Rumsfeld resignation row simmers

Another two US generals have weighed into the row over whether Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should quit.

Ex-Nato commander Gen Wesley Clark, who ran for the Democrat presidential nomination in 2004, backed calls for Mr Rumsfeld to resign.

But ex-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Richard Myers, said the calls were inappropriate.

Six retired generals have recently spoken out against Mr Rumsfeld's handling of the war in Iraq.

But President George W Bush has assured Mr Rumsfeld of his "full support" and rejected calls for him to step down.

Gen Clark said in a television interview: "I believe secretary Rumsfeld hasn't done an adequate job. He should go."

Gen Clark said he believed Mr Rumsfeld, along with Vice-President Dick Cheney, had helped push the Iraq invasion when there was "no connection with the war on terror".

Gen Clark said the secretary had lost the confidence of some officers in the military who were asking for "somebody in the military chain of command who will listen".

Gen Clark has been a frequent critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy. But Gen Myers defended Mr Rumsfeld and criticised the resignation calls.

"My whole perception of this is it's bad for the military, and for military relations, and it's very bad for the country," he said.

President Bush has praised Mr Rumsfeld for his "energetic and steady leadership" during his years at the Pentagon.

The defence secretary has also personally dismissed suggestions that he should resign.

The two most senior generals to voice their unease over Mr Rumsfeld were Maj Gen John Riggs and Maj Gen Charles H Swannack Jr, both of the Army.

In a radio interview Gen Riggs, a former division commander, said Mr Rumsfeld fostered an atmosphere of "arrogance" among the Pentagon's top civilian leadership.

CRITICAL RETIRED GENERALS
Gen Wesley Clark
Gen Charles H Swannack Jr, Army
Gen John Riggs, Army
Gen John Batiste, Army
Gen Anthony Zinni, Marines
Gen Gregory Newbold, Marines
Gen Paul Eaton, Army

Gen Clark said he believed Mr Rumsfeld, along with Vice-President Dick Cheney, had helped push the Iraq invasion when there was "no connection with the war on terror".

Looks like Gen Clark needs to do some more reading. Here for instance:

Iraqdocs

2 posted on 04/16/2006 1:59:22 AM PDT by Darkwolf377 (By 2004, annual inflow of foreign-born persons was down 24% from its all-time high in 2000--PEW)

Look at it from the bright side. Even BBC had to point out that Weasly C "has been a frequent critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy".

tsk, tsk

3 posted on 04/16/2006 2:03:50 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy (Part of the Right Wing Research & Attack Machine)

We should put Wesley Clark, and Pat Buchanan together. With the two of them having all the answers the world would be at peace, and all would be well.

Criticism of Mr. Rumsfeld and his departure will not change our mission in Iraq and middle east. Mr. Rumsfeld’s experience and hard nosed persona is what we need to fight this war on terror. With high respect to the Generals who want him to step aside is just a small percentage of overall majority of the senior officers who are doing a superb job in the WOT. Any deviation from our war plan would be a mistake.

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