quote:

(March 28) - The U.S. Central Command said Friday that American military planners had not underestimated Iraqi troop strength and fighting ability in preparing the invasion of Iraq, challenging the assessment of an American general in the field. Lt. Gen. William S. Wallace, commander of the ground war in Iraq, ignited the ire of the White House by observing publicly that Pentagon war strategists had misunderstood the combativeness of Iraqi fighters. The miscalculation, he said, had stalled the coalition's drive toward Baghdad. ``The enemy we're fighting is a bit different than the one we war-gamed against because of these paramilitary forces. We knew they were here, but we did not know how they would fight,'' Wallace, commander of V Corps, told the New York Times and the Washington Post Thursday. Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks fired back during Friday's media briefing at Central Command headquarters in Qatar. ``Our enemy always has a vote in how the circumstances go. I don't think that we have necessarily underestimated (the enemy). No one can ever predict how battle will unfold,'' he said. Brooks said paramilitary fighters, known as Saddam's Fedayeen, have changed in and out of uniform, used civilians - including children - as human shields and were forcing Iraqi regular troops to fight on threats of death. Wallace's comments fueled the Bush administration's frustration with media coverage that focuses on why the conflict isn't over. The war, the White House says daily, is going well and on-schedule. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer on Friday would not say whether he agrees with Wallace. ``The statements the White House has always made about this is that people should be prepared for the fact that it would go longer,'' Fleischer said. ``That's exactly how the White House explained what we expect. ``When the White House says to you that it can be long, lengthy and dangerous, we're anticipating that any number of scenarios can develop.'' Promoted to commanding general of V Corps in June 2001, Wallace planned the ground war and chafed at the wait for action to begin. During a missile warning that required the troops to don gas masks earlier this month, Wallace growled to a reporter that he was sick of waiting for ``lawn darts'' without striking back. Saddam Hussein, he said in less polite terms, was ticking him off. Despite the tough talk, Wallace also said he found the responsibility humbling. He had awaited it all his career. Wallace graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Naval War College before earning postgraduate degrees in operations analysis and international relations. A decorated Vietnam veteran, Wallace quickly progressed from soldier to student to trainer and commander. By June 1999, he was serving as commander of the Joint Warfighting Center and director of joint training at the U.S. Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va. 03/28/03 08:31 EST-From Aol.com

Well.. looks like the US found that it's not easy afterall.

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