No One Has…
by Lee
If you want to see the literal definition of delusional, take a look at this post from Michael Novak over at The Corner.
What Do You Call a Defense Secretary … who brings down two hostile, tyrannous regimes in one year, and while a long regional war — actually the first stage in a worldwide war declared by terrorists for the past 20 years — was grinding on also managed the most radical transformation of the American armed forces in sixty years? I call Donald Rumsfeld the best Defense Secretary the U.S. has ever had. Close behind him, in my book, is Secretary Richard Cheney, and we have been lucky to have a number of other very good Secretaries of Defense during the past century. No one has had as tough a job as Rumsfeld. No one has faced a time in which the military faced a more challenging environment, geographically and technically. No one is without faults, and I imagine that driving Don is not always easy to work for. Reminds me of football coaches I have known.
The more the Democrats dislike him, the more I like him.
I would add one thing: “No one has faced a time in which the military faced a more challenging environment, geographically and technically. No one is without faults, and no one has failed more spectacularly at his assigned tasks than Donald Rumsfeld.”
America deserves better.
Comments
Geez, Lee, it isn’t Rummy’s fault.. it is the soldiers fault!
BOEHNER: Wolf, I understand that, but let’s not blame what’s happening in Iraq on Rumsfeld.
BLITZER: But he’s in charge of the military.
BOEHNER: But the fact is, the generals on the ground are in charge, and he works closely with them and the president.
I call Donald Rumsfeld the best Defense Secretary the U.S. has ever had
He can heal the blind, turn water into wine, and has sunshine coming out of his ass!
We will never win this war with our dumb soldiers. Just ask John Kerry. Time to cut ‘n run, eh john?
Time will tell if Rummy was a good defense Secretary or not. I for one will wait before I condemn him.
Is it fair to listen to generals complain about Rummy and belittle his every decision, but not listen to the generals who speak highly of him. I think that is narrow mindedness. We don’t know all the facts and vast circumstances that go into every decision he must make. Nor do we know what differences these generals have with Rummy, some of them might be upset cause they were overlooked for a certain position, and who is to say that their decisions would have been any better. I for one will wait to see what history will show.
But that’s right most of the people here know better......cause you all know his restrictions, personel, all his meetings and what is discused. Perhaps some of you should write a new chapter in Sun Tzu “ The Art of War”, since you are so profoundly knowledgeable with all the inner workings of his job !
amen dijhili. amen. this is all hindsight is 20-20. yes the struggle in Iraq is a long one. the left says “we KNEW this would be a mess.” yeah, and you know how you knew? Because in sept. 2001 the president stood in a smoldering pit in lower manhattan and fucking TOLD you it would be a long struggle. Is it easy? No it is not. but i can’t tell you how goddam sick I am of liberals and the divisions they cause. If the white house underestimated anything, it was that pond scum like Nancy Pelosi and John Kerry would put their own lust for power ahead of the welfare of their nation. It never seems to occur to the left to stop carping and actually help the president win this thing.
well put rainking.
I also hate how everyone always says ‘what a stupid decision”, or “bad idea’. Yet all they offer is a comment, but NO concete solution...just some vauge political BS !
Time will tell if Rummy was a good defense Secretary or not. I for one will wait before I condemn him…
I for one will wait to see what history will show.
If only the private sector gave people a decade before deciding their performance was substandard and tossed them out on their asses.
And just who is going to “decide” his performance was substandard? John Kerry? Nancy Pelosi? Howard Dean? gimmee a break. In October 2002 Democrats in Congress voted in favor of the war resolution. In March 2003 75 percent of Americans supported the invasion. It is too easy to piss all over it now. It is time for libs to understand their party voted for this war. It is time for idiots such as Kerry to stand up and admit he is just as responsible as anyone else that supported it. It is time to start supporting the effort. You can’t have it both ways liberals and you better wake up to that fact.
I for one will wait to see what history will show.
Except for the fact that we are in a war NOW! You don’t wait until after someone quits to decide whether you should have fired them. Rumsfeld can currently be measured on communication, working with other agencies and departments, relationships with the generals, etc…
The guy has problems working with people. He’s an asshole. Get rid of him.
Like I stated before. lol
maybe the gernerals that are being crybabies are the assholes. Maybe they are the ones who were overlooked for certain positions and have a bug to pick. But no, I forgot, like most people here, you have the supreme insight and total understanding of the intricacies of his job.
And just who is going to “decide” his performance was substandard?
How about his boss, the Decider?
Of course, I’m a voter and a taxpayer so I WILL BE AS CRITICAL OF RUMSFELD AS DAMN WELL PLEASE!
in an interview with Don Imus John Kerry said Rumsfeld didn’t send enough troops. Later in the exact same interview Kerry said Rumsfeld sent too many. it was unfreakin’believable. This is the kind of critiques on the war and Rumsfeld’s performance we’re supposed to take seriously?
gripe boy: “I’ll criticize him if dammn well please...” blah blah freakin’ blah. who would you replace him with ? how ‘bout some answers instead of bitchbitchbitch?
Of course, I’m a voter and a taxpayer so I WILL BE AS CRITICAL OF RUMSFELD AS DAMN WELL PLEASE!
Being critial is one thing, blindly attacking based on incomplete or inaccurate knowledge (read distortions and/or outright lies) is quite another…
This is the kind of critiques on the war and Rumsfeld’s performance we’re supposed to take seriously?
I think Rummy did a great job right up until the Iraq invasion was completed. He has looked incompeent ever since then.
He did have to take a Military that was cut to the gills and prepare it for war, and that was no small task after what clinton had done. There were many aircraft, as well as other weapons systems, that were grounded and un usable because we didn’t even have spares to repair them with. Clintons biggest government cuts were to military personel. Rummy HAD to do things with fewer troops because that was what he inherited.
There is simply no excuse for what has transpired since the fall of Iraq though. NONE.
maybe the gernerals that are being crybabies are the assholes.
Yeah, a lot of generals are like that. Admirals, too. You’d think that working their ways up through the ranks over an entire career, sending men into battle, commanding ships and then entire fleets of ship, etc. would toughen them up and make them practical, plain-spoken hard-noses, but no. Asshole crybabies, the whole lot of them.
On the other hand, look what Rumsfeld had to go through to make it to his position. He had to be friends with Dick Cheney. Talk about “in harm’s way.”
who would you replace him with ? how ‘bout some answers instead of bitchbitchbitch?
Colin Powell. Sam Nunn. Bill Cohen. Jack Murtha. George Shultz. A pony.
again, who would do better, and why?
Retired General Norman Schwartzkopf, cause he’d quit mucking around in Iraq and get the job done and over with, or get us the fuck out of there!
This loitering around over there isn’t working and lately Rummy is looking more and more like a deer in the headlights.
ah munck: Always with the sensible post. not. your choices are fantastic for Kerry’s our- troops-are-stupid-let’s-get-the-hell-out-of-there defense “strategy.”
A pony.
LOL
actually, that pony line WAS damn funny
your choices are fantastic for Kerry’s our- troops-are-stupid-let’s-get-the-hell-out-of-there defense “strategy.”
Powell? Sam Nunn? Have you ever met Nunn? I worked with him for a couple of months years ago, and he’s one tough mofo; he makes Rumsfeld look like a nancy-boy. Schwartzkopf is good, too, frankie. I should have run through a list of retired general officers.
You know Kerry didn’t say the troops are stupid; he said Bush is stupid. Heck, everybody says that. Why do you persist with this fantasy? Kerry isn’t running for anything.
who would you replace him with ? how ‘bout some answers instead of bitchbitchbitch?
How about James Baker? He has a good track record and works well with others.
Being critial is one thing, blindly attacking based on incomplete or inaccurate knowledge (read distortions and/or outright lies) is quite another…
What are you saying, unless I’m on the inside with full knowledge and clearance I’m in no position to criticize? Fuck that.
You guys have cited a bunch of whinny Democrats calling for Rumsfeld’s replacement but you fail to cite the numerous Republicans calling for his replacement as well. Some of them are very much on the inside and “in the know”. They certainly aren’t “blindly attacking”.
Nevertheless, Bush doesn’t fire anybody so I guess it’s a moot point.
munck: kerry claims he botched a joke. A joke? what’s the punchline? He botched it? So in other words he misquoted himself? spin it all you want, he stepped in it big time, and that ain’t no fantasy, and you know it. I did love your “pony” answer though.
that pony line WAS damn funny
I’m kind of sensitive about ponies right now. I’ve always thought that ponies were juvenile horses. Sixty-one years old, and I’ve just now learned that they are different animals. Jeez.
good grief i didn’t know that either!
kerry claims he botched a joke. A joke? what’s the punchline?
As I quoted in another thread:
Kerry said he mangled the delivery of a line aimed at Bush. According to aides, the language was originally written to say that “if you’re intellectually lazy, you end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq — just ask President Bush
In fact, he’s used that same line (as written here) in a number of other speeches. If you look at what he was saying before this line, it’s clear he’s addressing Bush’s stupidity at length. Of course that’s a subject about which entire dissertations could be written.
like i said spin it all you want. listen to his aids all you want. what he MEANT and what he SAID are clearly different, and there’s no getting away from it. All’s i’m saying is if repubs were smart, this would NEVER go away.
kerry claims he botched a joke. A joke? what’s the punchline?
According to Kerry, the joke was that you should go to college and study hard or else you’ll get us stuck in Iraq. The “funny” part being the Bush isn’t smart, didn’t study and got us stuck in Iraq.
It’s not that funny but I could see trying to make that joke. You either believe Kerry or you don’t. I believe him, not because I like him but because it just seems more reasonable that he was trying to make fun of Bush in a stump speech rather than purposefully insult the troops. Either way, he really screwed the pooch. Democrats are trying to silence him. He’s a major liability right before an election. He should just shut up and drive into the woods for a week. Of course, he keeps talking.
This is the problem with the Democrats. They’re their own worst enemy. Some of them get it but there are a bunch of loose cannons in their ranks running around shooting their mouths off.
All’s i’m saying is if repubs were smart, this would NEVER go away.
It won’t. It’s hanging out there like a giant matzo ball for all time.
The “funny” part being the Bush isn’t smart, didn’t study and got us stuck in Iraq.
Well based on their grades, if Bush didn’t study, then he’s naturally smarter than Kerry, since Kerry is obviously claiming that he did study. Yet they did the same in school.
What Kerry ended up saying was probably more of a Freudian slip anyway. After all, the defining era of his life was a time when you actually could be sent to war if you didn’t do well in school.
Now dems are falling all over themselves trying to silence Kerry. Too late. Way too late. the damage is done, big time…
This is the problem with the Democrats. They’re their own worst enemy. Some of them get it but there are a bunch of loose cannons in their ranks running around shooting their mouths off.
The thing that Republicans can never understand is that we like it that way. We like having loose cannons. When Will Rogers said “I don’t belong to any organized party; I’m a Democrat,” he said it with pride. Sure, it means we screw up, are less effective than we might be, lose elections now and then. But it’s worth it to avoid the authoritarianism of rigid, on-message, militant party discipline. Perhaps this is one of the fracture planes between libertarians and the Republican Party; they don’t like authoritarianism either. Consider switching to the Democrats; we welcome all crazies.
i am looking foward to Howard Dean’s explanation on kerry misquoting himself. Or Pelosi. Or Ted Kennedy if he could sober long enough to make a statement. Those will be entertaining.
because having the inmates run the asylum is always a good thing…
What Kerry ended up saying was probably more of a Freudian slip anyway.
I quite possibly was a Freudian slip. I can see Kerry holding this view of the troops in his Ivy league, upper crust, New England way.
Like rainking says, it’s too late. The damage is done. The sound bite will be preserved for all time.
But it’s worth it to avoid the authoritarianism of rigid, on-message, militant party discipline.
It’s hardly authoritarianism when you voluntarily join a political party. A cohesive message is the whole point.
Gripe boy, kerry’s message was “cohesive.” the message is crystal clear: We hate Bush, and instead of supporting a sitting president in a time of war, we will do everything in our power to make him look bad and our party look good and advance our own power and stoke our own egos, no matter how much damage it does to the country.
THAT’s the “cohesive” message.
I think the loose cannon thing is more of a radical liberal trait than specifically Democrat. I saw a lot of this when I was helping the Green Party achieve party status in California (ah, youth!).
Anyway, there were a bunch of them just looking for a fight among other kindered spirits. Speeches about being a half-Cherokee/half-Jewish lesbian and attacking all the white males present was the order of the day. It was one of the most disorganized operations I’ve ever been a part of. With all the cognitive dissonance and emotion floating around, it’s a wonder they made it. I eventually got fed up and bagged it.
This is the problem with the Democrats. They’re their own worst enemy. Some of them get it but there are a bunch of loose cannons in their ranks running around shooting their mouths off.
No, the thing is that it’s not about politics or policy at this point. It’s about making the other guy look bad while you explain how much of a better christian you are.
I can’t believe this is what it’s become all about on both sides of the political spectrum.
"more of a radical liberal trait?” The guy was the Dem’s nomination for president! Are you freaking kidding me? This treasonous moron is the best they had at the time, and from what i’ve seen, they got nothin’ better in ‘08 either.
It’s hardly authoritarianism when you voluntarily join a political party.
That’s a lot less true when you really have only two effective choices.
A cohesive message is the whole point.
No, the whole point is to argue about it, and work through your differences with loud, heart-felt dissent. Having your message be cohesive is nice if you can manage it, but it’s much more important to have what the party accomplishes be the right thing. The GOP has an extremely cohesive and strongly-believed message: smaller government. How’s that working out for you?
actually munck it’s working out for me just fine. I’ll be hopping up in to my 280,834,289,023 pounds SUV and driving to lunch. There’s baby seal on the menu today! Yum!
Perhaps this is one of the fracture planes between libertarians and the Republican Party; they don’t like authoritarianism either. Consider switching to the Democrats; we welcome all crazies.
Like the nanny state isn’t authoritarianism? Please.
And Bert Parks singing Mona Lisa.There’s baby seal on the menu today! Yum!
No, the thing is that it’s not about politics or policy at this point.
No, IMHO it’s about taking someone who has accidentally bumbled their prepared statement, which happened to be a joke about the intelligence of Bush in this case, and using it as means of distraction for your own short comings. It was a cheap shot. Kerry has both used similar cheap shots and handed this one to Bush with perfect timing. I don’t feel sorry for Kerry one IOTA. But it speaks more about Bush and his effectiveness that he now has this need to resort to low blows and cheap political opportunism to rally his base. It’s Sad really, and I had expected so much more from him.
Are you freaking kidding me?
You mistakenly think I’m somehow supporting Kerry here. I’m not. I am trying to stay out of the partisan bullshit that Manwhore points out.
frankie sums up how I feel about it pretty well.
The GOP has an extremely cohesive and strongly-believed message: smaller government. How’s that working out for you?
I wouldn’t know since I’m not a Republican. As a taxpayer, not well.
In fact, he’s used that same line (as written here) in a number of other speeches.
And, of course, you can provide the cites for each and every one of those, can’t you, Bobo?
Oh, wait, it’s not necessary to actually back up your lies, is it? It’s just enough that you say so.
You know, if you say something to offend another, saying “just kidding” in response to their shocked expression doesn’t make it a joke. If you have a history of spousal abuse, you don’t get to make jokes about beating your wife. If you have been convicted of molesting young children, you don’t get to make jokes about NAMBLA.
And when you have spent your entire career bashing the military (as John “Jenjis Cannes” Kerry has), you don’t get to suddenly claim that yet another repeat bashing “was a joke”.
That sound you hear is Kerry’s Presidential aspirations being flushed.
That sound you hear is Kerry’s Presidential aspirations being flushed.
Ya, he’s a goner. We’re a soundbite culture and he just spewed possibly the worst soundbite for a country at war. It’s way worse than Al Gore “inventing” the internet.
Yeah but does anyone, even amongst the donkey crowd, even want ol’ Lurch to run again? Wasn’t he just the shitty filet mignon amongst all of the shitburgers served up on that side last time?
“...you end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq”
In fact, he’s used that same line (as written here) in a number of other speeches.
It still doesn’t make any sense, given that GWB did do well enough in school to achieve a Harvard MBA, and eventually the White House (something Kerry has thus far failed to achieve). Also, we hear that Bush’s grades were better than Kerry’s, so Kerry’s only accomplishment here is sticking his enormous foot into his mouth, again.
dems have been bloviating out the excuses for kerry’s gaffe for two days. As i said, where’s Dean and Pelosi? Where’s Kennedy? i look foward to their spin. it was no lame attempt at a joke. it’s how kerry feels about the military. it’s how all libs feel.
it’s how all libs feel
Funny, I consider myself a liberal and I don’t feel that way at all considering my father, my brother, and one of my sisters were all in the military.
What a wonderfully stupid generalization you’ve made rainking.
I would think the folks behind cutting veteran’s benefits would be a more likely target as being anti military - but it is so refreshing to have someone so obviously knowledgeable that they can speak for whole swaths of the populace to set things straight.
Get some fresh air dude; I think the exhaust fumes are getting to you.
I would think the folks behind cutting veteran’s benefits would be a more likely target as being anti military - but it is so refreshing to have someone so obviously knowledgeable that they can speak for whole swaths of the populace to set things straight.
No one has cut my benefits. in fact I just got approved for a skin craft on my arm. Benefits arn’t getting cut unless you get other then an honorable or general discharge
dems have been bloviating out the excuses for kerry’s gaffe for two days. As i said, where’s Dean and Pelosi? Where’s Kennedy? i look foward to their spin. it was no lame attempt at a joke. it’s how kerry feels about the military. it’s how all libs feel.
Most dems - especially those on ballets next week - are running as far away from Kerry and his “joke” as they can get. They want no part of him. Even Madame Hillary said his comment was stupid and improper, regardless of what he meant to say.
It still doesn’t make any sense, given that GWB did do well enough in school to achieve a Harvard MBA, and eventually the White House (something Kerry has thus far failed to achieve). Also, we hear that Bush’s grades were better than Kerry’s, so Kerry’s only accomplishment here is sticking his enormous foot into his mouth, again.
Exactly.
No one has cut my benefits. in fact I just got approved for a skin craft on my arm. Benefits arn’t getting cut unless you get other then an honorable or general discharge
Rick - now don’t you be throwing in facts like this. You know how it messes up the minds of the libs.......not to mention what it does to their spin......
Press release, House of Representatives:
HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE TO CUT VETERANS’ BENEFITS
Washington, D.C. – “Yesterday, the House Republicans voted to reject increased funds for veterans’ health care in the war supplemental and today they voted to actually cut veterans benefits in their budget resolution. This is wrong,” said Lane Evans (IL), the senior Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee.
The budget resolution passed, primarily along party lines, by 218 to 213.
The GOP budget resolution contains reconciliation orders requiring the House Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Committee to cut benefits or to tax veterans by increasing their fees. For fiscal year 2006, the VA Committee must identify $155 million in benefits cuts or increased fees; and $798 million over the next five years.
The amount available for veterans medical programs, including construction, and benefits administration is $127 million below the amount the Congressional Budget Office estimates would be necessary to maintain the level of services that exist in fiscal year 2005. Over five years, the Republican budget resolution cuts almost $16 billion from these discretionary programs.
One proposal found in the Bush budget and embraced by Republicans on both the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees is a new enrollment fee for some veterans. Other ways of finding savings in veterans programs might include cutting the cash payments made to veterans with service-connected conditions, cutting pension benefits, reducing vocational rehabilitation services or education benefits. Monies could also be raised by increasing the fees charged to veterans who obtain a VA home loan.
Along the path to approving the Republican budget resolution, a Democratic alternative budget resolution offered by Rep. John Spratt, the ranking member of the Budget Committee, which would have added $2.4 billion to veterans’ benefits and services, was defeated. An amendment offered by Rep. David Obey, the Democratic leader of the Appropriations Committee which would have added $2.9 billion to the President’s Budget, was also defeated.
Salinger, don’t blame me because Kerry is destroying your party.
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I was just on another blog where folks are saying the same crap about Rummy… He was responsible for taking out two of the world’s worst tyrannies and “turned the US military into the deadliest force ever to walk this green Earth.”
Rrrright.