Posted on 12/16/2006 1:15:34 PM PST by shrinkermd
The commander in chief and the U.S. armed forces joined to bid farewell yesterday to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld with a precision-timed 60 minutes of laudatory speeches, honor guard spit and polish and patriotic music...
The record of Don Rumsfeld's tenure is clear," Mr. Bush said. "There has been more profound change at the Department of Defense over the past six years than at any time since the department's creation in the late 1940s. And these changes were not easy."
It was the president who ended Mr. Rumsfeld's six-year tenure prematurely over the bogged-down war in Iraq. Mr. Bush, with Mr. Rumsfeld at his side, announced the resignation at the White House the day after Republicans lost the Nov. 7 midterm elections. Conservative pundits criticized the president for appearing to make Mr. Rumsfeld, his loyal and determined war secretary, a scapegoat for losing the House and Senate.
Mr. Bush said he wanted a "fresh perspective" on a war that has cost more than 2,900 American lives and descended into a bloodbath of sectarian killings of Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, with al Qaeda fighters adding to the carnage....
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(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Saw Rummie's tribute last night, replayed on C-SPAN. Surely glad I did. It was magnificent.
Probably the worst SecDef ever.
I believe he is. I think that the confirmation of SECDEF Gates was timed to ensure SECDEF Rumsfeld's tenure in the history books.
How many days, I do not know.
A name from the past. He went on to become President of the World Bank and had even more power over developing nations than he enjoyed as Secdef.
Isn't Wolfowitz the current President of the World Bank? Something about former Defense officals and developing nations.
Had Rumsfeld served until Dec. 29, he would have become the longest-serving defense secretary, beating out Robert McNamara.
Robert MacNuhnumnuts was one of the early high profile globalist traitors to mangle the defense establishment to their aims.
His middle name wasn't "Strange" for nothing.
I listened to his speech. The man has class. Rummy is one of those folks I'd just love to sit down and chat with over a nice ale......
Worst. SecDef. Ever.
rummy is going to be missed big time...
If you read his bio he has been inviolved with every administration in Washington since about 1969. Just because he's not SD anymore doesn't mean he will vanish from Washington. He's a lifer.
The CSPAN coverage of the Tribute to Rumsfeld's stint in the service of his country was very moving. I remain a dedicated FAN and hope to see him further vindicted as time goews by and perspectives alter after the heat of the moment subsides. '
I don't believe President Bush fired him. Has to be another reason than pleasing the cut & run crowd.
How I hate to see this good man go!!! What a wonderful job he did for us!!
Nancee
FWIW I see the President doing what I do when I am writing. When I come to the end of a paragraph I skip a few spaces and start a new one.
I think the President decided to start a new paragraph and for different reasons skipped Rummy and Bolton like couple of spaces.
Time will tell I suppose.
Don't believe for a moment that Donald Rumsfeld was fired, or that he is leaving due to illness. GW Bush did not want him to go. However, he did permit Rumsfeld's prior offers for resignation to evolve in the aftermath of November 7.
Following the 2006 Dem midterm election victory, GW Bush has succumbed to some opposition outcries. Thank God he insisted upon a meritorious farewell for Rumsfeld. If you looked closely at GW Bush's face, he is clearly pained by Rumsfeld's departure.
Yes, I saw a lot of sadness there.
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