Condi was not trying to insult the armed services. You all should know Condi Rice, who has lectured at the War College and served under Caspar Weinberger at the Pentagon, as someone who should have a little more than passing knowledge about operations. She was critiquing the actions of the Administration as it went into Iraq and transitioned into occupation, the latter of which didn't quite go as planned. She was not criticizing the soldiers. They've performed magnificently.
Rumsfeld knew that. He's not stupid.
The MSM threw the red meat at Rumsfeld and Rummy, pissed at all the favorable publicity and access the Rice has been getting, took the bait when he should have privately communicated with Rice and checked things out beforehand.
But no. He wanted a fight. He's given the MSM what it wanted and, in addition, has given his Commander-in-Chief a distraction that Bush did not need.
Be Seeing You,
Chris