Keep in mind that Kristol is McCain's mouthpiece and there is no one in government who hates Rumsfeld more than McCain.
The secretary bears some blame here -- but just as much so a lily-livered populace that wants the terrorists to pay as long as that doesn't mean sending them to jail or searching them at the airport or something unpleasant.
I'm with the president here. Our enemies have no confusion whether we're at war or not.