Brigadier General Weidly assures us (and presumably DC) that he has things under control.

"On Friday, Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidly, the chief of staff of the Operation Inherent Resolve, insisted repeatedly to reporters at the Pentagon that overall, ISIS is on the defensive.

"We will see episodic successes," Weidly said. "But again, these typically don't materialize into long-term gains."

Weidly said that since fighting began in Anbar over a year and a half ago there have been similar attacks on Ramadi that Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have been able to repel.

"And we see this one being similar to those, where the ISF will eventually take back terrain that's been lost at this point," he said."  abcnews

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 I'll bet Weidly is not fun to be around.  He looks to be a man on the make.  One of the marines here will correct me if that is not true.  That's a great command picture.  I really think he ought to make a personal recon out to Anbar so that we can be sure that he has the right spin on this. 

The Iraqis say they have lost the city but Weidly knows better.  Hmmm...

Well, pilgrims, if he is right this will be worth another star or two.    pl  

http://abcnews.go.com/International/terrible-day-isis-claims-iraqi-city-ramadi/story?id=31109881

https://www.mcu.usmc.mil/Pages/director_pages/Thomas-Weidley.aspx

Comments

[FB Ali]

Totally weird!

If this is the level of the best officers in the US Army (presumably he was one, to be chosen for this position)........! (Words fail me).

[turcopolier]

FB Ali

He is not an officer of the US Army. pl

[EGrise]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a "hot runner"?

[VietnamVet]

Colonel,

This post is why you’re banned. Can’t have the Pentagon Follies pointed out to the worker bees. You’ve become the Thomas Paine of bloggers.

The new fundamentalist Sunni civilization is not going to collapse from airstrikes by the USA and the corrupt oil sheiks or by Special Forces raids on ISIS leaders. But, the Islamic State has been unable to seize Shiite or Kurd towns if the defenders have determined air support. Most likely, Baghdad International will be surrounded and possibly seized. Iran will send in Revolutionary Guards to secure the East Bank of the Tigris River and to keep control of the Mosul Dam. After that I see only two possibilities; either the partition of Iraq is formalized and secure borders placed around the Islamic State; or Mecca falls and the Sunni-Shiite Jihad spreads across the Middle East. Only the draft and taxing the rich would build an army large enough to conquer the Islamic State. This could start World War III if the misadventure in Ukraine doesn’t first.

[mbrenner]

Colonel - and others - could you enlighten those of us unfamiliar with military culture at the command level as to whether historically it has been the accustomed practice for generals to shoot their mouths off in this manner on current wartime developments. (Breedlove is an even more egregious example - having repeatedly all but declared war on Russia). As a corollary, is there some reason why the Commander-in-Chief cannot let it be known in blunt terms that they should shut up (except where required to speak as in Congressional testimony)

[FB Ali]

Yes, I didn't notice he was a Marine.

My incomprehension still remains!

[bth]

Only a few years ago a lot of Americans died fighting over Ramadi when we were told it was the key to holding Anbar.

Current readers of online news from the region would see locals telling anyone that would listen that Baiji and Ramadi were being targeted. Yet it seems a surprise to Washington and Baghdad that sustained pressure from ISIL and a lack of supplies, adequate air cover or reinforcements would each be good reasons ISIL won Ramadi.

There were only seven reported air strikes in Ramadi in the last 24 hours. Are we holding back to prove a point? Perhaps on a related note there is no useful open source news on Iran's Qud force in Iraq for weeks. Curious. Are the US and Iran both playing hard to get with Iraq's government? Was the tepid support of Iraqi forces in Ramadi trying to prove a point such as Iraqi government needs the US and not Iran and it lost Ramadi without support to prove a point?

[The Twisted Genius]

Perhaps he's possessed by the ghost of Baghdad Bob. The dude needs an exorcist.

[Tyler]

Kinda gives new life to President Truman's statement about the USMC having a propaganda arm second only to Stalin.

[turcopolier]

FB Ali

Members of one of the sea services. The word "marine" is not a proper noun except in the world that Captain Harry Truman, Artillery, Missouri Army National Guard spoke of. They are a separate service within the Department of the Navy. The process that puzzles you is always the same. CJCS tells the Commandant of USMC that it is their turn to supply an officer of a certain rank for a named job. The Commandant names someone and unless the man hasa terrible reputation the nomination is accepted. pl

[Tyler]

BTH,

Nothing so Machiavellian as your last. DC has its head up its own ass and is believing its own shit. Sorry to be crude but there it is. Its all narrative driven spin spin spin by Ivy League idiots who've been told their whole lives that they're the smartest person in the room. They honestly believe that if they say a thing, it makes it true.

[turcopolier]

mbrenner

It used to be true that to do what he is doing was career death, but now as
TTG and Tyler are trying to explain the winners in the rank rat race are transformed into K-mart and Walmart managers. IMO opinion this transformation from rule by gentlemen to rule by the merely ambitious is a threat to the Republic. People like our comrades here do not wish to be "managed" by people who see them as stepping stones. pl

[Fred]

Col.,

I wonder what his take on Ukraine is? He does have a Masters in Strategic Studies. On a more truthful not this is one more reason to downsize the Marine Corps.

[Fred]

Col.,

"People like our comrades here do not wish to be "managed" by people who see them as stepping stones."

I'll second that. I would have reenlisted again if I'd have been able to serve with a couple of officers I had served with before; but not for someone like this. I left a couple of companies in the civilian world because of bad managers, might even leave the one I'm with now for the same reason.

[turcopolier]

fred

A student at one of the Senior Service Colleges gets an MA in strategic studies as a kind of door prize for attendance. It is part of the Walmart Manager program. They started that some years after I graduated from the Army War College but then I already had more book learning than was good for me. plpl

[AndrewW]

Yup. Back in the day they were called Haig-isms in the dubious honor of US Army General Alexander Haig. My favorite incident involving Haig was after he was confirmed as the Reagan Administration's Secretary of State. Just after the Democrats lost that particular confirmation fight in the Senate a reception was held at the White House for the Japanese Prime Minister.

According to some stories Senator Spark Matsunaga (D-HI) deliberately positioned himself at the end of the line of the Japanese delgation. At any rate Haig asked Spark if he spoke English. To which he replied "Yes, Mr. Secretary, I do — and I had the honor of voting for your confirmation the other day.". For a more extreme example of the stupidity of Haig see his public statements after Reagan got shot. The Soviets probably thought America had suffered a military coup based upon these utterances.

[Adam L Silverman]

Fred,

Everyone who graduates from one of the services War Colleges or from the National War College (Joint) have a master's in strategic studies, though there's slight differentiation in the formal tile of the degree from school to school. There is also slight differences in the curricula between the schools as well.

[FB Ali]

No wonder someone modestly smart like Petraeus was able to run circles around these types and emerge as a "genius".

(I will concede that Brig Gen Weidly looks the very model of a gallant officer - especially with that chestful of ribbons and medals. Incidentally, I doubt if any other military in the world, barring those in sub-Saharan Africa, is so lavish in bestowing giltware upon its officers).

[Rob Waddell]

PL/All..
re MAstatstud
The ambush, the battle, the War; isn't the whole point to WIN. I apologise for my banality with the above (and forthcoming) statements but surely that should be warfare 101.
My dear, now retired, business partner Captain David O**** who was conscripted into the New Zealand Army during the Vietnam war era regularly told me "an ambush should be 100% successful". I presume that means all the enemy dead, all the ambushers alive. I also presume he was militarily educated with this item foremost in mind. This simple message has stood our, and now my, electronics business in good stead over the last 40 years. I guess it's like Tylers (or was that VV's ?) "bar-room brawl" logic; Don't start if don't intend to win.
I respectfully ask if other military educators and recipients of the Education if this pedagogy is prevalent in the modern western armies.
p.s. Dave also said that the Military is the worlds oldest education system, something that I believe is easily true.
bob

[turcopolier]

FB Ali

Absolutely! Too many medals! Except of course for mine. I should have had more! BTW. I have more and higher medals than this aviator, but, then, I deserved them pl

[BostonBob]

Col. David Hackworth had over 90 medals. He singled out the Combat Infantry Badge as the one he was most proud of and wore on his lapel after retiring.

[EGrise]

Ah, I get it now. Thanks!

[turcopolier]

BostonBob

I suppose Hackwrth could wear whatever he pleased from among his things. What's the point? Ah, you are hung up on medals. pl

[fasteddiez]

Colonel, There are two reasons for this General's goofy pronouncements. First he was obviously given five O' Clock follies type talking points. Secondly, he is an airdale (non Boydian), ergo, his understanding of what goes on at the ground level is filtered through 20,000 feet of altitude.

PS, Fred, the USMC will be downsized, as will the Army. This happens after every conflict. If Sequestration kicks in its' afterburners, more troopies will be shown the door. Alas and Alack, not for buffoons like this general.

[confusedponderer]

Americans are amateurs medalwise. North Korean veterans have been so heroic and meritous that they needed to start pinning their medals to their pants because their chests were full. Way to go!

http://tinyurl.com/osq9uru