Zinni maneuvers right

The last three years has been an exercise in humor and dismay watching retired Gen. Zinni advocate a variety of positions as his ego has trumped his intelligence.

After wandering around with the usual subjects on the anti-victory Left trying to do, well, I don't know - it looks like he has decided now that the afterglow from the Zinni-centric Fiasco fades, to come back to what needs to be done. Not yelling about the DESERT CROSSING wargaming seminar (it was never a plan like he said), not being a bitter-boy because he was ignored after his disaster of a Israel-Palestinian envoy sting - no, he seems to be focused on victory now. Better late than never.

If you clear away the NYT spin and the remnants of the bitter spittle - it looks like he is WITH the administration .... mostly ... the Republicans at least. Read the latest in whole, here are the bits I find interesting.

These days General Zinni is delivering another provocative message: that leaving Iraq quickly would strengthen Iranian influence throughout the Middle East, create a sanctuary for terrorist groups, encourage even more sectarian strife in Iraq and risk turmoil in an oil-rich region.
...
General Zinni noted that his position was similar to that of Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, a staunch supporter of the decision to invade. “I do believe more troops are required on the ground,” the general said. “I believe what Senator McCain says.”

Ahhhhh, as I expected. Someone is looking for a seat on the "Straight Talk Express."

Well, before we get there, YOU-KNOW-WHO is trying so hard to be the smartest boy in the classroom (reminding the bullies that if they were smart they would like him)

So close is the parallel between some of Mr. Rumsfeld’s favored options and the Democratic agenda that Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat and former presidential candidate, has all but claimed credit for them. “Look, everything in the Rumsfeld memo is a summary of things that I and others laid out three years ago,” Senator Kerry said Sunday on CNN. “This is rather extraordinary.”

Pathetic.

Anyway, back to Zinni. I ask you; has this helped anyone, anytime?

His program calls for a new bipartisan steering group to ensure that American policies toward Iraq are efficiently carried out, ...

Ungh. Minus 2 points for the big guy.

As difficult as it is to stabilize Iraq, General Zinni insists that the alternatives are worse.

Swiftly redeploying forces from Baghdad to safer areas in Iraq or Kuwait, for example, would leave the United States unable to influence events in the capital and the volatile heartland, he said.

Extracting American forces altogether, he said, is unrealistic in the short term. Iraq under the sway of extremists, he asserted, could encourage instability in the Persian Gulf.

Glad you are now on the President's team. Better to be inside pissing out than outside pissing in.

Oh, uh. Revisionist history time.

"We took an Iran that was contained, and now its influence is stretched through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and into Palestinian territories."

Iran? Contained? That isn't what I remember being brief by your staff in late '98.

Well, we must be close to an election. Zinni is trying to pick a horse. This is an invite to the McCain camp. One phone call and he is in. Having read my favorite Florentine recently, I think the McCain team may want to make a phone call. Feed Zinni's ego a bit and he will fight hard for you. Keep him closer.