Has anything really changed since I wrote this post? Check out the Feb 2007 Op-ed by General Odom.

Last month I asked did anything change since Patraeus wrote this Op-ed in 2006? And I recalled other opinion pieces like this by General Batiste.

Well, Meet LTG Sanchez. Better late than never

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12— In a sweeping indictment of the four-year effort in Iraq, the former top American commander called the Bush administration’s handling of the war incompetent and warned that the United States was “living a nightmare with no end in sight.”

In one of his first major public speeches since leaving the Army in late 2006, retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez blamed the administration for a “catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic war plan” and denounced the current “surge” strategy as a “desperate” move that will not achieve long-term stability.

“After more than fours years of fighting, America continues its desperate struggle in Iraq without any concerted effort to devise a strategy that will achieve victory in that war-torn country or in the greater conflict against extremism,” Mr. Sanchez said, at a gathering here of military reporters and editors.

General Sanchez is the most senior in a string of retired generals to harshly criticize the administration’s conduct of the war. Asked following his remarks why he waited nearly a year after his retirement to outline his views, he responded that that it was not the place of active duty officers to challenge lawful orders from civilian authorities. General Sanchez, who is said to be considering a book, promised further public statements criticizing officials by name.

“There was been a glaring and unfortunate display of incompetent strategic leadership within our national leaders,” he said, adding later in his remarks that civilian officials have been “derelict in their duties” and guilty of a “lust for power.”

Oh finally remember when way back in 2003 when we invaded under the auspices of Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL) and the operation was subsequently renamed to Operation Iraqi Freedom?(from an Ari Fleischer Press Conference)

MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. Let me give you a report on the President’s day. The President this morning has spoken with three foreign leaders. He began with Prime Minister Blair, where the two discussed the ongoing aspects of Operation Iraqi liberation.

Well turns out it is all about OIL anyway.

It has been 210 days since the 4 year anniversary of “Mission accomplished”.

On March 16, 2007 the number of dead American soldiers was 3203 .

By October, 16, 2007 the number dead American soldiers in Iraq is 3828

That is 625 additional fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who are gone as time marches on towards the inevitable withdrawal.

Senators Clinton and Schumer, Congresswoman Slaughter, Congressmen Kuhl, Reynolds, and Walsh where will we be 30 days from today?