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General Zinni gets dissed ... ???

Slammer2

SNFO Advanced, VT-86 T-39G/N
Contributor
Its crazy to see a man with those credentials get "stood up" like that.
 

Bevo16

Registered User
pilot
Changing their mind about him being the ambassador is not a huge deal, but the way they did was very inept. Hopefully this trend doesn't continue.

The man deserves a phone call, no doubt about that. He was only putting his entire life back on hold to go back into the service of his country.
 

usmarinemike

Solidly part of the 42%.
pilot
Contributor
So who dropped the ball? Is it the ethos of the new organization, or did one person (perhaps Gen. Jones) just screw the pooch? I wouldn't even blow off the loser in the bid to take care of my dogs the way they did him.
 

m0tbaillie

Former SWO
Sounds like we're only hearing one side of the story. Also, I doubt a retired general was really "putting his entire life on hold" waiting for a phone call...that seems a bit over-dramatized to me...
 

C420sailor

Former Rhino Bro
pilot
Sounds like we're only hearing one side of the story. Also, I doubt a retired general was really "putting his entire life on hold" waiting for a phone call...that seems a bit over-dramatized to me...

Considering he was planning to move his entire life to Iraq, I'd be willing to bet that he had a lot of things up in the air---wouldn't you?

I've met Gen. Zinni multiple times. A truly great man with an incredible understanding of the Middle Eastern culture.
 

The Chief

Retired
Contributor
so what kind of credentials are held by Christopher Hill?

Career diplomat within the Foreign Service. Think he spent couple of years in Black Shoe Navy, not sure. Met him several times at State in meetings on export controls.

Is a stand-up guy, smart and well liked. He is not an ideologue.

As far as selection - Hill vs Zinni; the old sage "it ain't over till it is over" applies aptly to any promise of a job in the politico sphere, Mr. Zinni should have known that.

In my view, C. Hill is a far better choice; a senior military guy is the last thing we need representing the US in Iraq at this point in time.
 

Bevo16

Registered User
pilot
In my view, C. Hill is a far better choice; a senior military guy is the last thing we need representing the US in Iraq at this point in time.


I don't get that logic.

When you consider that we have a little military operation going on in the country, having someone running the largest US Embassy in the world who knows the "lingo" might be to our advantage. A retired military officer with experience in the region and with the culture is pertty damn important.

Iraq is not a place where you send a guy who has spent his entire career in another part of the world to round out his resume. We need someone there with relationships already in place and someone who understands how things work.
 

mmx1

Woof!
pilot
Contributor
A military operation which is dwindling in size and influence over the shape of events in Iraq. Putting a military man in charge of diplomacy will set the wrong tone when our relationship is becoming less and less predicated on our military presence.

Mr. Hill has a strong track record from the Bosnia peace settlement and as the US rep to the six-party talks with North Korea. It's insulting to demean him as a bureaucrat "rounding out his resume". You might as well call Gen. Zinni a "manager"; it'd be about as accurate.
 
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