<i>Face The Nation</i>: Bob Schieffer Scolds Gen Tommy Franks
Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer had harsh criticism of Ret General Tommy Franks over his charging $100,000 to allow his name to be used to endorse an "F" rated veterans charity known for ripping off donors and wounded veterans.
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Schieffer: [W]e don't hire our generals to rubber-stamp every idea their civilian bosses come up with. We hire them for their expertise on military matters, and Franks went along with a plan that violated the first rule of warfare: never invade unless you have an overwhelming advantage and a firm idea of what to do next.
Franks has since retired, but I have questions now that go far beyond his military expertise. [...]
What kind of PERSON would insist, or even ALLOW himself, to be paid to raise money for those who were wounded while serving under him?
Franks says he severed his connection to the fundraiser when he realized most of the money he helped raise went to the fundraiser, not the troops. But doesn't he owe the troops a little more than that?
Indeed.
They had an overwhelming advantage and they had a firm idea that is working perfectly. Iraqnam is a mess, and the peasants too busy trying to stay warm and fed and alive to do any damn thing about the US stealing their black gold. That was the plan all along.
Tommy Franks is a loyal Bushie alright. And this is just another example of "supporting the troops". I can't even feel disgust for these people anymore.
We need a label for faux-journalists turned pundits like Schieffer who turned from Bush boot lickers into born again critics.
Readers of "Cobra II" will appreciate Tommy Franks for whom he really is.
I've actually met Tommy Franks - came off as an everyday good ol' boy to all of us, but in reality he's taking advantage of the times he and his "celebrity" live in. Like the final administration he served under, he's cashing in on the tragedies of others. Not politically, but financially...which is far, far more offensive.
What a tool this guy made himself out to be! What a waste!
Would Gen. Stonewall Jackson lend his name to a brand of condoms?
The bottom line is that the invasion and the invaders were only interested in the profit of oil corporatists. They guarded the oil but not the ammo bunkers. And then since Franks was not a CEO of an oil corporation, he had to figure out how to take advantage of his position.
What the---?? How DARE Bob Schieffer OR Crooks & Liars question the unquestionable honor and integrity of a military man, regardless of the circumstances?? Have you no sense of decency? It doesn't matter what Franks does. Or how abhorrent it may SEEM to the untrained eye. If he decides one day to harvest the organs of troops killed and wounded under his command for his own personal use, then, dammit, it's our DUTY as Americans to stand back, hand him sharp scalpels, and cheer him on---LOUDLY.
Am I the only one who gets it??
*shakes head in disbelief*
Is there no Honor in anyone-ANYWHERE? General Tommie Dickhead, er Franks may have separated himself from that charity but, I'm sure he kept the $100,000.00. Maybe he needed it to help pay his medical insurance bills and his co-op costs for Lunesta SO HE CAN FUCKING SLEEP AT NIGHT!
"What kind of PERSON would insist, or even ALLOW himself, to be paid to raise money for those who were wounded while serving under him?"
A REPUGNICANT !!!
A REPUGNICANT !!!
Is that spelled correctly? Shouldn't it be Republicunt?
What exactly does "support" mean to Bushies and their enablers (e.g. BillO denier of homeless vets), again?
Thank you Bob. You can tell when someone in the media does their homework, it stands out like a light in a dark place.
Beyond disgusting. Make a buck anyway you can. Dear God, what has happened to America? Is there no such thing anymore as honor, compassion, humility? What a slap in the face to the men and women who served under his command and sacrificed. I would have thought that to rise to the level he did, that Franks would at least have had some notion of honor and brotherhood as a military man.
The older I get, the less I recognize this country as the one I grew up in. It's becoming a kennel of mad dogs, eating one another. Maybe like ancient Rome, our time has passed. This country is sick to it's soul. People like Cheney, Rumsfield, and Franks are the outward signs of the rot beneath.
Some might remember Schwarzkopf very publicly dissing Bush I for his post Gulf I trip to Kwait on behalf of American bidness. Powell used his postwar celebrity to make a fortune before switching parties when Clinton raised his tactics(!); this didn't much tarnish the rep of a great hero who would later playball with a reactionary President sending American troops into a meat grinder.
So.. Franks is a mediocrity and it's great that Shieffer calls him out. But the Military is the true third rail in American politics, and the price in recent years has been untold billions. McCain's rants are nothing more than pimping for a part of goverment that has become little more that a protection racket.
Served under his command a few times, last one was in Iraq in '03.
We didn't call him "Ole Cut and Run" for nothing.
Our uncaring military leaders are just crooked Reslugs too.
I received direct mail ads several years ago from a so-called charity group raising money for wounded Iraq vets. It was endorsed by Tommy Franks. I was so disgusted when I saw this and was tempted at the time to write to Franks and tell him he is among the many in the bush admin responsible for these injuries and he should be funding this with his own money. Now I read he got $100,000 for this endorsement. What a scumbag!
ysbaddaden @ 6:
I was thinking more along the lines of General "Hardheaded" Custer..
"
My husband spent 23 years in the Army. Mash unit in Korea, Vietnam, 2 ups. He says the military brass, by and large, is full of people like Franks. Men (mostly) who climb to the top over the bodies of the troops under them. They have no scruples or any sense of morality. Fragging is about the only way to get rid of them when they become a danger to the mission. With Franks and men like him it is about ego. Pure unaduterated ego of the worst kind.
And how is this any different from Congress Critters leaving to go work for lobbyists of questionable firms? Honor, ethics, moral character are concepts long lost from federal service.
nohobear @ 13:
You worded it better than I was able to-and we see this in all aspects of our lives now-Even the way my employer wanted me to treat people & customers changed in the ten years I worked for them.
Seems like just the kinda new American Tom Clancy would idolize!
I agree with "one year wonder".
Where does Schieffer get off criticizing any of these loyal bushies?
He's one himself!!
now that bush has fallen out of favor, Schieffer's off the bandwagon.
he's got no credibility in re: Bush.
Rachel Maddow reported this a few days ago. She included that Franks' name is appearing on V.P. lists. My candidate Kucinich won't be predident, but I will hold my nose and vote for ANY of the 3 potential Democrats. I have never voted republican. It pains me that so many people do.
And I so agree with the comment re pundits who NOW start to tell some truths. Their asses are as sorry as is Franks' ass.
Doggiebobo @ 18:
Hopefully, when the Indian who scalped him it wasn't with a rubber tomahawk.
And did the Indians then put on Custer's golden curls and start prancing around singing Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee?
FRANKS WAS ALSO PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT (IN THE SAME CONTROVERSY AS ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS) TO FURTHER THE INEVITABILITY OF MARTIAL LAW AFTER THE NEXT (false flag) TERRORIST ATTACK. THIS IS TREASON.
No that's strawberry jelly. At least lick your fingers off before typing all caps.
ysbaddaden @ 25:
ysbaddaden your mind is a wonderous thing!
LICK THIS
Sorry Bob, you are a senile idiot.
The statement: "[W]e don’t hire our generals to rubber-stamp every idea their civilian bosses come up with. " is wrong - THAT is exactly what the function of the generals and the whole armed forces of the USA is in the American system.
We the people (smirk guffaw smirk) "elect" the politicians who then tell the US Armed Forces what to do, and the military does it.
uh
Sorry Bob, but "We don’t hire our generals to rubber-stamp every idea their civilian bosses come up with. " is wrong.
THAT IS EXACTLY what the function of the military is in the American system.
I think of customer service often. Go into a store these days and the help will run you over if you get in their way. In their belief the store is there for them, not employees there for the customers. It's all in get it now, get it any way you can, and screw the rest.
There are good people, just a lot fewer of them.
larkztongue @ 21:
a little late there bob.
Tommy Franks must have really pissed off someone higher up in the food chain.
I think the only solution is if everyone takes personal responsibility and puts out the EFFORT to make this a better world each and every moment of each day.
Being polarized into battling the right lunatics isn't helping anybody.
Tommy "Beans 'n" Franks did do a PSA for the school lunch program. No, I think it was zipper safety.
"What kind of PERSON would insist, or even ALLOW himself, to be paid to raise money for those who were wounded while serving under him?"
What kind of person? I'll tell you what kind of person- a sellout and a traitor. If Franks can sell out his own men, he'll sell us all out. This is the same asshole that cavalierly posed on the cover of "Cigar Aficionado" magazine and was quoted as saying if there's another attack like 911 the military will take over.
Franks is the kind of soldier that billo doesn't call phoney. Or alcoholic and doped up. Says all you need to know about the bushies and their propaganda machine FAUX News.
L.A. Confidential @ 35:
I know. No one noticed.
The best part of Schieffer's comments was that the "charity" Frank's was endorsing wasn't even giving most of the money collected to the vets. Good job, Frank's.
Does any one else remember Franks saying early after the illegal invasion that he was surprised when a helicopter was shot down by small arms fire? Apparently ignorant of the fact that many helicopters were shot down by small arms fire in Vietnam. That was the day I became 100% sure bush was sending in his yes men.
Tommy Franks is a war criminal in my opinion.
I also recall reading several years ago about his wife making flights using military aircraft for her own personal use. Anyone remember that?
Imagine Mr. tough-guy, Tommy-boy Franks on the eve of invasion. Intoxicated at the thought of the fame and the riches he would accrue as did his homey's Powell and Schwarzkopf before him. There will be the book deal, the victory lap thru Baghdad, and of course Oprah. All he had to do was show up, roll over a tin horned third world dictator, and polish his brass for the ticker tape parade down Broadway. It will be magnificent. Death and destruction of the camel jockeys should they dare to stand up? So what. Yeah, we might lose a hundred of America's finest along the way. That's the price of glory. Sir Walter Scott summed these boys up some 200 years ago : "Mark their names and mark them well. For them no minstrel raptures swell. High though their titles, proud their name, boundless their wealth as wish can claim, these wretched figures shall go down to the vile dust from whence they sprung, unwept, unhonored and unsung."" Seems that besides Arlington National Cemetary, we could put a national burial pool to good use beneath a sewage treatment plant somewhere in Jersey. Any suggestions for the initial inductees?
Did you know Schieffer is the older brother of Tom Schieffer, a friend and former business partner of President George W. Bush, who was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Australia 2001-2005 by President Bush and as of November, 2005 is currently the U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
Sources have told CNN that Franks, the man who would lead U.S. forces in the event of a military strike on Iraq, faces several allegations -- including one that he allowed his wife, Cathy, to be present during discussions of highly classified material.
The sources also said questions have been raised about whether Franks properly repaid the U.S. government for his wife's travel on military aircraft.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/05/franks.wife/
L.A. Confidential @ 46:
It's all a game. TEEVEE
Limp-Dick Blimpaugh @ 17:
I personally like the term. "Uniformed Oxygen Thieves."
Worse, my only offspring is one of Them...
centavo @ 45:
WESTMORELAND!!!
get this man back on 6:30pm weekdays
I encourage everyone to read the original story at The Army Times for details:
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/military_charity_080117w/
Less than 25% went to helping the cause while the head of the charity made millions.
It's OK, I understand Franks invested the $100,000 in Johnson & Johnson, so his company would be supplying the bandages his ex-troops need.
His CD, 'It's Tough Being a General and a Role Model', isn't doing too well.
He "got my mains" (quote from Woodwards "Plan of Attack"):
Founding partner, Innovative Decon Solutions - Disaster recovery, 2006
Member, BOD Bank of America, 2005
Member, BOD Outback Steak Houses, 2004
American Soldier, Regan Books, 2004
He sits pretty while US Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen return to war and occupation again and again to clean up the stinking pile of shit he helped create.
To gain an understanding of how the military-industrial complex works in Iraq than its essential to read "Fiasco", Franks bailed after the initial phase of the invasion was complete and the occupation began. He likley knew there was a shitstorm about to begin, however, he lied then that troops would be returning home in 90 days. He lied and he left, and then you hear about this and you KNOW why the neocons used the officers they picked, so that they would not only be compliant but share the same absence of ethics and compassion that is alien to these creatures.
Franks is one of them, as are all they designate in the most devious of ways to represent them. Some of them they just shoulder with the entire burden (see Petreaus) and then say "Support him or support the terrorists!!" and its all truly vile to watch.
Supposedly he disassociated himself from the 'charity' after he discovered how much of the money collected actually goes to the veterans. How much of that $100,000 did he return, or better yet, donate to a legitimate charity?
JasonH @ 34:
The challenge is for each of us to decide what the better value is at the "Stores". One choice is for personal gain-regardless- and the other choice may not reward you with all the personal gains you see others getting but, it includes Honor, Compassion, and humanity.
So I am trying to follow this. Franks, the patriot and genius who led this occupation gets paid $100,000 for no work, just to let his wonderful name grace their stuff, and now he is bailing because he has discovered the raised money is lining the pockets of con men much more than helping the wounded. Little wonder that the war is going so well when a bright light like Franks was in charge. Where the hell did he think the $100,000 was coming from. Obviosly it was funds raised from dupes thinking they were helping injured vets, not priveleged fat-head vets like Franks. Sounds like a Homer Simpson moment, gee, the money they paid me is itself part of the scam? Actually, I have not seen evidence that he gets this yet, otherwise the story would be very clear that he has turned over the blood money and interest and a healthy contribution of his own to a charity that is clean. More importantly, rather than looking to cash in on the misery he has created, for this disgraceful conduct, Franks could do worse than committing the rest of his morally shallow and miserable life to serving at Walter Reed or another facility housing those he put there.
Jo @ 29:
A mind is a wonderful thing to waste.
art @ 30:
One cannot lick what one cannot find.
Oh no, it's the Incredible Shrinking Man!
I'm melting...melting...melting....
Wouldn't it be great if after sex our penises stayed hard, but the rest of us shrivelled and shrank?
ysbaddaden @ 6:
No, but you could bet your bottom dollar that Ol' Stonewall would have had ZERO qualms about killing brown people for Christ. He may have been a great military tactician, but he was also a Bible Thumping psychopath.
What about Hannity and his "Freedom Concerts," where he uses the blood, limbs and lives of Wounded Veterans, to help him raise money, and returns roughly 2-3 cents on the dollar, if that much!
In 2006 according to their 501 c Tax Form 990, Freedom Alliance (Ollie North's and Hannity's Slush Fund) raised $9.6 million in public donations (cash) and returned exactly $397,900 to the Vets and their Families.
No one knows how much Hannity's "Freedom Concerts " brought in or paid out! Hannity isn't talking!
Maybe Bob Schieffer should take a long look at Hannity's little on-going gig to line his pockets!
CBS needs an erudite anchor. That person ought to be Bob Schieffer.
61 gene214
Is a Bible thumper like a Bible humper?
I don't know about you, but personally I don't relish the thought of slamming my penis between the covers of a big heavy book.
That's the range of discussion on TV , from Invading with a smaller high tech military to invading with " over whelming force " , ya right General Schieffer , unfortunately there's another option that was never brought up, on your inside the beltway show for the political elite .
Don't invade a country that hasn't attacked you . Don't profit from illegal wars and if there were people on your show , that could have contradicted all the pro war people's assertions that this idea of attacking iraq , killing hundreds of thousands of people , maiming thousands of people , starving hundreds of thousands of people , displacing millions , was such a great idea , maybe , MAYBE this killing field and occupation wouldn't have happened .
And even with all the carnage and destruction of a country , the idea of still talking about going in with more bombs and troops, is perverse . Instead , they should be worried about how to rebuild and repay a destroyed country and ending this damnable occupation .
Just another selfish Bushite, cashing in on what he "earned". Seems to be the theme of the whole Bush administration.
Reminds me of the Ollie North scam raising money for police body armour. Some small percent might really have gone to benefit police but I was appalled that he was not prosecuted. When I see him on TV I could spit.
I don't know if anybody at C & L reads these things, but my problem is that neither the C & L entry About Tommy Franks, nor the CBS Schieffer story includes the name of the punk ass organization that Franks was shilling for. Why not? The mention of that name would enable (1) Folks to contact these thieves, and (2) would help people to avoid any financial (or other) association with the bloodsuckers. Inquiring minds want to know. Or so we are told.
Shouldn't the first rule of warfare be DON'T, not unless there is no other way to defend yourself? Isn't the first rule of warfare, or the Geneva Convention, or whatever, that invading a country illegitimately is a war crime? It IS a war crime. And if we were REALLY that nation under God, Thou Shalt Not Kill would trump any rules anybody makes up for warfare, first to last. Tell Bob.
Kahoneez @ 65:
Start with an apology. "I was wrong and I'm ashamed and I am so sorry." Anything else is still arrogance and condescension.
this is more bullshit from non-combatants. shieffer supported all the bu-schit. now he wants to act like he gives a shit that things went wrong. the initials BS are appropriate.
I'd do pretty much anything to get on Oprah.
follow the money. . .
L.A. Confidential @ 46:
I am not surprised at anything anymore. These reporters are in bed with the pols and we get what we pay for.
Give the man a break. He's gotta replenish the ol' coffers.
How slimy...
TOMMIE FRANKS=BUDDY F***ER
Figures he likes BuSh
Another corney ReThug military officer with an "I AM GOD" complex
Having seen firsthand how the promotion system works and how those adept at self promotion get to the top I'm not surprised. Too many general officers retire and become glorified salesmen for the very same companies the military was buying from while they were on active duty. They all feel underpaid because of the gap in their pay and that of CEOs in the private sector forgetting they chose to be a public servant.
It's amazing how many retire and a year or two down the road I see them entering the buidling where I work, dressed in 1000 dollar suits, pulling down six figures, plus their very good retirement, using their access to sell DoD goods it didn't ask for at very inflated prices.
But look who Franks learned from? Bush who jokes about making the speaker circuit, pulling down 50 to 60 thousand a speech to replenish the old coffers.
Franks, Tenet, Rumsfeld, and Powell should all have gone to jail for incompetence. And how can Franks look those servicemen in the eye and ask to be compensated for supporting a charity to take care of the disabilities they now have because of their service to this nation? He's scum.
Greed will be the downfall of this country.
FYI, from The Oklahoman, 10-7-07:
Hobart [Oklahoma] banks on its native son
The economic landscape in Hobart could change dramatically in the near future if one man's vision is realized. Retired Gen. Tommy Franks selected Hobart — his wife Cathy's hometown — for his $15-million Leadership Institute and Museum last December. The general unveiled an architectural drawing of his planned 45,000-square foot complex in September, displaying it on a large sign for everyone to see.
Since December, Franks has raised more than $2 million, purchased most of a two city-block area on South Main Street, and hired his first full-time staff member, said Louis Sims, board vice chairman for the museum.
"If anyone can raise that kind of money, it's the general," Sims said.
The general's announcement coincides with a Hobart Main Street Program, which is in full bloom.
"My philosophy is to have three or four things in the works," Sims said. "We're doing that here in Hobart. That way if one falls through, you still have two or three things going on. You're not relying simply on one project."
That said, Sims realizes the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum might be the one project that could attract hotels, restaurants and other businesses to town overnight.
Sims admits neither he nor his neighbors can take credit for that opportunity, quipping, "That one just fell in our laps from above."
General Franks' reputation will forever be tarnished by his association with known Zionist traitors.
republicanSScareme @ 80:
The way you spell your moniker says everything about you. But I guess that is the point when you post a ridiculous comment like that.
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