Levey, excellent analysis and recap of the whole sordid Bush fascist cabal's reasoning for sacking Pace --- who had publically defied them on launching a 2nd preemptive war, this time on Iran.

The only additional point I would add is that the Bush junta has a strong second reason for wanting Pace out and not to be questioned by Congress in a renomination hearing:

Not only does the Bush fascist cabal want a Chairman and Vice Chair of Joint Chiefs that will ‘push the button’ when Bush neocons next order a nuclear war on Iran (which Pace wouldn’t do in February), but the second essential reason for replacing Pace is that if he were re-nominated, and appeared before Congress there is at least some distinct possibility that some Senator on the Armed Services Committee (Kennedy or WEBB) might ask something like this:

“Well, General Pace, there was guite a bit of discussion this February about the possibility of the Bush administration launching an attack on Iran, and as I note here from several reliable sources, including a memo that you yourself issued, there was a great deal of underlying tension among the Senior Military Officers regarding this possibility of a second ‘preemptive’ attack by the Bush administration in the Middle East on another country, Iran.”

“In fact, there was a great deal of talk in the mainstream media and here in Washington itself about a threat of senior military resignations if the Bush administration tried to launch a second attack in the Middle East on Iran instead of Iraq this time in, as I said, February of this year. Now General Pace, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, I have to ask you what your position was on nay of this talk about launching a war on Iran this February. I’m sure you are aware of what I am talking about. You seemed to be very resistant to any such preemptive war plans, yourself — and we thank you for your restraint, General — but we would like to know more about that timeframe of February of this year, and the professional military commands’ reaction to this heavily reported difference of opinion between the military and the Bush administration about any talk of launching an attack on Iran. And, General, in anticipation of your ‘good soldier’ reply to my question touching on confidential information, let me just say that I myself and several other Senators on this Committee would be entirely willing to continue this questioning in ‘Executive session’ with regard to any security issues.”

by Alan MacDonald (11 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 131 comments [43 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Jun 9, 2007 at 8:10:31 PM

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Shockingly enough for the Bush Administration, Pretty Peter Pace was fired for incompetence.

Even the Bushies can see that his generalship was a major factor in the Iraq debacle.

by Robert Chapman (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments) on Saturday, Jun 9, 2007 at 8:49:02 PM

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The New Yorker reported last year that General Pace opposed the White House's wish to consider nuclear war against Iran. Even the Pentagon ain't that crazy --- or wasn't. That all of the Republican candidates on this issue at their debate last week replied nuking Iran is okay reflects the total lunacy of their party, and its disrespect for international law and humanity generally. Looking back, those such as President Truman who justified the atomic bombing of Japan allegedly to "save American lives", apparently failed to consider the dangerous and terrifying precedent the threat of nuclear warfare would establish, and at a cost to the American people over the years of $7-trillion of their tax dollars for creation and maintenance of its nuclear arsenal, money that could have been infinitely better thrown away in a Las Vegas casino.  

Sherwood Ross 

by Sherwood Ross (222 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 155 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Jun 10, 2007 at 8:01:21 AM

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Pace was instrumental with Wolfowitz in designing the no plan to invade Iraq. He is a war monger, torture authorizer, nothing more and nothing less. Iraq is continuing to fail, and the pressure is on to change things. They know Pace would have a difficult time for confirmation, because it would bring up a sleu of things to remind the stupid voters who can't remember yesterday how really bad these war mongers are. If anything Pace is pro Iran invasion, but they are going no where when Iraq remains in shambles.

by Dom Jermano (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 40 diaries, 930 comments) on Sunday, Jun 10, 2007 at 8:45:51 AM

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There is no real reason that General Pace was replaced. I'm just glad to see him leave because he reminds me of one other bastard that the stupid Fox Geeks call a war hero. I don't even like to type his name for fear that I'd catch the clap or something worst.  The Democrats will get blamed for it, no matter what. It would be nice if the good General would write a tell all book but I hear that he can't type or spell well enough to write a book.

by drasile (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 77 comments) on Sunday, Jun 10, 2007 at 4:37:14 PM

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