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When has the president really listened to the generals? Did he listen when Gen. Shinseki testified before congress that we would need several hundred thousand soldiers to stabilize Iraq and instead only got a couple hundred thousand with a sprinkling of foreign assistance? Did this adminstration listen when there were attempts by military planners to draw up a postwar plan for what to do after the invasion? Did anybody listen when retired Marine General Anthony Zinni, the man who oversaw the "Desert Crossing" war simulation, and one who is considered one of the most knowledgable generals on all things mideast, advised them against the plan they had for invading?
The answer is no. To say that this administration is listening to the commanders on the ground is quite simply wrong. Dissent was not tolerated in the Pentagon, and those who had objections were shown the door.
Unfortunately, these generals' time will ultimately be wasted. The ISG couldn't change things, a monumental turnover in congress coulsn't change things. Public opinion at a low not seen since the Nixon adminstration couldn't change things. We'll just have to wait until 2009, and hope it doesn't turn any worse than it already is.
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Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer.
-From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator
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