European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday april 6, 1991 the stars and stripes Howard Kleinberg Page,13 commentary storming Norman shot off his Mouth was rebuked by the White House and like so Many others do. When trapped blamed the whole thing on the Media. While Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf admitted his Choice of words regarding president Bush a decision to Stop prosecuting the Gulf War was poor he was More disturbed that his words which he articulated in a television interview were broadcast and Analysed. This is somewhat Akin to the toilet humor joke about the flatulent suitor who blames his embarrassing accidents of nature on Tho dog sleeping under the Couch. American generals going Back to Gen. George a. Mcclellan is. Lincoln have had a history of shooting off their Mouths in Defiance of their commanders. But it also must be said that some commanders have an equally disturbing practice of making the tactical errors which led the generals to complain in the first place. At the heart of Schwarzkopf dilemma is that George Bush turned off the War a Day or two too soon which allowed Iraq to hold on to much of its military hardware to continue to use against shiite and kurdish rebels and civilians and later perhaps in the future against americans saudis kuwaitis israelis it  Schwarzkopf was right As the casualty reports from iraqi villages  he publicly embarrassed his Superior and generals Are not sup eased to do that. For similar outbursts Lincoln replaced Mcclellan Gen. Dwight Eisenhower fired Gen George s. Patton president Truman sacked Gen. Douglas Macarthur. 1 there was the Case of col. Billy Mitchell who spoke out in favor of creating Strong air pc Tyer in the . Military. While his superiors scoffed at the idea he kept up a Public Defiance of their judgment. For that he was court Martiale in 1925. Of course his Call for air strength was proven right when Germany a dive bombers blitzed Poland in 1939, and Japan All but wiped out our Pacific Fleet from the air at Pearl Harbor in 1941. America has an interesting history of letting the enemy off the Hook. Some May think that has to do with being a Good Winner. But in a reminded of the proverb that he who lives to run away lives to fight again another Day. If Saddam Hus Helen Thomas generals Are historically outspoken two Sein is another Hitler As Bush says he is then Why leave him with the tools to keep being another Hitler during the korean War Macarthur knew that the biggest menace to amen can troops was that his pilots a and foot soldiers a were not permitted to prosecute the War across the Yalu River from where the chinese were sending in endless amounts of supplies and fighter planes. Truman had an idea of a limited War and and Macarthur clashed. Unfortunately Macarthur chose Public opinion As the Battlefield with his commander in chief militarily. Macarthur was right a but Truman was Boss. Exit Macarthur during world War ii Patton was like a Bull in a China shop. His Mouth kept getting him in trouble with Eisenhower the european theater commander. In the Days immediately following the conclusion of the War he was worse. He said out loud that the United states eventually would have to go to War with the russians so Why not get on with to now a when the . Was at its military Apex in Europe. Goodbye George see you in the movies _ _ even. In 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon in Pursuit of the Palestine liberation organization the . Intervened against military logic. Israel had trapped Yasser Arafat and what was left of his men on a Peninsula m Beirut. It would have been simple then for Israel to eradicate the Force that daily assaulted its citizens. Instead the . Stepped in and  prime minister menace nem begin that it would be bad policy to destroy those who would destroy you. So begin blinked in favor of world opinion and . Anxiety and the Plo was allowed to sail out of Beirut bound for North Africa with its guns firing into the air and its commanders planning the eventual return to Lebanon. The White House in defending itself fro i his remarks contends that Schwarzkopf did not state his position to the a a did to to he interviewer president As _ _ _ David Frost. Most Likely we will have to wait Lor memoirs to he published years from now to get at the real Story. But what is unfolding today in Iraq a Saddam resumption of brutal Power Over his dissenting civilian population a would not have been As possible had we spent another Day or two chopping up his army and his hardware Saddam a military hardware is a military matter and defense Secretary Dick Cheney said during the Gulf War that it was Best left to military people to attend to military matters. So what happened. A a. C Cox news services a storming Norman Schwarzkopf has got to be kidding. ? the general touted for five stars and possibly a Pes _ Edentia candidacy fell Back on the age old defense when he talked out of school. He said the a mud slinging Media was to blame when he told to interviewer David Frost that if he had had his druthers he would have gone on to annihilate. The iraqi forces instead of ending the War with the liberation of Kuwait. For those remarks he was publicly rebuked by defense Secretary Dick Cheney and then told to a forget it from president Bush who did. Not want anyone to second guess the smooth Victory Over Iraq but also did not want to repudiate a military War hero. But the a bad cop Good copy routine is a familiar modes Operand in the Bush Hierarchy. The puzzlement is Gen. Schwarzkopf lionized Leader of operation desert storm who already had the press eating out of his hand in the completely Media managed persian Gulf War. Blame the messenger who brings the bad news traces Back to medieval history. Seems like a Man courageous enough to say what is on his mind should be Brave enough to suffer the consequences right or wrong. No one could distort Schwarzkopf words. They were there for millions of television viewers who saw the Public broadcasting corp. Interview. 1 in these Days of tape recorders and video cameras the questioning of words and interpretations can often defy the imagination. Claiming the words were taken out of context is rather futile. In Washington administration officials requesting anonymity dismissed Schwarzkopf Gaffe As politically naive or his having been a too Long in the  the word also w As spread that the general had Virlier he should a a quo reviews with t have Pitfalls. Been told earlier he should lower his non Stop interviews with television be e profile a that crities could the Flap undoubtedly Shook Schwarzkopf who was Riding As High in anyone can in the aftermath of a High tech military Triumph. He was remorseful until appeased and reassured by Bush. Then he lashed out saying a there Are always some mud slingers that gome climbing out from under the rocks arid try to somehow Dishonour the great Job that a been done by everybody in this  for the Media that spar for the course. Scapegoating the press is still too familiar. But it is bereft in counteracting verbatim quotes. Nor All his piety or wit can wipe out a word of it. There is nothing wrong with the general speaking Nis mind and saying what he really believes in terms of Quot what the outcome of the War should have been. But he has to be willing to pay the Price in a country where the government is run by civilians. America loves a War hero. It idolizes winners in com petitions witness the passion expended in Spectator sports. Schwarzkopf is the new Champ. Lie might have thought he was Invulnerable with his new vaunted status. But the self inflicted wound to his soaring image is not expected to be permanent. Political operatives of both major parties Are looking him Over As a sure Winner. _ _ he is obviously assured a permanent place in the military consultants chair by the to network with the highest bid once he retires. He also will be Able to command a $20,000 honorarium every time he hits the lecture circuit. A a a a a american history is Replete with policy differences Between the Silling president and his generals. In War -li.ne, the generals can prevail since winning is the name of the game. But in peacetime Domestic politics and Many other considerations come into play and the views of the Mil Italy take a Back seat. A Jun Ted p Oss International