Leaked Rumsfeld memo angers White House

[huckleberry]

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has angered the White House with a leaked memo questioning whether the US was winning the war on terror.

"This has put Rummy in a bad spot," one Bush administration source said.

snip

Bush officials told the New York Daily News the memo has further diminished Rumsfeld's standing at the White House by embarrassing Bush when his Iraq policy is under constant attack by Democrats and even some Republicans.

While the source of the leak was a prime topic in Washington political corridors yesterday, there was a broad consensus that the leaker was no friend of the embattled defence secretary.

"Rumsfeld has stepped on many toes at the Pentagon," a senior congressional source said, "and this was the revenge of the toes."

more at
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/10/23/1066631553388.html

[roguevalley]

1. he was toe-mained. <maimed>

RV, going off to stand in the corner.

[La_Serpiente]

2. there are some weird things going on at the White House

I think someone is out to get him. He only gave that memo to four people: Wolfowitz, and three other high ranking generals. I think one was the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It wasn't even given to Bush.

Someone might be wanting his job or is looking for revenge.

[annxburns]

4. General Barry McCaffrey ...

was on CNBC tonight after the Clark interview. He speculated that Rummy may have leaked the memo himself to get the Joint Chiefs to agree to a faster pace for military transformation. Rummy asked in the memo if there needed to be a new agency outside the DoD for fighting terrorism (Like who? Ummm, let's have the Commerce Department fight terrorism!). Looks like it may have backfired on Rummy though - now that the White House has put an "all good news, all the time" media strategy in place. White House is prob pissed that Rummy's little turf war has messed up the control the media strategy ...

Infighting, GOOD. Pass the popcorn.

[remfan]

8. Or looking to cover their own ass

USA Today said Rummy gave it to a few members of congress, too. And then there's this intriguing post from Josh Marshall...

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2003_10_19.html#002108

Could Dick be looking to deflect criticism by throwing shit at Rummy? Cheney's got the most to lose if the dam on this Iraq nightmare ever breaks open, and no matter which scandal you want to talk about, they ALL lead back to Cheney, and frankly, I think Cheney wouldn't hesitate to stab his old buddy Don in the back if it meant saving his position as chief puppeteer.

If there's a fight brewing between Cheney and Rumsfeld, we're all going to need a lot of popcorn!

[pocoloco]

3. "This has put Rummy in a bad spot"

Can't help bush* either!

[cliss]

5. Exactly.

Which one of his Keystones is more incompetent? I really don't know. Each one excels in his own way. He (she) is unique in thier stupidity, lying, bad decisions, lack of decisions, infighting, backstabbing and working against each other.

[cliss]

6. I just got done reading the article

on Yahoo news. To paraphrase the old coot: "we've only just started in the war against Ansar-al-Islam".

How long does he think the US can keep funding this stuff? He must truly believe the money is without end.

You just scratch the surface and you see PURE, unvarnished insanity. The man is clearly not all there.

[Atman]

7. THIS leaker Bush will find quickly

It makes him look bad, personally. The CIA thing...didn't really reflect upon him. It's all about the ego for Jr.