Lt-Gen. Ricardo Sanchez [...] denounced the current surge strategy as just another "desperate attempt" to put the situation to rights, by a government "that has not accepted the political and economic realities of this war."
[...]
He told a gathering of military reporters [...] that US diplomats as well as politicians and generals were to blame, saying civilian officials have been "derelict in their duties" and guilty of a "lust for power."
[...]
"From a catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic war plan to the administration's latest surge strategy, this administration has failed to employ and synchronise its political, economic and military power. National leadership conti...

Lt-Gen. Ricardo Sanchez [...] denounced the current surge strategy as just another "desperate attempt" to put the situation to rights, by a government "that has not accepted the political and economic realities of this war."
[...]
He told a gathering of military reporters [...] that US diplomats as well as politicians and generals were to blame, saying civilian officials have been "derelict in their duties" and guilty of a "lust for power."
[...]
"From a catastrophically flawed, unrealistically optimistic war plan to the administration's latest surge strategy, this administration has failed to employ and synchronise its political, economic and military power. National leadership continues to believe that victory can be achieved by military power alone."
He also accused the Bush administration of failing to "communicate effectively the reality to the American people" of the situation in Iraq.

McCain rips Sanchez
One day following Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez's denigration of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, responded with deference for the former General and conviction for the current Iraq strategy.
"The fact is I had face to face discussions with Gen. Sanchez when he was in Baghdad about how I believed that the strategy was failing, and he testified before the Senate armed services committee that the strategy was succeeding - the flawed Donald Rumsfeld strategy that I knew was doomed to failure. When I argued for the strategy that we're using now, he did not agree with that."
McCain repeated his respect and appreciation for the Gen. Sanchez despite differing views on Iraq strategy.
"I think the record shows that one, while he was in charge he was supporting of a failed strategy and number two, is that he did not support, at that time, the strategy that I believe is succeeding."

AlterNet: Former Iraq Commander Slams Bush Admin; GOPers Attack