War of the Words (Op-Ed Piece by Donald Rumsfeld)

Wall Street Journal ^ | July 18, 2005 | Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld

[ran15]

Great points by Rummy. I like how he doesn't want to try to stop the new opening of information through technologies, but instead wants to work on ways to get their message across in the new environment.

Many leaders throughout time have tried to fight against new technology, but it always eventually leads to their own defeat.

[Mo1]

FYI

[nopardons]

Thanks for the ping! :-)

[spinestein]

[Many leaders throughout time have tried to fight against new technology, but it always eventually leads to their own defeat.]



The communists who run the Chinese government are about to discover this. :^)

[BigSkyFreeper]

This is a great op-ed piece. Thanks for the ping. :)

[liberallarry]

Oh yeah, Rummy's a smart guy. Whatever his faults, dumb is not one of them.

[defconw]

I heard that Mr. Rumsfeld actually would like to develop a net just for the military so they could communicate by lap top in the field. It would cost a lot, but millions of jobs would be created just in the development.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Hopefully soon.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Could it possibility in the short run, cost a lot, but, it could also cut cost else were in the long run ?

[rlmorel]

The man is one of my personal heroes. I think he is going to go down in history as one of the best, if not the best Secretary of Defense ever to hold the position.

[G.Mason]

Thanks for the post RW.

I had no idea that as a Congressman Donald Rumsfeld co-sponsored the Freedom of Information Act. What a most admirable accomplishment.

[defconw]

Yes, the R&D would be the most costly and the security development, but imagine a soldier in the field with nothing to carry but his weapon and a black berry type device, in total communication at all times? Rumsfeld is looking for the times when all of the military performs more like the Seals and Special ops. The true Army of one. He thinks that more and more military exercises will be covert, especially with terrorism. For an old man he is very forward thinking.

[advance_copy]

This is excellent analysis from Secretary Rumsfeld, good to see.

[harpu]

I especially thought this would be good to add...

"We have also posted increasing amounts of information -- including transcripts of interviews and speeches -- on the Department's Web page (www/Defenselink.mil) to enable the public to inform themselves directly about the military's activities. Following the publicity of allegations of detainee abuse, the Pentagon even declassified and published memoranda pertaining to interrogation techniques and detainee policies."

...for the WSJonline impaired.

[OXENinFLA]

PING!!!!

[iconoclast]

Lastly, government officials must find new and better ways to communicate America's mission abroad. This will mean embracing new ways of engaging people across the world, as the U.S. Information Agency and Radio Free Europe did during the Cold War.

May I suggest you cobble together a better message than "they hate us for our democracy" before you go and spend a lot of money on that, Rummy?

[Jackknife]

Pentagon-Don ping.

[prairiebreeze]

Rumsfeld's main point is that we need an overhaul on our lamestream, anti-American, anti-military media. And he's right.

[prairiebreeze]

BTW, I'd love to know what blogs Rummy reads!

:^)