Obama: Gen. Shinseki Was Right About U.S. Troop Levels in Iraq
EmailABC News’ Jennifer Parker reports: President-elect Barack Obama announced today he is nominating retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki to head the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Shinseki warned Congress shortly before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that hundreds of thousands of troops would be needed to stabilize the country, but his warnings were dismissed by the Bush administration.
"He was right,” Obama told NBC’s Tom Brokaw Sunday on "Meet the Press."
“General Shinseki is exactly the right person who is going to be able to make sure that we honor our troops when they come home,” Obama said.
Veterans groups are calling Shinseki a "promising choice."
"We have no doubt that General Shinseki has the integrity and personal fortitude to usher in the real changes needed to make the VA a true steward of our nation’s veterans and their families." said John Rowan, National President of Vietnam Veterans of America.
Obama said he was moved to nominate Shinseki because he shares his "reverence for those who serve."
"I grew up in Hawaii, as he did. My grandfather is in the Punch Bowl National Cemetery. When I reflect on the sacrifices that have been made by our veterans and, I think about how so many veterans around the country are struggling even more than those who have not served — higher unemployment rates, higher homeless rates, higher substance abuse rates, medical care that is inadequate — it breaks my heart, and I think that General Shinseki is exactly the right person who is going to be able to make sure that we honor our troops when they come home," Obama said.
The president-elect also predicted the nation’s economic crisis will worsen.
“Things are going to get worse before they get better,” Obama said.
He said his advisers are still hashing out how large an economic stimulus package is needed, "but it is going to be substantial,” Obama said.
Obama has outlined an economic policy that would create jobs through infrastructure projects — the largest such public works program since Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration.
"I think we can get a lot of work done fast,"Obama said. "When I met with the governors, all of them have projects that are shovel- ready, that are going to require us to get the money out the door, but they’ve already lined up the projects, and they can make them work."
As Congress continues to work out the terms of a federal loan package for Detroit automakers, Obama argued that any loans must be predicated on a promise from the auto executives to restructure their industry.
But, Obama said, “The last thing I want to see is the auto industry disappear."
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Sounds like a fine choice, but the rationale is a little strained – unusual for Obama.
Posted by: Paul | December 7, 2008, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
We as a nation must do better for our Veterans. Let us hope and pray this is a step in the right direction.
Posted by: Robert | December 7, 2008, 12:48 pm 12:48 pm
This is a great pick. Shinseki was right and Obama’s decisions (through out the war) would have been wrong (to pull out). But I’m impressed that he’s willing to pick someone who is his opposite on Iraq.
Posted by: holdfam1 | December 7, 2008, 12:55 pm 12:55 pm
As the vociferous Progressive Ed Schultz pointed out during the primaries, since 2004, there were 23 pieces of legislation presented before Congress and the Bush Administration benefiting our Veterans. McCain voted against or didn’t even bother to show up to vote on 17 out of the 23 bills or amendments, six of which were authored by Veterans Affairs committee member and soon to be President, Barack Obama. The few that did make it to the President were vetoed with the exception of the revised GI bill. Now with the appointment of Gen. Shinseki and the obvious support of our soon to be President, our Veterans may finally get the attention they so deserve.
Posted by: devilkev | December 7, 2008, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
Being a lifetime member of the DAV(that’s the Disabled America Veterans), this would be a big improvement over what we’ve had over the last 8 years!
No more VA claims going to the shredder that haven’t been properly adjudicated!
There is a desperate need for the VA to update the claim process and the rating structure desperately needs updating(it hasn’t been touched since the Vietnam War!
I’ve have a current disability that needs to be increased due to a bi-lateral rating, but, I continue to live with it because of the troops coming home from Afghan and Irag that are injured, they need the attention more than I do.
Posted by: Michael G. | December 7, 2008, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
Another brilliant appointment by our next Commander-In-Chief. Shinseki, like Obama, has a great deal of intelligence, foresight, and (GASP!) common sense. He is the anti-Rumsfeld, which is exactly what we need. Great job team Obama, and congratulations to General Shinseki!
Posted by: GreatestCabinentEverAssembled | December 7, 2008, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
It’s about time someone thought of the veterans. It fine to send them to war but no one seems to care how they came back and what were their needs, emotionally, physically and financially. Many returning soldiers are losing their houses just like others but this should not happen to a person who served in our armed forces. Their families have not been taken care of while the one or sometimes both parents are at war. Finally, someone is paying attention. Thank you Mr. Obama.
Posted by: Pat Napolitano Marietta. Ga. | December 7, 2008, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
Donald Rumsfeld and George Bush owe this man Shinseki a public apology. He was right. They were wrong. And they fired him (despite all their blather about “listening to the commanders”). Among the many disgraces that was the reign of Rumsefeld, this heads toward the top. Good to see Obama righting a wrong.
Posted by: Disgusted Former Republican | December 7, 2008, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
Once again Obama makes a good balanced decision. This is the change.. He is not politically motivated by all his decisions and definitely puts alot of thought into what he is doing.
Posted by: Sharonkatheen | December 7, 2008, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
Nice pick Obama. I thought I would have more objections to the cabinet; but so far, so good.
Posted by: zia | December 7, 2008, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
BUSH and the DEMOCRATS are all failures!!!! Bush had our boys and some girls in an insame Iraq war and Bush allowed hundreds of innocent Americans to be killed the last eight years by illegals that he, McCain and the democrats allowed to come over the border with their horrible crime and drugs. The end of the U.S will happen if all these illegal thugs are allowed to stay here but Obama is sure not going to do anything but allow them here and pay off his union buddies who make $75/hr by taxing that little Miss or N.C. worker who makes less than $20/hr. Look, Bush stole from the taxpayers to payoff his rich banker buddies and the Democrats will pay off the unions while the little America suffers and has no representatives in Washington—-some change, HUH!!!!
Posted by: rockychance | December 7, 2008, 2:44 pm 2:44 pm
A person is a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN IF ONLY ONE PARENT IS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN!
It does NOT MATTER WHERE/the location.
The OTHER parent does NOT have to be American for the child to be considered 100% American with natural born rights and privilidges.
THAT’S OUR LAW/CONSTITUTION.
IT’S NOT MY OPINION.
Obama’s mother was CLEARLY AMERICAN, one from Kansas and with American born parents.
That means, ANY CHILD she had was/is an American citizen with ALL THE RIGHTS/PRIVILEGES of an American citizen.
There is ONLY ONE KIND Citizen within the borders of the USA.
So you Obama haters, get over it. He could have been born in a mosque in Sudan, and he’d still be an American 100%.
Posted by: Jonathan Seer | December 7, 2008, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
I’ll believe it when I see it. I have yet to see any single person placed in that post actually change ANYTHING.
Posted by: amaris | December 7, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Good move the genaral he tried to tell the truth about the war in Iraq but was fired from his job by Bush good move Obama:)
Posted by: Bonita | December 7, 2008, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
Bush and buddy Rummy did not want to hear the truth what if they had listened
how different this war could have been
Posted by: Bonita | December 7, 2008, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm
i agree with jonathan steer. people really need to do their homework. google U.S. citizenship if need be. Borak Obama is 100% American because his mother is and was an American; regardless of where Borak Obama was born, it is irrelevant. i have a coworker who was born in europe but was still considered an American simply because his parents were Americans. bottom line, if at least one of your parents is an American and you were born outside the United States, you are an American. this is the U.S. Constitution. Keep in mind, unlike most countries, the UNITED STATES, is a country of immigrants. native americans exempt of course. thus, our fore fathers realize that we need to protect the offsprings of “Americans” despite their ancestry originated from another country like France, England, Spain, etc. therefore, if a baby of one American parent was born in another country, that baby had the same rights as an American and the protection of the American government. understand the logic behind this constitution.
Posted by: john | December 7, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
Obama will go down in history as the best president that we have ever had..why? because he cares for people..that’s why! he wants to see people’s lives change based on commonsense governmental policies..Obama is a good man who don’t harbor grudges and hate..he forgave Lieberman, and all the others who tried to slander his name..”What a Man”. Obama is a listener and he listens to people who are experts in areas of government and then he makes his decisions..smart guy! Obama loves his country and what is interesting is that he does not consider himself the black president and as a black person myself I say “Right on”. He is president of these United States for everyone and Obama cares about everyone…he really wants to make a difference in people’s lives and that’s the hallmark of a great president..If the Republicans don’t try to muddy his water as they would try to do and if he receives the support..this country will turn around domestically,internationally and otherwise..The guy is smart,intelligent, articulate,brilliant,cares about people, wants to make a difference in people’s lives and will be the next president of this our blessed country..America will once again be the beacon to the world and will be respected once more. If we want our country to be great again..then support President Barack Hussein Obama and you would not be disappointed. God bless President Obama and his cabinet and God bless the United States of America!
Posted by: Stanley | December 7, 2008, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
The choice facing the Supreme Court boils down to civil unrest to protect the Constitution or civil war to proceed to ‘inaugurate’ a non-”natural born citizen”.
Posted by: Ted | December 7, 2008, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm
In general, I’ve been pleased by Obama’s appointments, and his appointment of Shinseki is certainly one of the better ones. Shinseki himself is a good choice, and I love the ## it gives the Bush administration.
Posted by: Alex | December 7, 2008, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm
Simply saying that more troops are needed isn’t enough. It’s what you do with them if you get them that’s important. For example, McClellan far outnumbered Lee in Virginia during the Civil War, but was always asking Lincoln for more men. Grant, years later, had a comparable number or less and used them to aggressively batter the Confederate Army and break it apart. Lee was constantly effective with fewer troops earlier in the war. The leadership, planning and implementation is what counts, not the numbers.
Beware of generals. They are political animals. But it is good to have a former military officer in charge of the VA rather than a civilian…I hope.
Posted by: Grand Old Party | December 7, 2008, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
Ted, There is not going to be civil unrest over Obama’s citizenship just like there has been none up to now. You, a few radicals, and a handful of lawyers will continue to complain about this for years because you think you have superior knowledge of the Constitution than the judicial, legislative, executive branches and the vast majority of legal experts. Some of you probably do it because it gives you status among a small group of radicals, others do it to sell books and get paid for speeches, but all of you are unwilling to have the country run by the form of government defined by the constitution and elected by the people every two, four, and six years.
Posted by: MikeMo1947 | December 7, 2008, 11:57 pm 11:57 pm
Colorado Springs, our Community, as many others in the Nation is a Military Based City and County. Every Soldier that became a casualty or wounded physically or mentally, we feel the pain, sorrow and in our Churches we pray for them or we attend the remembrance funerals and support DAV. We are veterans at heart, we are aware of these tragedies. All this years, none of the Key Leaders on Duty? that so badly planned this war and other acts planned had been present in these funerals, expressed a kind word to their families in great pains.
The voice and testimony of General, Chief of Staff Shinseki told the truth in Congress and I am certain to his Chain of Command.
He is owed for years, a National Apology from the Very Top of our Nation. Hope the ABC news tell us, the Senior Community,and Nation when this act will take place, to place our Flag in our homes. We seniors, know war, pains, the loss of such fine and valiant soldiers. We await this notification.
Posted by: Ben R. Rodriguez MS | December 8, 2008, 9:56 am 9:56 am
Shinseki warned Congress shortly before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that hundreds of thousands of troops would be needed to stabilize the country, but his warnings were dismissed by the Bush administration.
“He was right,” Obama told NBC’s Tom Brokaw Sunday on “Meet the Press.”
He was Not right President-Elect Obama!
It took a little more than 20,000
extra troops to get the job done!
General Patreous was Right and you
sir opposed the “troop surge”!
Your Judgement, Mr President-Elect,
is once again in question!
If as you say Gen Shineski was right
about U.S. Troop Levels in Iraq, then why didn’t you make him your Secretary
of Defense?
Posted by: reaganfan | December 8, 2008, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
Maybe Shinseki is a good pick, but remember this, it is not about the who heads up the VA it is about our veterans and currently there are many outstanding VA employees who are seeing that our veterans are getting the care that they deserve. However, they are still understaffed in all areas. Secondly, the new VA head needs to look at all of the red tape that has been incorporated into the books over the past 15 years that slow down the process
Posted by: Military Retiree | December 9, 2008, 12:47 am 12:47 am
its funny how obama is saying this now. obama is a man who has always voted against more troops and more funding. on another note obama also on sunday dodged another question, this time about his smoking habit. he made an art of dodging question’s on the campaign trail and most in the media let him getb away with and also he got away with many lies, even about his own voting record. and this is the man over 50% of people voted for, a liar and deciever, a man who couldn’t lead a cow to water, much less lead a nation. how sad. we are in trouble as a nation. i hope most of you wake up and realize what you have done
Posted by: charlie | December 9, 2008, 10:02 am 10:02 am
charlie you are right but it’s too late!
The damage has been done!
We’re stuck with Jimmy Carter II until
2012!
Posted by: reaganfan | December 9, 2008, 11:51 am 11:51 am
Jonathan seer how right you are. You can’t count the number of american children whose parents were or are still in the military and they were born outside the US and they are American’s. I am so sick of the BS. Get over it. He is yur president for the next 4 yers, like it lump it. By the way i voted for Barack
Posted by: Susan Jones | December 9, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
Military children who are born in a foreign county have to be registered as US citizens. The military has a procedure that all parents must follow when children are born in a foreign country. This can be checked out with DoD.
Posted by: Gal | December 11, 2008, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
I hate the thought of this man being the leader of our country I dont trust him, He has way to many bad nieghbors for me I can’t understand what the hell people were thinking If anyone think’s that VA’s are going to be taken care of or the middle class will be helped out think again the only people that will be receiving anything from this mutt are the people ripping off are system now receiving free stuff when they could be working like the rest of us the system is for people in need not for people who are just lazy and refuse to get off thier A**.
Posted by: melody dunn | December 14, 2008, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm
As a recent retiree of the Army after 32 years of Active Duty service, it pleases me immensely to see that President elect Obama has selected Gen (R) Eric Shinseki to be the next Secretary for Veterans Affairs. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that he is the right person for this job. Ensuring that Veterans are taken care of will be his first priority, along with reducing the bureaucratic paperwork for VA compensation benefits and connectivity between medical care rendered on Active Duty and that of the VA. Shinseki was correct in his assessment about troop strength needed to sustain combat and post-combat operations while he was the Chief of Staff of the Army. He will again prove to be correct about his honest assessment of our current VA system and the solutions needed to move forward. However, it should be noted that Shinseki would do us all a service by keeping LTG (R) Jim Peake on board to continue what he started just seven months ago when he assumed the responsibilities of this position. Dr. Peake is a brilliant man that provides not just a vision and desire, but possesses the intestinal fortitude to make the right and tough decisions. He demonstsrated this behavior his entire military career, culminating as the Army’s Surgeon General. Having these two great men serve us would be the solution Veterans have looked for over the last 50 years.
David A E
CSM(R)
Posted by: David A. Eddy | December 15, 2008, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm