34 - four star generals/admirals
124 - three star generals/admirals
278 - two star generals/admirals
439 - one star generals/admirals
Throw in the U.S. Coast Guard and you have 900 generals and admirals on active duty today. Each year roughly 15-20% of those will retire for various reasons, not all willingly.
And how many EX-generals are complaining about Secretary Rumsfeld? Five? Six?
If they all complained, would that make a difference? We either have civilian control of the military, or we don't.
But these are former generals who were commanding troops in Iraq. Don't they have some credibility.