From Holden:

It comes as no surprise that the preznit lies about supporting our troops and providing our military leaders in Iraq with everything they need.

The former top U.S. commander in Iraq complained last winter to the Pentagon that a poor supply situation was threatening the Army’s ability to fight, The Washington Post reported on its Web site on Sunday.

Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez wrote in a letter to top Army officials that the lack of key spare parts for tanks, helicopters and other systems was such a severe problem that “I cannot continue to support sustained combat operations with rates this low,” the newspaper reported.

According to the newspaper, Sanchez said in a letter sent Dec. 4 that Army units in Iraq were waiting an average of 40 days for critical spare parts, which he noted was almost three times the Army’s average.

He also protested that U.S. soldiers still needed protective inserts to upgrade body armor and that delivery twice had been postponed in the month before his writing, the newspaper reported.

The Washington Post said it was given a copy of the letter by a person familiar with the situation who was dismayed that front-line troops had not been adequately supplied.

[snip]

The leaking of Sanchez’s letter less than three weeks ahead of the U.S. election could provide fuel for the campaign of Democratic presidential contender John Kerry, who has accused President Bush of sending troops into Iraq without adequate equipment.

Bush has responded to the accusation by saying he had provided his generals with everything they had asked for.

Link.