And you trust the Regime to listen to the people?

[SkylineUSA]

Retired flag officers unimpressed by White House response to letter

By Vince Crawley
NavyTimes staff writer

10/13/04 "Navy Times" -- Eight months ago, 120 retired generals and admirals signed a letter to President Bush urging him to expand the active-duty Army by 40,000 soldiers. On Sept. 30, the White House finally sent back its reply — a vaguely worded form letter that makes no mention of the critical issue of military manpower.

In the meantime, Congress last week moved to permanently add 30,000 soldiers and 9,000 Marines to help ease the strain of Iraq and Afghanistan operations.On Feb. 6, the group of retired flag officers, led by retired Army Maj. Gen. Alan Salisbury, wrote to Bush voicing concern about the pace of current operations.“We strongly support the immediate, permanent authorization of an additional 40,000 to the Army’s end-strength along with the required additional funding,” wrote the retired officers, who came from all services.Among those signing was retired Army Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, who oversaw the first weeks of Iraq’s reconstruction after Baghdad fell to U.S. forces. The letter was coordinated by Salisbury on behalf of a group known as the Round Critical Issues Table.

At the time the retired military leaders sent their letter back in February, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was saying deployment pressures were being caused by a temporary “spike” in missions. Rumsfeld has continued to argue, as recently as September, that instead of increasing the size of the Army, leaders should make wiser use of existing troops.The recent troop-level increase approved by Congress came against the advice of the Bush administration.Salisbury, who coordinated the original Feb. 6 letter, sent a note to his colleagues Oct. 12 that quoted the White House’s reply, dated Sept. 30.

“Dear General Salisbury and Friends,” the reply begins. “On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your letter. We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions.“President Bush believes that this is a time of responsibility, resolve, and great progress for our country.”It goes on to generically list the Bush administration’s “important steps” to strengthen the economy and create jobs, protect the homeland, win the war on terrorism, and reform education and Medicare.“The President continues to build a society where every citizen can realize the great promise of America and to extend peace, freedom, and hope around the world for the security of the American people,” it said. “Thank you again for writing. Best wishes.”The reply was signed by “Heidi Marquez, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence.”

In his note to his colleagues, Salisbury indicated the response was underwhelming.“I apologize to all of you (my ‘friends’) for wasting your valuable time in considering our letter and adding your name to it,” Salisbury wrote. “It is clear that it was never read by anyone in the White House who had the slightest understanding of its subject matter or cared enough to send a remotely relevant response.”

Salisbury said the letter had been faxed to White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, with the original letter and signatures delivered by Federal Express. It would have been “far better” for the White House “to have not replied at all,” Salisbury said.

Copyright: Navy Times
http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f...925-450385.php

[DGB454]

And I guess Bush told him to fax the standard form letter?

[YogsVR4]

This about sums it up

.“I apologize to all of you (my ‘friends’) for wasting your valuable time