WASHINGTON D.C. (February 7, 2005) - In a surprising move late Monday afternoon, President Bush appointed Senator Ted Kennedy as the new U.S. Military Commander in charge of training of the Iraqi army. He replaced Army General David Patraeus, and the change is effective immediately. In the past few days, Senator Kennedy repeatedly accused the U.S. military of incompetence in training the Iraqi army. "If America can train the best military in the world in 13 weeks, why can't we train the Iraqis in 8 or 12 or 15 months to fight and died for their country?" Senator Kennedy told an audience at the University of Massachusetts recently. He repeated this rhetorical accusation on Tim Russert's Sunday show "Meet The Press" yesterday.
President Bush explained that Senator Kennedy possessed "unique expertise" in military training theory. The Senator has "definitely proved" to the White House that he is the best man for the job. According to the New York Times, Mr. Kennedy will relinquish his Senator title. For the new position, he will assume the title of Field Marshall of Al Jumhuriah Al Iraqiyah and Viceroy of Babylon.
