http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-10-22-defense-memo-usat_x.htm WASHINGTON — The United States has no yardstick for measuring progress in the war on terrorism, has not "yet made truly bold moves" in fighting al-Qaeda and other terror groups, and is in for a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a memo that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sent to top-ranking Defense officials last week. Rumsfeld discussed various topics including the situation in Iraq and troop morale during a news conference at the Pentagon Thursday. Despite upbeat statements by the Bush administration, the memo to Rumsfeld's top staff reveals significant doubts about progress in the struggle against terrorists.
I think it's time for Bush to have another "no more leaks" Mommie Dearest-style tirades. Anyway, Rummy is clearly a liberal comsymp and not to be trusted.
Now the question is do we just give up, or do we fight on? Personally i think we have made significant strides in 2 years. Just ask Khalid Sheihk Mohammed.
Re: Re: Rumsfeld: "No major progress in war against terrorism" Who am I going to listen to- you or the Secretary of Defense in a closeted moment of candidness?
There's a difference between "leaks" and deliberate sabotage due to lack of confidence in the Administration. This has become so common, I'm wondering if it's become the latter.
Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld: "No major progress in war against terrorism" Dude I thought Rummy was a tool of Mephistopheles. Now all the sudden you put your trust in his word? This is beside the point anyways. I asked you a question. Should we just give up?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld: "No major progress in war against terrorism" When the Sec of Defense says behind closed doors that the war against terrorism is floundering, why should I not believe him? Give me a reason. I can give you many reasons why his public declarations shouldn't be believed. Give what up- the war against terror or the war against Iraq? Rumsfeld has admitted we can't do both.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/executive/rumsfeld-memo.htm Umm, ass hat, NOW you're asking this question??? Some days, armed insurrection looks pretty damned appealing.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Rumsfeld: "No major progress in war against terrorism" "Statement against penal interest, your honor!" "Good point. Objection overruled. The evidence is admitted."
This is a sign that the administration is making Rumsfeld the outcast and he can't stand it. It also shows that he does not control his department, in other words someone higher up the food chain does. Expect Rummy's resignation in the next 2 months.
Bingo. It's become clear over the past two months that Rumsfeld's lost the power struggle with Powell and (to a lesser extent) Rice. He's on his way out the door and, bastard that he is, he's going to employ the scorched earth policy from here to Moscow. This memo was intentionally leaked, IMHO. Maybe it'll force Bush to answer those questions; maybe not. Either way it'll likely make national media outlets pay more attention to the types of questions we've been asking here on BS since June of 2002. That's a good thing. Rumsfeld's still a b**tard, though.
Really? There's a huge conclusion jump here. Meanwhile, have you read the memo? This is classic "CEO" stuff, pushing subordinates to think out of the box about tough tough issues. Moreover, it is realistic. The news is mixed. We've made good progress in some areas, in other areas less so. Gee, welcome to the real world.
First of all, let me say that I really appreciate that Rumsfeld is asking these questions because it shows that the DoD is not thinking solely about military solutions to a problem that would be better answered diplomatically and economically. He sounds like he belongs in State with comments like this: If State takes over the War On Terrorism, long-term that is probably a better thing. But if Rumsfeld is toast there will be a massive power vacuum in Defense, and all the people who are closest to filling the void are, at least publicly, more hawkish than he is. What are they going to do, demote Cheney? Promote Wolfowitz? Move (aka demote) Powell? Bring back Cohen? Rumsfeld is here through '04 unless he is proven to be a political liability in the re-election race. And a more moderate Rumsfeld is not a political liability.
I ask again, to anyone who is willing to answer: what should we do now? I want a power transition in Iraq soon becuase i think that will help. Can anyone tell me if there has been a cylcing of troops in Iraq? I sure hope the same units arn't hanging around there. I mean we've got thousands of troops (37 i believe) in Korea and Europe (unknown numbers), and they are career soldiers, not reservists. I'm sure they are itching for some real action. I think cylcing the troops in on shorter tours of duty will boost morale chiefly becuase if you have the same guys hanging around getting shot at for 8 months, they arn't going to be too happy. What i think is needed is a quick transition to the Iraqis in the coming months. Then i say we go back into Afghanistan, only this time it's serious. And maybe we can twist Musharef's arm to let us into the border regions of Pakistan. Osama waits for us there. I know we can do this, it's just a matter of applying ourselves on the diplomatic stage.
Says the guy with the passport issued from Magic Cookie Land. It's not what's in the memo, although it is nice to know that someone realizes the deck chairs on the Titanic just aren't arranged as well as they could be. It's the fact that it's being leaked to the public. Days after Bush ranted about trying to control leaks in his White House.
Well, it's a more centered part of the Universe than say....La La Land...where one is forced, masochistically, to actually root for the LA Galaxy...and then get on the radio and have to talk about it!! I think that if you asked, say, Woody Allen, for a definition of hell...well, that would be an awfully good one. Meanwhile, leaking...could it be that THIS leak really wasn't a LEAK? After all was this memo stamped "Secet" or "For Eyes Only?" Curious, eh? Of course, some simply hop on the bandwagon and assume that this leak is just like the other patently ILLEGAL leak. But let's not make distinctions when it's hihgly inconvenient. Of course, this isn't a leak of some devastating revelation, or classified info. This a leak of a MEMO that consists almost exclusively of interrorgatives that you could piece together from reading BLOGs. Maybe, just maybe, this was a calculated effort to lay out to the public EXACTLY what was going on? Of course, some like to simply beleive that the wheels are falling off, just like they believe that...I dunno...Carlos Ruiz ISN'T playing make believe out there. Watch it....SPLASH!!! Love those bellyflops!!
Out in Blogistan they're saying it ain't a leak, that Rummy handed out copies like Halloween candy. OK, not quite like that.
It's being played in the media as "See, Bush has been misleading us about the war on terrorism." If this was a calculated effort on the part of Bush, then it was a stupid one. There's a much better chance it was a calculated move by Rumsfeld to strike back at the power grab that took control of Iraq from him.
Hillary Clinton just came out and said so. Said the Bushies need to quit airing their dirty laundrey like this. Gawd I bet the Dems love this.
i think most of you are looking past a key part of this article, as obie touched on it doesn't seem the admin. is being doubted, however being proded to come up with new solutions and attack things from different angles. "The memo is not a policy statement, but a tool for shaping internal discussion. It highlights a Rumsfeld trait that supporters say is one of his greatest strengths: a willingness to challenge subordinates to constantly reassess problems.The memo prods Rumsfeld's most senior advisers to think in new ways about the war on terrorism at a time when many are preoccupied with the 7-month-old war in Iraq." again...questioning the admin. or attempting to spark discussion. at the end of the memo "Please be prepared to discuss this at our meeting on Saturday or Monday." discussion. so give it some time.
That's great, I mean that sincerley. I am glad he is asking probing questions - it surprised me that it came from Rummy as he has struck me as incapabale of such nuanced thought.... however as Superdave pointed out where the hell was this about 2 years ago????? Our best and brightest start asking these questions after we are up to our a$$ in aligators across the world? This was not an accidental leak. My theory is that this is an effort to play the expectations game so that the press and by extension the American people understand that things aren't going swimmingly but they don;t have to hear that from our leaders directly.
Irish, I take it that you don't find it disturbing that it comes across that they're surprised by all of this???
the bush admin. suprised by this? i don't quite get where you're going but get me going in the right direction and i'll get back 'atcha