FOLLOWING FRANKS
AP has an interesting profile on John Abizaid who today was promoted to four-star rank and the leadership of CENTCOM from Tommy Franks.
Abizaid, grandson of Lebanese immigrants and a West Point graduate, led Army Rangers in the invasion of Grenada in 1983 and commanded a battalion that provided humanitarian relief in northern Iraq after the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He has also held two top positions for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and did a stint as commandant at West Point.
Quite impressive. Of course, he’s following a man that Fred Barnes recently described as the most accomplished US military leader since Douglas MacArthur. Speaking of Franks, this quote (replayed on Fox Special Report this evening) is quite amusing:
“Today is very stressful time for me,” said Franks, who is known for his dry wit. “When I woke up this morning, I had a Boeing business jet, several aides and several sedans. And now I’m worried about how the hell I’m going to get home.”