Criticism Mounts of U.S. Generals in Iraq

Top warmakers like Gen. John Abizaid have thus far escaped blame for the failures in Iraq. But that's starting to change.

The Bush administration's recent shift in strategy on the Iraq War — ending talk about "staying the course" and replacing it with a new emphasis on flexibility in response to changing conditions on the ground — may be a smart political tactic. But the implication of Bush's newfound candor, and his insistence that his decisions are being directed by advice from his generals on the ground, raises an unspoken question. If the generals are running the war and it is going so badly, shouldn't they share some of the blame?