Lawmakers Chide Rumsfeld for Auto-Signed Sympathy Letters

Reuters ^ | December 19, 2004 | Jackie Frank

[ejdrapes]

Lawmakers Chide Rumsfeld for Auto-Signed Sympathy Letters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld did not personally sign his name on letters of condolence to families of troops killed in Iraq but instead had it done by a machine, an action lawmakers said on Sunday showed insensitivity and was inappropriate for leadership during war.

Rumsfeld acknowledged that he had not signed the letters to family members of more than 1,000 U.S. troops killed in action and in a statement said he would now sign them in his own hand. "This issue of the secretary of Defense not personally signing the letters is just astounding to me and it does reflect how out of touch they are and how dismissive they are," Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

"I have no confidence in Rumsfeld," Hagel added.

Rumsfeld has been under strong fire from Democrats and some Republicans recently for appearing to brush off concerns of soldiers about the lack of protective equipment in Iraq.

But President Bush's Chief of Staff Andrew Card emphasized White House support for Rumsfeld on Sunday.

He "is doing a spectacular job, and the president has great confidence in him," Card told ABC's "This Week" program.

Hagel noted that the families of the troops killed in Iraq have received letters signed by Bush.

"My goodness, that is the least we can expect the secretary of Defense ... If the president can find the time to do that why can't the secretary of Defense?" said Hagel, who has been a sharp critic of the way Bush has handled the Iraq war.

Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island said family members of those killed, "would like to think that at least for a moment the secretary thought about individually this young man or this young woman."

"Again it shows a lack of leadership style appropriate for the military ... This goes to his capability to continue to serve."

However, Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, said that while "this is another area in which the secretary is being insensitive," the action did not "go to his leadership."

AUTOPEN RETIRED

"I wrote and approved the now more than 1,000 letters sent to family members and next of kin of each of the servicemen and women killed in military action," Rumsfeld said in a statement on Sunday."

"While I have not individually signed each one, in the interest of ensuring expeditious contact with grieving family members, I have directed that in the future I sign each letter."

Rumsfeld got himself into trouble earlier this month by appearing to brush off a soldier headed to Iraq who complained that military vehicles did not have sufficient armor and troops were having to piece together scraps of metal for extra protections.

Some prominent Republicans including Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain and former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott have questioned his performance, leading the White House to come to his defense on Friday with a statement that he was "doing a great job."

Among the critics, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar expressed concern on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that removing him from office could threaten national security.

"He should be held accountable and he should stay in office," the Indiana Republican senator said. "The fact is a change of leadership in the Pentagon at this point might be as disruptive as trying to get someone in Homeland Defense," he added.

Military families told the Stars and Stripes newspaper, which first carried the story, that the machine-signed letters reflected a lack of respect for the losses the families had suffered.

"To me it's an insult, not only as someone who lost a loved one but also as someone who served in Iraq," Army Spc. Ivan Medina whose brother Irving was killed in Iraq this summer, told the newspaper.

[patriciaruth]

I've got things to do, too.

Cheers!
Patty

[asgardshill]

So you are not going to answer my question about where you served then. Fine.

[EGPWS]

Thank you my FRiend for your well backed input!

You are spot on!

[EGPWS]

So you are not going to answer my question about where you served then. Fine.

Your irrelevancy in your posts will get you nowhere my FRiend.

Perhaps group therapy on mindful focus would be beneficial.

[bootless]

Thanks for posting that letter.

To those kicking Rumsfeld in this thread, saying that he's callous and casual towards our soldiers ... I find it difficult to believe that a man of such supposedly low character would run BACK INTO THE PENTAGON immediately after it was attacked by AQ on 9-11-01, to help his staff.

[Mad Mammoth]

So you are not going to answer my question about where you served then. Fine.

Where someone served or did not serve has no bearing on their participation in this forum.

Didn't you say you were leaving this thread?

[jeremiah]

How long would a post about a Clinton appointed Sec of Defense be, when we found out he was not siging letters of notification. Now add on the de facto policy of women in combat because of lack of "manpower", factor in the turning of this war into a "police action" and presto.........if he were in a D administration, the howls here would be non-ending, and rightfully so.

[JoeV1]

"But why should Rumsfeld fake caring when he does not"

How absurd you are! How can you possibly know what is in this mans heart? Do you believe everything the media says in regards to this man? Does it matter to you that the story that started this whole string of attacks on the SECDEF has been shown to be total bs? On the day that soldier was set up by the reporter to ask the question ALL BUT 20 OF THE VEHICLES to be used by his unit had been up armored and the other 20 were done the following day. No one wants nor expects you to march lockstep with the Admin and drink the kool aid as the libs so often do but if you are going to criticize the man at least use facts and not mind reading as you have done.

[patriciaruth]

One last thing to all.

We like to believe in some Hollywood reality for our lives and that especially extends to our wars.

War is not Hollywood. War is not a movie.

That things are horrible beyond belief and to some extent unpredictable is why Sherman said, "War is Hell."

You have to be willing to walk through Hell for your mission objective or you shouldn't go to war in the first place.

Now that the realities of war are becoming apparent to some, rather than give up their illusions about war, and the perfection and invicibility of our just cause and wonderful armed forces, some must find a scapegoat.

If we haven't had a Hollywood ending to this war in the first 2 1/2 hour reel, then something is wrong with the planners and executors of the war...right?

Grow up.

And Merry Christmas to all!

[devolve]

Slick Willie and his 3 Stooges caused it.

No comparison with a demand for a "signed" signature.

This is a silly non-issue - Just like the "Jersey-(LOTTO)-Girls" perpetual gripes.


Priorities, focus -

[JoeV1]

Your diatribe against Rumsfeld on this issue is regrettable in that it effects the moral of our troops who care for him very much as well as encouraging the enemy to fight even harder in the hopes we will just self destruct due to infighting. It is important we present a united front before the enemy. I was in the military for 22 years and do not believe the SECDEF signed 55,000 letters to the next of kin during the VN conflict, do you? It is the unit commander and/or the Chaplin that does these sorts of things.

[MeekOneGOP]

Here is the DoD Website and an email addy from the website:

Department of Defense

media@defenselink.mi

I'm not sure if that's a good email to send support to Rummy,
but I'm going to send on to President Bush and copy that addy
in the email.

Below is the email I sent:

---

Subject: Regarding Donald Rumsfeld: my support for him .....

My Dear President Bush:

I have been a supporter of yours since you ran for Texas Governor. I voted for you both times for Governor and twice now for President of this great country.

When you announced Donald Rumsfeld as your Secretary of Defense I was elated at such a great pick for that responsibility. I felt he was highly qualified for the position. I still feel that same way.

The last few weeks or so, Donald Rumsfeld has come under sharp attacks by both the media and political opponents from BOTH sides of the aisle. I am appalled by the attacks and disagree. Donald Rumsfeld is doing a great job and I write you to give him 100% support.

I don't write to you very often unless I feel strongly about an issue. This is one of those and I wanted you to know how I felt about this.

While I'm at it, let me extend my hearty congratulations for your re-election victory on November 2nd. Keep up the GREAT job you are doing. And please, SPEND that political capital!

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years!

Sincerely,

MeekOneGOP

PS: The only email address I could find for Donald Rumsfeld was on the Department of Defense website ( media@defenselink.mil ). If there is a better email address for Mr. Rumsfeld, can you please forward it to me? I would like Mr. Rumsfeld himself to see my support. Thank you.

---

[Unicorn]

Ditto to that

[demecleze]

You did not nearly refute anything of the sort.

The problem is not with printing it is with sending the letter back home for the family to get BEFORE THEY FIND OUT ABOUT THE DEATH. Unless he were to scan it or sign it with a pad and then send it electronically. There are other problems like him sleeping or being in a meeting, but I don't know if these are of consequence because I don't know the time scale of reporting deaths. By the way I meant that his aids would do all the grunt work for Pete's sake.

So what is the solution to the fact that we may have casualties that would represent to many for him to sign given his responsibilities? Pray for that not to happen?

Yes, I would be defending the Clinton secretary. That's a nice veiled personal insult by the way: that I am delusionally bias because of my political affiliation.

[Unicorn]

Bullcrap

[SwatTeam]

I already sent Sen Hagel an e-mail concerning his constant criticism of everything this admn does. I accused him of sour grapes because his man didn't get the nomination in 2000 and accused him of being power hungry. I also said neither he nor McCain would ever be President so get over it. I was slightly unhappy when I did that.

[BigBobber]

A Sec of Defense shows his concern for the troops by prosecuting a successful war with minimum casualties, both on our side and among the civilian population we're trying to liberate. Rumsfeld has done that - in spades.

You people who are attacking Rumsfeld for auto-signing a letter, and even suggesting he resign - GET REAL. You are cheap pawns for the liberal press. Bill Clinton had ORAL SEX in the Oval Office with a young intern, covered it up and lied about it under oath. The people you are now aligned with did not call for his resignation. Yet they call for Rumsfeld's resignation for AUTO-SIGNING some letters!

Think about it. Do you really want to be teamed up with them? You really think they are motivated by compassion for the troops and winning the War on Terror?

[BigBobber]

The comments in my previous post were not directed at you, but to others in the thread. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[MeekOneGOP]

harhar! I copied my letter to Bush in post #93. That is my answer.