Reply #17: He wanted to annihilate Bagdad [View All]

Q: Had you totally destroyed it (the Republican Guard)?

A: Well, yeah. I mean it is a question of how do you define the word destroy. ... You know we didn't destroy them to the very last tank. And again, this is a point that I think may be lost on a lot of people. That was a very courageous decision on the part of the president to also stop the offensive. ... Frankly, my recommendation had been continue the march ... and make it a battle of annihilation. And the president made the decision that we should stop at a given time, at a given place that did leave some escape routes open for them to get back out, and I think it was a very humane decision.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/index/iraq/nirq053.htm