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Introducing her book
"I am my father's daughter"
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| A GENERAL'S ELUSIVE FOURTH STAR |
| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Tuesday, December 21 2004 |
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| RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas -- If Texas is Bush country, make no mistake about it: Rio Grande City is Sanchez land, as in Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez. The three-star general, who led coalition forces in Iraq, is the undisputed homegrown hero of this tiny border town. When he visits, it seems the entire town comes out for parades and award ceremonies, and -- the highlight for him -- his mother, Maria Elena Sanchez, makes enough tamales to feed an army.
As much as Gen. Sanchez likes to come home to Rio Grande, his latest trip here after a six-year absence was no reason to celebrate. His oldest brother, Ramon, had fallen ill. His condition deteriorated, and Ramon died at a local hospital, with his family --including his famous brother -- at his bedside. After the funeral, the general, like a good soldier, kept his promise for a sit-down interview, the first since he left the war zone.
"Since I was in the seventh grade, I knew I wanted to be a soldier," Sanchez told me. His brothers were in the military, and doubtless were an inspiration, but it was a funeral he attended as a young boy that became the deciding factor. "A 19-year-old kid from Rio Grande was killed in Vietnam," he recalled. "When I saw his body draped in an American flag, I began to think that serving my country is what I wanted to do."
And he has served his country honorably during the past 31 years, working his way up the Army ranks, facing discrimination in the '70s and overcoming the obstacles of being a poor Latino kid from Texas to become a three-star general.
The high point of his career is, without a doubt, leading the U.S. forces in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was captured. The low point, two words: Abu Ghraib. "What did you think when you first saw the pictures?" I asked him.
"That could not happen in my Army," he responded. "It was a situation that was impermissible; that is why we immediately ordered investigations."
However, several of the reports that resulted from the investigations into the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers have indirectly linked Sanchez to the scandal. One report indicates that the commander of the allied troops approved a series of questionable interrogation tactics in September of 2003.
During our interview, Sanchez denied that any such orders were given. He said investigations are continuing, and there are still two important reports pending. I asked about his alleged approval of the use of dogs for intimidation of prisoners, manipulation of diet and the use of stress positions for long periods of time -- tactics that have been described as violations of human rights. "The use of dogs for intimidation was not authorized," he said. "The dogs were to be used to maintain order in the prisons."
The general, who once complained to his superiors about the lack of supplies that affect the readiness of his troops, said he is not aware of the current conditions of the troops in Iraq, but is convinced that the war is winnable -- although, he warned, it will take years.
The jury is still out on whether the prison scandal will affect his military career. For now, Sanchez is back in Germany as commanding general of the 5th Corps' 1st Armored Division, although he was passed up for a position to head the Southern Command in South Florida.
"What will it take for you to get a fourth star?" I asked him.
"The only thing that's needed is to know the truth about what happened at Abu Ghraib," he said. Sanchez is absolutely convinced that there is no chance he can be implicated in the scandal.
To the townspeople of Rio Grande City, El General can do no wrong. As long as he continues to come here and be a role model for the kids, urging them to get an education and telling them that the military is an alternative to a life of poverty, he will continue to be their homegrown hero |
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