Rumsfeld's Wrong Answer

NewsMax ^ | 12/13/04 | Barry Farber

[Bobber58]

I have some problems with his thinking, suppositions, and conclusions:
The temptation for us red-leaners is to think: “Thank God the election is over. Kerry can’t exploit that issue. It’s a bummer for our side, all right – an American fighting man complaining about having to poke through landfill looking for “hillbilly” armor to jerry-rig onto unarmed Humvees – but we’re saved by the bell; or at least by the calendar. As bad as that story is for the administration, its guts will be eaten up by the Happy Holidays. It’ll be done with by Christmas. And the bones will be cleared away and forgotten before New Year’s.”
This is a strawman. I haven't seen any serious commentary from this perspective...
A question as bold as Spc. Wilson’s takes us right down to the burlap. The righteousness or bankruptcy of that question would be instantly revealed by the spontaneous reaction of the assembled troops, undoubtedly as startled as Secretary Rumsfeld himself. Did those troops boo the candid questioner? No. They clapped and cheered. Like a magnesium flare, that moment in American military history revealed something too vital to consign to that lower shelf labeled post-election partisan bickering.
Bold?...another set-up...sure the guy probably had good reason to ask the question, but to give relevance to it as defining moment in miltary history? I don't think so...one way to make your feeble premise more important is to overblow the momentousness of the situation
It revealed an administration failure that goes far beyond “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” “Your families aren’t going to get their allotments on time,” “Your GI benefits are not quite all your recruiter promised,” and “Ha ha ha, we can call you back long after you think your military service is completed.” This failure was not only damaging to morale. It says, “We’re not really all that hell-bent upon improving your chances of battlefield survival.”
This statement presupposes a level of personal reaction and attitude that simply has no basis in reality. It has no place in anyone's arguments on either side except to serve as a trigger for the next strawman he is going to throw up
What has happened to America? During World War II – beginning in 1941 – we rallied from a devastating surprise attack (the Asian equivalent of Russian marines landing in South Carolina!) and overnight became the “Arsenal of Democracy.”
This is in complete ignorance of history...it took a long time for us to ramp up, and it was the complete country using all phases of production geared toward armament to get there...again, he (and because it's true though not polite, I will use the term, because I don't think he is stupid or ignorant) LIES to allow himself to make points.
This failure is far from the most egregious wartime blunder in history
this is the supidest statement in the piece, and a favorite tactic of the left...if this man is right-center, then he has allowed the semantic infiltration of the left to take over his rhetoric. For me, this entire piece is a waste of good pixels

[marktwain]

He is a solid right wing Jew from the South, who has a real grasp of world history.

This may be true, but he makes some stunningly ignorant and stupid statements in this article.

He will have to do better if wishes to impress me. Others on this thread have already pointed his mistakes out.

[Bobber58]

oops...I kinda misread that last one, but I'll stand by my assessment of it...he's again overblowing things in order to support his pre-determined conclusion.

Maybe he should have ended this piece with a famous quote from America's most well-known Marine..."I'm Dan Rather. Courage".../sarcasm

[lepton]

Well, I've long thought Rumsfeld is quite incompetent, but he did say one of the most insightful quotes I've ever heard. A personal favorite!!

Some English group of professors gave him an award for that...as the most incomprehensible comment of the year. Seing as he basically defined "etymology," I thought that funny.

[Nebr FAL owner]

The Guard toad as you called him has a valid point it has been 3+years since we were attacked & the entire defense dept. procurement system can't get hardened sheet steel & tempered glass/acrylic laminate to the troops who need it ??? We were at one time the Arsenal of Democracy,but now we are in a world wide war with only ONE govt. ammo plant & we are buying ammo components from Canada,Israel,& the Czech Republic! I & a lot of other American Citizens are wondering WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!?!?!?!?