Editing Tommy Franks (section)

===Iraq War===
[[File:US Navy 030416-D-0000D-001 Gen. Tommy Franks, Commander, U.S. Forces Central Command (CENTCOM).jpg|thumb|Gen. Franks touring the ruins of one of Saddam Hussein's palaces in April 2003]]
Authors suggest that Franks was worn down by repeated pressure from U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to reduce the number of U.S. troops in war plans and cancel the deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division, a scheduled follow-on unit that was slated for deployment in April 2003.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dash to Baghdad Left Top U.S. Generals Divided|last1=Gordon|first1=Michael R.|last2=Trainor|first2=Bernard E.|date=13 March 2006|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/13/world/middleeast/dash-to-baghdad-left-top-us-generals-divided.html|access-date=11 March 2022}}</ref> More generally, they argue Franks's command was somewhat understandably focused on the immediate task in front of it&nbsp;– defeating Saddam Hussein and taking Baghdad&nbsp;– and few were willing to divert resources away from that effort and toward the long-term post-war needs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Persian Gulf War {{!}} Summary, Dates, Combatants, Casualties, Syndrome, Map, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Persian-Gulf-War |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

The writers also question his decision during the war to keep sealift ships carrying the equipment for the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at sea instead of bringing the equipment ashore in Kuwait sooner so the division could have entered Iraq earlier than it did to add to the force levels in post-war Iraq. Franks argues that by keeping the ships at sea the Iraqis were deceived into believing a U.S. attack was yet to come from the north through Turkey, though Colin Powell and others have questioned his view.<ref>Plan of Attack, Bob Woodward, 2004</ref>

Franks wanted to retire after the major combat phase of the war, tired from planning and prosecuting two major wars and leading the overall war on terrorism since September 2001. As a result, Gordon and Trainor argue he was slow to act during the crucial months following the fall of [[Baghdad]]. They suggest there was a leadership void at U.S. Central Command because his two deputies, [[Michael Delong]] and [[John Abizaid]], were at odds with each other until Abizaid succeeded Franks in the middle of the summer of 2003. Delong retired with a bitter taste in his mouth and wrote his own book regarding the leadership failures in the headquarters. They also note that there was a command transition in Iraq as V Corps and General Ricardo Sanchez took command of U.S. forces in Iraq without being fully resourced and trained for the mission in advance.<ref>COBRA II Gordon and Trainor 2006</ref>

In ''[[Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq]]'', veteran defense and Pentagon reporter [[Thomas E. Ricks (journalist)|Thomas E. Ricks]] echoes criticism from officers who had served under Franks who put forth that, while tactically sound, he lacked the strategic mindset and overall intellect necessary for the task. Some close to him argued he was more thoughtful than he seemed, was aware that Secretary Rumsfeld and his staff were unable to discuss the Iraq War in military terms and had an obligation to put forth stronger objections to the civilian control of military planning. While demanding and goal oriented he was also criticized for being unwilling to countenance alternate viewpoints and for detaching himself from day-to-day affairs when the ground war ceased and he prepared for retirement.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

====Weapons of mass destruction====
According to ''Time'' magazine, on 21 November 2003, Franks said that in the event of another terrorist attack, American constitutional liberties might be discarded by popular demand in favor of a military state. Discussing the hypothetical dangers posed to the US in the wake of the [[September 11 attacks|9/11 attacks]], Franks said that "the worst thing that could happen" is if terrorists acquire and then use a biological, chemical or nuclear weapon that inflicts heavy casualties. If that happens, Franks said, "... the Western world, the free world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is freedom and liberty we've seen for a couple of hundred years in this grand experiment that we call democracy." Franks then offered "in a practical sense" what he thinks would happen in the aftermath of such an attack.

"It means the potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western world&nbsp;– it may be in the United States of America&nbsp;– that causes our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass, casualty-producing event. Which in fact, then begins to unravel the fabric of our Constitution."

"[No] one in this country probably was more surprised than I when weapons of mass destruction were not used against our troops as they moved toward Baghdad," said Franks on 2 December 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200408/s1177570.htm|title=Retired general 'surprised' no WMD found|first=Joby|last=Warrick|work=CNN|date=16 August 2004|access-date=22 June 2011}}</ref>

====Service summary====
'''Dates of rank'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Insignia !! Rank !! Date
|-
|{{center|[[File:Army-USA-OR-02-2015.svg|40px]]}} || [[Private second class]] || 1965
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O1 insignia.svg|15px]]}} || [[Second lieutenant#United States|Second Lieutenant]] || 1967
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-OF1A.svg|15px]]}} || [[First Lieutenant (United States)|First Lieutenant]] || 1968
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O3 insignia.svg|40px]]}} || [[Captain (U.S. Army)|Captain]] || 1969
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O4 insignia.svg|40px]]}} || [[Major (United States)|Major]] || 1978
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O5 insignia.svg|40px]]}} || [[Lieutenant Colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] || 1982
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O6 insignia.svg|60px]]}} || [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] || 1987
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O7 insignia.svg|33px]]}} || [[Brigadier General (United States)|Brigadier General]] || 1991
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|66px]]}} || [[Major General (United States)|Major General]] || 1994
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O9 insignia.svg|99px]]}} || [[Lieutenant General (United States)|Lieutenant General]] || 1997
|-
|{{center|[[File:US-O10 insignia.svg|132px]]}} || [[General (United States)|General]] || 2000
|}

'''Awards and decorations'''

'''Left breast'''
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="3"|[[File:ArmyAvitBadge.gif|240px]]
|-
|colspan="3"|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Defense Distinguished Service ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=4|other_device=v|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Purple Heart BAR.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=oak|ribbon=Meritorious Service ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|other_device= |type=oak|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}<span style="position:relative; top: 1px; left: -80px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Valor device.svg|22px]]</span><span style="position:relative; top: 1px; left: -51px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award numeral 9.png|20px]]</span>
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|other_device=v|type=oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
|[[File:Presidential Medal of Freedom (ribbon).svg|border|106px]]
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army Service Ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=numeral|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}<span style="position:relative; top: 1px; left: -64px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award numeral 4.png|20px]]</span>
|[[File:Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.png|border|104px]]
|[[File:Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|border|106px]]
|-
|[[File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg|border|106px]]
|[[File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg|border|106px]]
|[[File:Cheon-Su Security Medal Ribbon.png|border|106px]] 
|-
|colspan="3"|[[File:Seal of the United States Central Command.png|160px]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|colspan="12"|[[Aircraft Crewmember's Badge]]
|-
|colspan="12"|[[Defense Distinguished Service Medal]] <br /> with 2 [[oak leaf clusters]]{{sfn|Franks|2004|page=623}}
|-
|[[Army Distinguished Service Medal]] <br /> with 1 oak leaf cluster
|[[Legion of Merit]] <br /> with 2 oak leaf clusters
|[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] <br /> with [["V" device]] and 4 oak leaf clusters
|-
|[[Purple Heart]] <br /> with 2 oak leaf clusters
|[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] <br /> with 5 oak leaf clusters
|[[Air Medal]] <br /> with "V" device and [[award numeral]] 9
|-
|[[Army Commendation Medal]] <br /> with "V" device
|[[Army Achievement Medal]] <br /> with 1 oak leaf cluster
|[[Army Good Conduct Medal]]
|-
|[[Presidential Medal of Freedom]]
|[[National Defense Service Medal]] <br /> with 2 [[service stars]]
|[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]]
|-
|[[Vietnam Service Medal]] <br /> with 2 [[campaign stars]]
|[[Southwest Asia Service Medal]] <br /> with 2 [[campaign stars]]
|[[Army Service Ribbon]]
|-
|[[Army Overseas Service Ribbon]] <br /> with award numeral 4
|[[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
|[[Vietnam Campaign Medal]]
|-
|[[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)|Kuwait Liberation Medal]] <br /> ([[Saudi Arabia]])
|[[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)|Kuwait Liberation Medal]] <br /> ([[Kuwait]])
|[[Order of National Security Merit (Korea)|Cheon-Su Security Medal]]
|-
|colspan="12"|[[United States Central Command]] Badge
|}

'''Right breast'''
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="3"|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Valorous_Unit_Award_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|[[File:Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png|border|106px]]
|[[File:Civil Action Unit Citation.png|border|106px]]
|-
|colspan="3"| [[File:United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png|160px]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="12"|[[Joint Meritorious Unit Award]]
|-
|[[Valorous Unit Award]]
|[[Vietnam Gallantry Cross|Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Ribbon]]
|[[Vietnam Civil Actions Medal|Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation Ribbon]]
|-
|colspan="12"|[[Army Staff Identification Badge]]
|}