Lt. Gen. Thomas Kelly, whose visage became familiar to television viewers as he delivered Pentagon briefings during the Persian Gulf war, gave his last one Monday with a parting shot for critics of the press.
The 58-year-old three-star Army general, a former tank commander who rose to become director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delayed his retirement in January until after the war ended.
”Believe it or not, I have enjoyed this little interlude,” said Kelly, who leaves Friday to do some public speaking and enjoy time on his boat.
”I got a lot of letters from people who really don`t understand the hurly-burly give-and-take of a press briefing, and at no time were you ever impolite to me and at no time did I ever become offended and, as you know, I hold a lot of you in great respect.
”The last thing I`d like to say is having a free press has served the United States well for 215 years. It is a crucial element in our democracy, and if anybody needs a contrast, all they have to do is look at the country that didn`t have a free press and see what happened there.”
The hardened press corps gave the gruff general a round of applause as he left the Pentagon podium for the last time.
