How’s the war in Iraq going? Are “we” winning or losing? The average person has no idea and the people who do know aren’t so eager to give an honest assessment. So it's left up to the media, but we are forced to rely on information we get from the military leaders running the war. Recently, the former top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq shared his first-hand knowledge in a speech to a group of military reporters.

(click here for the transcript)

Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez called the war plan “catastrophically flawed” and “unrealistically optimistic” from the beginning. He says, “There has been a glaring, unfortunate, display of incompetent strategic leadership within our national leaders.” Sanchez says if these national leaders continue to toy with the military strategy, we still won’t win. He says “the best we can do with this flawed approach is stave off defeat.”

He went on to say America has no choice but to continue its efforts in Iraq, because a withdrawal would “unquestionably lead to chaos that would endanger the stability of the greater Middle East.” And eventually the rest of the world.

Sanchez says if these national leaders continue to toy with the military strategy, we still won’t win. He says “the best we can do with this flawed approach is stave off defeat.”

Sanchez was asked, if he was convinced the American effort in Iraq was failing the day after he took command – which was in June of 2003 – why did he wait until now (after he’s been retired for a year and about to write a book) to be so vocal about his concerns. He responded by saying it was not the place of active-duty officers to challenge lawful orders from the civilian authorities.

Then why should we believe any of the commanders in Iraq when they go before Congress or get in front of a microphone and say we are winning the war?