From My March 22, 2003 Blog Post
I found this cached on Google. I had forgotten about it. It was from the fourth day of the Iraq war.
Eight Criteria for Success in Iraq. The following points are a way to determine our success in Iraq, at least as set forth by Rumsfeld. This is worth keeping and using from time to time to evaluate our progress in Iraq--- certainly after we've been there a while.
1. End the regime of Saddam Hussein
2. Identify, isolate, and eventually eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, production capabilities, and distribution networks
3. Search and drive out terrorists who have found safe harbor in Iraq
4. Collect such intelligence as we can find related to terrorist networks in Iraq and beyond.
5. Collect such intelligence as we can find related to the global network of illicit weapons of mass destruction activity
6. End sanctions and immediately deliver humanitarian relief, food, and medicine to the displaced and to the many needy Iraqi citizens
7. Secure Iraq's oil fields and resources, which belong to the Iraqi people
8. Help the Iraqis create the conditions for a rapid transition to a representative self-government that is not a threat to its neighbors and is committed to ensuring the territorial integrity of that country.
THE TEXT OF THE ARTICLE
US Military, Civilian Leadership Stress War's Objectives
By Lawrence Morahan
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
March 22, 2003
The Pentagon (CNSNews.com) - Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, reiterated the goals of the military operation, now in its fourth day, as one of liberation and not occupation.
In response to questions at a news conference in Qatar Saturday, Franks said it was understandable how, "in zeal," a U.S. soldier would raise his national colors over the city of Umm Qasr, after coalition forces drove out Iraqi troops.
But he said he found it "to be much more instructive that immediately following that, in recognition that his job had to do with liberation and not occupation, that he quietly brought down his colors."
Franks reiterated the aims and objectives for the days ahead, as outlined by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at a Pentagon briefing Friday.
Rumsfeld said the goal of the operation is to defend Americans, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and liberate the Iraqi people.
"Coalition military operations are focused on achieving several specific objectives: to end the regime of Saddam Hussein by striking with force on a scope and scale that makes clear to Iraqis that he and his regime are finished," he said.
Next, Rumsfeld said their goal is "to identify, isolate and eventually eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, production capabilities, and distribution networks. Third, he said, they'll "search for, capture, drive out terrorists who have found safe harbor in Iraq."
Fourth, they plan to "collect such intelligence as we can find related to terrorist networks in Iraq and beyond," followed by collection of "such intelligence as we can find related to the global network of illicit weapons of mass destruction activity."
Sixth, they seek "to end sanctions and to immediately deliver humanitarian relief, food and medicine to the displaced and to the many needy Iraqi citizens." Seventh, they plan to "secure Iraq's oil fields and resources, which belong to the Iraqi people, and which they will need to develop their country after decades of neglect by the Iraqi regime."
"And last, to help the Iraqi people create the conditions for a rapid transition to a representative self-government that is not a threat to its neighbors and is committed to ensuring the territorial integrity of that country," Rumsfeld said.
Franks said U.S. forces are conducting aggressive and direct attacks on Iraqi facilities and command and control centers, but they are using precise targeting and using precision-guided weapons against military targets.
For example, allied forces did not seek a military confrontation in the southern city of Basra, the second largest population center in Iraq. Although Saddam Hussein's regime positioned weapons in and around Basra, coalition forces had not encountered large numbers of military formations, Franks said.
"So our intent is not to move through and create military confrontations in that city. Rather we expect that we'll work with Basra and the citizens in Basra the same way I believe that has been widely reported in Umm Qasr," he said.
Franks indicated that the strategy of trying to win over Iraqi citizens appeared to be working.
"What we have seen up to this point is that the Iraqis are welcoming the forces when they come in and so, once again, this is about liberation and not about occupation," he said.
November 16, 2005, President's speech at Elmendorf AFB. (just down the street from us)
8:03:31 PM 
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