to name streets and buildings and such after signifigant battles or after individuals killed in action. Foregoing all of this tradition Sanchez had a street named after himself at Camp Victory, Iraq while he was there.
Does this mean that if he is elected to the Senate he will want to rename a portion of Texas after himself?
Randy:
Congrats on completing your dissertation. Would enjoy reading your research, when you have the chance. I recently interviewed for a position with a firm that uses a proprietary leadership methodology when counseling C-level execs. Your research would be helpful.