Review: George and the General [Casey]

Here’s Bush in September 2006, in a closed-door session with conservative journalists, as reported by Rich Lowry in the National Review. Lowry, who was even then calling for more U.S. troops in Iraq, asked Bush to respond to that argument.

“Bush: The answer to that question is, if General Casey feels like he needs more troops, we’ll send them …
“I’m constantly asking General Casey that question. I’ve got direct contact with him through secure video.’

“Q: What if he’s wrong?
“Bush: Then I picked the wrong general.

“Q: You wouldn’t override his decision in any instance?
“Bush: Well, how — I mean — I query him thoroughly. I’m certainly not a military expert, nor am I in Baghdad. I talk to Zal [Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador] all the time. In other words, we get — and I ask for data. So I know how to ask questions. I think I’m pretty good about filtering out which is real and which is not.”

Tuesday September 12, 2006 – We asked the President repeatedly about the issue of troop levels in Iraq. He noted that a Stryker brigade has been sent to Baghdad from Mosul and there are 147,000 troops in theater. He went on to say that anyone who is 60 years old–like himself–is a product of the Vietnam era, and “it was a mistake then to make tactical decisions out of the Oval Office.” He said he had “confidence and faith” in the military leaders, including Gen. Casey, who are on the ground and not asking for more troops.

Asked what if Gen. Casey is wrong, Bush said, “Then, I picked the wrong general.” Bush emphasized that he’s not a military expert and he’s not in Baghdad, but “I know how to ask the right questions [of the generals].” Again, he said of Casey, “If he’s wrong, I’m wrong.” He said that U.S. generals are saying “we need more troops and we need them to be Iraqis.” He continued: “Gen. Casey is a very capable man, who’s got a depth of understanding of politics [in Iraq] and his role as a military commander.”

Asked if generals might be inhibited in asking for more troops because it might be such a politically unwelcome request, Bush used a dismissive expletive for the notion. He expressed his conviction that his generals know he has what it takes–briefly showing his fluidity in Spanish–to get them the troops they need even if the politics isn’t favorable. To increase Gen. Casey’s comfort level with him, Bush said he had invited Casey and his wife to spend time with him informally.

By yesterday (Dec. 20, 2006), however, Bush indicated that he will not necessarily let military leaders decide, ducking a question about whether he would overrule them. “The opinion of my commanders is very important,” he said. “They are bright, capable, smart people whose opinion matters to me a lot.” He added: “I agree with them that there’s got to be a specific mission that can be accomplished with the addition of more troops before I agree on that strategy.”

A senior aide said later that Bush would not let the military decide the matter. “He’s never left the decision to commanders,” said the aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so Bush’s comments would be the only ones on the record. “He is the commander in chief. But he has said he will listen to those commanders when making these decisions. That hasn’t changed.”