Rumsfeld: Nixon's Loathesome Dove

[kskiska]

A new generation of American antiwar critics may decry Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's moves in Iraq. But there was a time when other critics -- such as President Richard M. Nixon and then-national security adviser Henry A. Kissinger -- saw him as an incorrigible peacenik, an annoying White House dove, according to a most interesting article in the November Atlantic Monthly by James Mann.

Using the Nixon Tapes -- the gift that will forever keep on giving -- Mann found Nixon one night fretting about "the Rumsfeld problem."

Rumsfeld, then a former congressman working on the White House domestic policy staff, was "becoming a troublesome anti-war advocate," Mann writes in this excerpt from his upcoming book "Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet."

In an April 7, 1971, chat, Nixon, Kissinger and then-chief of staff H.R. "Bob" Haldeman talked about the war in Vietnam. "I think Rumsfeld may be not too long for this world," Nixon said, a few minutes later suggesting, "Let's dump him."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5777-2003Oct9.html

[cliss]

1. ...and he's still around?

what a dinosaur.

Sorry, I just do not buy the theory of Rum-filled being a peace-nick. I've seen the glitter in his eyes, the ghastly, lingering smile when he talks about "collateral damage". Henry Kissinger once said that Rums-felled "is the coldest man I have ever known".

I've done a little bit of research on him, and the more you learn about him, the scarier he becomes.

He also fancies himself a Renaissance Man; a man of many talents. A brilliant statesman, and even writing touching poetry while sentencing people to their deaths.

Haldeman and Nixon should have looked a little closer.

[thebigidea]

2. Rumsferatu has the rummiest smile, yes?

The poetry thing: is this true, or are you mistaking that "wacky" compendium "Pieces of Intelligence" as his own poetry?

If not, manoman, I'd love to take a look at the fiend's poetics.

RUMSFELD: "I SAW THE BEST BODIES OF MY GENERATION DESTROYED BY... well, me. Starving! Hysterical! Not so much naked as burdened by body armor! Something about an angry fix from Afghanistan!"

EMCEE: "Lets hear it for DefSec Donald H. Rumsfeld... coming up next, the whimsical verse of Paul Wolfowitz..."

[Vitruvius]

5. So Rumsfeld fancies himself a "renaissance man"? Which Borgia

did he have in mind?

[bemildred]

6. Cesare obviously.

[Cat Atomic]

3. It wasn't just peaceniks that opposed the Vietnam war.

It eventually became unprofitable. All sorts of people wanted out of it.

I'd be more interested to know what Rumsfeld said about Vietnam in the mid-late 60's.... not 1971.

[Kool Kitty]

4. "Atlantic Monthly" magazine has an

excellent article in the November, 2003, issue entitled, "Young Rumsfeld". All about his early life in Washington. Interesting stuff, including the info that he wasn't exactly "out of the loop" regarding Watergate.