Tommy Franks says that John Kerry's version of the events in Afghanistan doesn't square with reality.

First, Kerry says we "had an opportunity to capture or kill Osama bin Laden" and that "we had him surrounded.". This is simply not true. Mr. bin Laden was never within our grasp.

Second, we did not "outsource" military action.

Third, the Afghans weren't left to do the job alone. Neither attention nor manpower was diverted from Afghanistan to Iraq.

What starts out with promise ends up seeming like quite a stretch, and by aping the methods he aims to debunk, only sustains Kerry's arguments.

War of Words