Flashback >> Rumsfeld twice offered to resign during Abu Ghraib scandal

[sabra]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/02/03/rumsfeld.resign/

Rumsfeld twice offered to resign during Abu Ghraib scandal
Tells Larry King: Bush 'said he did want me to stay on'

Saturday, February 5, 2005 Posted: 3:00 AM EST (0800 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says he twice offered President Bush his resignation during the height of the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, but the president refused to accept it.

In an interview Thursday on CNN's "Larry King Live," Rumsfeld said: "I submitted my resignation to President Bush twice during that period and told him that ... I felt that he ought to make the decision as to whether or not I stayed on. And he made that decision and said he did want me to stay on."

Rumsfeld has been a lightning rod for complaints against the wars on terrorism and Iraq since shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

He was unpopular with his military commanders, the intelligence community and many members of Congress, who accused him of mismanagement of the Defense Department and insensitivity to American forces in the field.

With all these calls for Rummy to retire, it's worth to note that it appears that he's tried more than once in the past...

[acmavm]

1. bush** isn't his boss. WE are. And on behalf of us all, I accept.

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. Of course Bush wants him to stay!

As long as Rummy stays, he can be the target of criticism! If Rummy leaves and things stay the same (which, presumably Bush wants to "stay the course"), then the spotlight is on the person it SHOULD be on...BUSH!

Unless the policy changes, everything remains the same regardless of who's in front of the camera.

[CottonBear]

3. No one wants that job so Bush won't him resign. n/t

[cliss]

4. There's something very strange about that,

it should be brought up. Here are the facts as I understand them:

Bush is not Rumsfailed's boss. This country is run by Cheney and Rumsfailed. Those two hold all the power. Bush is nothing but a storefront mannequin who pretends to made decisions. He doesn't. In fact, he's kept out of a lot of decisions made.

That's why I don't believe that Rumsfailed submitted his resignation to Bush after the prison scandal.

Also, notice how the old goat is hanging on to power, even as the entire country is starting to wonder, "what the hell is going on here?" "Why is he still there?"

Why would he be MORE anxious to stay now, when things are even worse? If he was willing to go then, he should certainly be willing to go now.

= he never was willing to go.