WP: Iraq Takes a Toll on Rumsfeld

[kskiska]

Criticism Mounts With Costs, Casualties

Sunday, September 14, 2003; Page A01

Since he returned to the Pentagon three years ago, Donald H. Rumsfeld has been one of the most activist secretaries of defense in a generation, challenging the uniformed brass to modernize the nation's military into a 21st century fighting force and leading the armed services through two major wars in 18 months.

Along the way, Rumsfeld has rankled many in the military for his aggressive style and far-reaching agenda for "transforming" the military, even as he has won acclaim for his leadership of the Pentagon through the trauma of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the building and ensuing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the war on terrorism. Now, less than five months after he helped formulate and execute a bold plan in which a U.S. invasion force drove to Baghdad and toppled the Iraqi government in 21 days, Rumsfeld is facing his greatest challenge yet.

Having demanded full authority for overseeing the occupation and reconstruction of Iraq, elbowing the State Department aside, Rumsfeld is being blamed by many in Congress and the military establishment for the problems facing the United States, which include mounting U.S. casualties and costs exceeding $1 billion a week.

Whatever else Rumsfeld achieves at the Pentagon, the outcome of the Iraqi occupation will go a long way toward determining his legacy in this, his second stint as secretary of defense. It also will affect the political fortunes of President Bush, whose reelection bid could hinge on events in Iraq.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7030-2003Sep13.html

[Melsky]

1. It's taking it's toll alright

he looks like he has aged 20 years in the past six months.

[saigon68]

19. THE DIRTY BASTARD IS A WAR CRIMINAL.

what bullshit ---spouting the geneva conventon when lynch was ambushed and then locking up the enemy in small cells with hoods on their heads. He's scum.

[Dover]

2. No....Rumsfeld has taken a terrible toll on Iraq.........n/t

./

[Patriot_Spear]

3. His name will go down in History...

Along side MacNamara, Johnson and Westmoreland...

[amber dog democrat]

21. Don't forget

Dean Rusk and Kissinger.

[Nambe]

4. Rumsfeld takes toll on Iraq --- End of story.

What descent human being cares about Rumsfeld's situation and the toll it takes on him? The Post slipped on the angle.

[thebigidea]

5. the monster will live on in a thousand b-films

[burrowowl]

6. Not as

much as the toll he has taken on Iraq, the #@@$(&@*&@% excuse for a human bean.

[gratuitous]

7. Let's see, elbowed his way past the pros

Used an arrogant my-way-or-the-highway approach, insisted that everything he thought and did was absolutely, 100% correct, and now we're in as bad a fix as the U.S. has probably ever been, hundreds of soldiers dead, thousands more injured to varying degrees, tens of thousands of civilian dead in Afghanistan and Iraq, and now Donny is feeling bad about it?

Poor little baby, getting blamed for the mess he created. Let me see if I can shed a tear on his behalf.

Grrrrrrr.

[cliss]

8. It can be risky business

to claim authorship for things which could have been delegated to other departments. Like the "Department of occupied Lands", for example, which should have been set up.

I've heard Rumfilled* take the credit for many things, only to wiggle out of them later, when the going gets tough. "I'd love to take credit for it (the war planning) but it was actually General Frank's".

In another magazine article, Old Rum had to remind himself constantly, "you're not the President", meaning he recognizes that he has autocratic, megalomaniac tendencies.

It's amazing to think that this war which has affected and hurt so many people, has been in the hands of so few.....namely, one....

He should go back to writing poetry.

*not mine, I think it's rchsod's

[Whoa_Nelly]

9. Link in lead is incorrect

The link took me to a different story re: Bush and the $87b snafu.

Here's the link to the WP story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6695-2003Sep13.html

[BiggJawn]

10. "His Legacy"...Fighting wars on 2 fronts on "The CHEAP"...

While his masters poke every other hornet's nest they can get a stick into...Some "expert" tells him that our fighting men can get by on a cup of gruel and 12 Oz. of water a day, so that's exactly what they get.

Supplied by Halliburton or Sodexho-Marriot at a cost of $175 a day per person...

We have lots of expensive fighting machines over there, but the fucker's too stingy to send 59-cent-a-quart motor oil or $5 oil filters to keep them running. No safety cages for the tire rack in the motor pool either, Ke-Ryst, there's a WAR on, Dammit!

[HPLeft]

11. It must bother Rummy...

...that critics in "old Europe" are saying "I told you so" between glasses of fine wine.

[BeHereNow]

12. MAKE THAT

FRENCH WINE...with some "old Europe" GERMAN sausage.
BWAHAHAHA!

[redhead1954]

13. Old Europe

I hope and pray "Old Europe" doesn't come to his rescue either. Rummy
screwed himself with his childish comments. I say let him stew in this mess he helped create in Iraq!

Cheers,
Red

[Pallas180]

16. Let's not forget it aint rummy stewing, its our children being killed.

:thumbsdown:

[redhead1954]

18. Yes 180

I know that very well. I have a son in the Navy and want to make sure he doesn't get sent over there to fight this unjust war.

peace,
Red

[Hailtothechimp]

14. Hell will take an even heavier toll on ol' Rummy

And the SOB deserves everything he gets and more.

[Rose Siding]

25. Look how the press frames the consequences

...How it affects rummy, how it affects Bush. How about how it affects US and the rest of the world? This is SO not politics. This is crime and tragedy.

[Zech Marquis]

15. well he wanted it all

all the power, all the glory, but none of the consequences--just "do what I say and shut up!" "ifyou dare to question me, you're fired!" type of hard ass ceo bloddsucker. Rummy is indeed a real life Darth Vader, although I'd rather have the real Vader to deal with :argh:

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

17. Sometimes History Rhymes...

... in this case, look at Hermann Goering and the German Luftwaffe of WW2.

<snip>

As the extremely powerful totalitarian master of the national industry, Hermann Goering began to exploit his position to extremely enjoy life and accumulate immense personal wealth by corruption, bribes, etc.

<http://www.2worldwar2.com/hermann-goering.htm>

As one of my history professors liked to say, "History does not repeat, but sometimes it rhymes."

Goering had his thumb in all the pies, as did the other high ranking Nazi leaders in Germany during WW2. Look at all of the big business appointees, nominees and erstwhile elected officials in this misAdministration. Conflicts of interest dictating national policies? Nah, couldn't be. <sarcasm>

Something to ponder on a fall evening.

[grasswire]

20. Bob Novak...

...said the other day in a column that Rummy will be leaving the administration probably in January.

[amber dog democrat]

23. Good Riddance

if he is really is going away. let him go crawl under a rock.

[Isere]

26. If Rummy leaves

then who will take his place?

Wanna make a guess?

Don't think it will be Wolfie or Perle... let's see... maybe Lugar?

[karlschneider]

27. I could live with Lugar...he at least has questioned Rumfill & Shrub.

Which doesn't mean I would -trust- him...after all I could "live" with a dozen rattlesnakes around me (and I have, almost) We are at the point of having to choose the lesser of many evils, unfortunately.

[amber dog democrat]

22. I can only wish

there will be a Nurenburg Trial and war criminals held accountable

[Clyde39]

24. I have never understood his appeal

to the Republican party. They don't call him Dr. Stranglove for nothing!

[belab13]

28. can't wait to piss on his grave...

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

29. You may not have to wait too long for that opportunity.

[Dr Fate]

30. Iraq war takes toll on troops...

...THANKS to Rumsfeld. At least one of People Magazines Sexiest men doesnt have to get shot at.

[Robin Hood]

31. Boo-fucking-whoooo!

You think it's taking a toll on Rumsfeld?! How about the freakin soldiers coming home in body bags or wheel chairs? how about all the unemployed homeless people who couldn't find a job cause bush is shipping all of the nations money to freakin Iraq?

Cry me a fucking river! Taking a toll. When he has to go to the hospital to remove my boot from his ass, that's when this fucking nightmare would begin to take a toll. Fucking bastard war criminal. May you rot in hell.

[tinnypriv]

32. So let me get this f****** straight...

This is a detailed story and includes info about:

1. Iraq.
2. Rumsfeld.
3. Rumsfeld's "second stint as secretary of defense"

And yet it DOESN'T include this:



O-kay :eyes: