Anthony Charles Zinni for Obamas VP

[not_too_L8]

Anthony Charles Zinni
Born September 17, 1943 (1943-09-17) (age 64)

General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC retired
Nickname The Godfather
Place of birth Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service 1965-2000
Rank General
Commands 2nd Battalion 8th Marines
9th Marine Regiment
I Marine Expeditionary Force
CENTCOM
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Operation Restore Hope
Awards Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (3)
Bronze Star with Combat V (2)
Purple Heart
Other work U.S. Special Envoy (Israel/Palestinian Authority)
President, International Operations, M.I.C. Industries
Anthony Charles Zinni (born September 17, 1943) is a retired four-star general in the United States Marine Corps and a former Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). In 2002, he was selected to be a special envoy for the United States to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. He has been a public critic of the Bush administration and did not support the decision to go to war in Iraq.

While serving as special envoy, Zinni was also an instructor in the Department of International Studies at the Virginia Military Institute. Presently, he is an instructor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, a public speaker, and an author of two best-selling books on his military career and foreign affairs, most recently Battle for Peace. He also is involved in the corporate world, joining M.I.C. Industries as its president for International Operations in 2005. General Zinni also serves on the advisory boards of eight different companies, including the security testing firm, Mu Security, based in Sunnyvale, California. He will begin teaching at Duke University's Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy in Spring 2008.<1>

[mainer]

1. Brilliant man, but better as SecDef?

I've heard him speak and he was really impressive.

[SteppingRazor]

2. I'd like to know where he stands on a wide range of public policy matters...

not just the Iraq War, before agreeing with that statement. God forbid a million times over, but we have to remember that the VP is just a heartbeat away from the presidency. While Zinni might make a good VP candidate, politically speaking, what would a hypothetical Zinni administration look like?

[blm]

10. he's close with Gary Hart and Kerry, iirc.

.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. I believe he is also a Republican

There are other issues than the Iraq War.

[not_too_L8]

4. Zinni

describes himself as a "Hagel-Lugar-Powell Republican," has been among the most vocal and visible of the military critics of the Iraq war. Last year, he spoke for many top military personnel when he warned that an invasion of Iraq would unleash forces that could prove difficult if not impossible to control:

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. I respect Zinni, but let's just say he hasn't been vetted on a broad range of issues

How many DUers would like to see Obama run with Hagel,Lugar, or Powell?

[hedgehog]

5. I am against any high ranking officer taking such an important

position in the civilian government. Currently, I am ambivalent and interested in Jim Webb. My impression is that he has enough military experience to impress people but also enough skepticism to control the military Establishment.

[MattNC]

6. Zinni's a great man

but he's not a Democrat, and has never campaigned for public office before.

[not_too_L8]

7. Very ethical... won't fold under party pressure

snips//

General Zinni, a man respected for his candor, his intelligence and his ethics, now holds a professorship of International Relations at the College of William and Mary.

in a slashing criticism of the Bush White House and Donald Rumsfeld's Pentagon leadership, General Zinni, former Commander of Central Command of U.S. Military, and Special Envoy to the Middle East in the Bush Administration until he resigned in disgust, said "Heads should roll at the Pentagon--Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, Feith and those who foisted the Iraq war on the U.S. despite my objectioins and those of most U.S. Generals including, Schwartkopf, Skowcroft, Clark, Shinseki and others."

Zinni's forthright, position was also attacked by some politicos in the White House and elsewhere who said he should be "loyal" and not criticise the government during war time.

[VenusRising]

9. I can't wait for my roommate to read this.

Thanks for posting.

:hi: