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http://www.boston.com/dailynews/116/nation/_Middle_East_Expert_Andy_M...

P.R.Newswire, 4/25/2004 03:16

Middle East Expert Andy Martin Asks Bush to 'Stop the Madness in Iraq';
Says President is Surrounded by a 'Cabal of Neo-Conservative Sadists and
Psychopaths'
Martin Says British General May Be Needed to Command American Troops

WASHINGTON, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- America's most respected--and most
accurate--Middle East expert and columnist will hold a Sunday, April 25th
news conference in New York to beseech President Bush to "stop the madness
in Iraq." Andy Martin will issue a letter to the President telling him an
attack on Falluja would be "self-destructive."

NEWS CONFERENCE DETAILS:
WHERE: Sidewalk, NE corner of Park Avenue and 50th Street, New York City
WHEN: Sunday, April 25, 2004 3:00 P.M.

"Last June, I began writing critical commentary on Paul Bremer. My
criticisms escalated in August, and again in November. Last July, I
predicted that the capture of Saddam would lead to more insurgency, not
less. On April 8th, long before the Washington Post and New York Times
reached the same conclusion, I correctly analyzed the 'meltdown' in Iraq.
Last June 26th, Thomas Friedman called Bremer 'deft.' 'Daft' would have been
a better term. I am the only analyst/columnist who was never fooled by Paul
Bremer and his neo-con puppet show.

"Last week, Bremer manifested signs of increasing emotional instability. If
he were just a playground punk, his collapse would not be critical. But
Bremer is advising the president. Bremer's bravado, his claim that 'They
will be dealt with,' sets the stage for a showdown that can only defeat and
disgrace President Bush. There is an air of unreality about Washington that
Bush is seriously considering the advice he is being given.

"The president is surrounded by a cabal of neo-con sadists and psychopaths.
They led Bush into Iraq, and now they want to blow up the whole Middle East
out of frustration that their schemes have backfired. In Baghdad, Bremer has
been an incompetent manager who now shows signs of becoming an incendiary
madman.

"If published reports are correct, and Bush is seriously considering a
frontal assault on Falluja, the Iraqi insurgents must be delirious with
delight at the prospect.

"In order to survive, Bush must fire Bremer and reassign General Sanchez,
another cowboy. General Conway, the Marine commander, also causes concern. I
saw these fontal assaults in Vietnam; they slaughtered innocent Marines for
nothing. Who remembers Hills 886, 881 and many other nameless places? No
one. Except the dead.

"If Bush can't find an American general who knows how to deal with Iraq, he
should ask his friend Tony Blair for a British commander. No British General
would advocate a frontal assault on Falluja. The British would consider such
a strategy madness.

"I understand the president's frustration. I share his concerns: how does he
extricate himself from Iraq, without being forced out? The neo-cons want a
'Gunfight at the Falluja Corral,' to 'show them.' Show who and show what?
That we are stupid and think our brute force can overcome native resistance?

"Bush can prevail in Falluja, Najaf and elsewhere in Iraq. But it will take
excruciating patience, and some casualties. It will take far more
self-restraint that our forces have demonstrated to date. The seeds of
today's chaos were everywhere to be seen last April. We were the ones who
committed the first massacre in Falluja. Now we are paying a high price for
poor fire control discipline a year ago.

"The neo-con team has failed. Unless and until Bush accepts that fact -- and
there is serious doubt in my mind he will -- America is doomed in Iraq, and
Bush is doomed. Right now, Bush is following the Bremer approach, using
emotion over reason, passion over patience."
_________________________________________

Andy Martin is independent Contrarian Columnist and chief national and
foreign correspondent for Out2.com. He has served as Baghdad Bureau Chief
for Out2.com since April 2003. He has been involved in the Middle East since
1971 and is scheduled to return to Baghdad in May. He is one of America's
most respected foreign policy analysts. Martin is a disciple of the late
Prof. Bernard Fall and Executive Director of the Revolutionary War Research
Center, a Washington-based consortium. Media contact: (866) 706-2639.
Background stories: Out2.com (see Govt & politics). Andymartin.com; E-mail:
a...@andymartin.com. Martin is expected to file in May for the Republican
Nomination for U.S. Senator from Florida. Notwithstanding, Martin expects to
be in position in Iraq on June 30th to cover the transition, if there is
one. SOURCE Andy Martin Worldwide Communications