GEN. MIXON GETS A LITTLE TRUTHFUL

Mixon complained earlier about not having enough troops and a few weeks ago called in to the FAUX radio show Brian and The Judge to warn about beating "a hasty retreat because of politics," something I think is inappropriate for an active-duty officer. He also said that we will need a subtantial troop presence well into 2009.

Military leaders air concerns about long Iraq deployments
By ROBERT BURNS and PAULINE JELINEK
Associated Press
Aug. 31, 2007, 3:28PM
Houston Chronicle

In a fresh sign of U.S. frustration with the Iraqi government in Baghdad, a senior U.S. commander said in an Associated Press interview that he is aggravated by the slow pace of action by Iraq's central government to ensure that its security forces are properly led, supplied and equipped on the battlefield.

"I have not seen any improvement really in the year I've been here in that regard," said Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, the commander of U.S. forces in northern Iraq. He said the Iraqi army is doing "pretty well" in fighting the insurgency alongside U.S. troops, but they are not getting sufficient support from Baghdad.

"Progress is slower than it should be inside the (Iraqi) army in particular" with regard to proper support and direction from national leaders in Baghdad, Mixon said by telephone, adding that the problem lies in a combination of bureaucratic obstacles and sectarian-based decisions about army leadership appointments.