(2 Jun 2004)
1. Wide shot of presser
2. Media cutaway
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Retired General Anthony Zinni:
"And I bitterly feel we let down those great young men and women. (Q: We meaning the civilians in the Pentagon?) Yes. (Q: If you were in charge you would ask them to resign?) I would hold them responsible. However, the President decides that... history will hold them responsible. But I think the President was owed better than he received from the civilian leadership in the Pentagon."
4. Cutaway to Tom Clancy
5. Wide shot of presser
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Retired General Anthony Zinni:
"There was somewhat of a coup in Baghdad I think. I think the Governing Council decided it wasn't going to be Brahimi or Bremer - they were going to decide this and they usurped our position and they have now decided who the interim government is going to be. Interestingly enough, the interim government leadership is charging to New York and there's going to be an interesting relationship between this leadership, who we have stated full up, our president, we will give full sovereignty and the Security Council. So guess what? The French, the Chinese, the Russians, and others, the Germans, will all begin this direct dialogue. Where does that leave us? It's interesting, we could be on the sidelines watching this process and this resolution and if it isn't quite what we like, what are we going to do about it?"
7. Media cutaway
8. Wide shot
9. Close up of Clancy
10. Wide shot
STORYLINE:
Retired US General Anthony Zinni and author Tom Clancy spoke to reporters in Washington on Tuesday about the new book they have co-authored which strongly criticises the government's handling of the Iraq war.
During Tuesday's press conference, Zinni suggested that President Bush had received poor guidance from the Pentagon's civilian leadership.
He also said the decision by Iraq's governing council to appoint tribal chief Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer as interim president of Iraq, instead of Washington's preferred candidate, was tantamount to a coup.
"Battle Ready" follows the retired general's long military career dating back to the Vietnam War.
It's the fourth book in Tom Clancy's ''Commanders'' series, in which military leaders reflect on their careers and discuss military strategy.
Clancy is the hawkish author of such million-selling thrillers as "Patriot Games" and "The Hunt for Red October".
Zinni is a respected and outspoken military leader who was commander-in-chief of the United States Central Command, in charge of all American troops in the Middle East from 1997 to 2000.
Following his retirement from the Marine Corps, Zinni was appointed as special envoy to the Middle East.
However he's since broken ranks with the administration over the war in Iraq.
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