Posted on 08/03/2006 4:15:37 PM PDT by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON Aug 3, 2006 (AP)— Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called Thursday for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, hours after excoriating him at a public hearing over what she said was a "failed policy" in Iraq.
"I just don't understand why we can't get new leadership that would give us a fighting chance to turn the situation around before it's too late," the New York Democrat told the Associated Press. "I think the president should choose to accept Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation."
Clinton confronted Rumsfeld directly on Iraq and Afghanistan earlier in the day, and said his answers left her convinced he should go.
"The secretary has lost credibility with the Congress and with the people. It's time for him to step down and be replaced by someone who can develop an effective strategy and communicate it effectively to the American people and to the world."
For months, Clinton has resisted joining the chorus of other Democrats demanding Rumsfeld's ouster. Her remarks Thursday were the harshest assessment yet from the woman considered her party's early front-runner for the 2008 presidential nomination.
The former first lady has come under attack from some in her own party for her 2002 vote for the war and her current opposition to a deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal.
"I am frankly tired of hearing the same stories from the administration's national security team," Clinton told the AP. "The president changed his economic team, he changed his White House team I think it's time for him to change his security and defense team."
Clinton said her own view of the war has not changed.
"What's been clear is that despite my being a constant and persistent critic of how the president has conducted the war, it has not achieved the goals that he has set," she said.
Earlier in the day, the senator wasted no time going after Rumsfeld when he testified in a morning hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"Under your leadership there have been numerous errors in judgment that have led us to where we are," the New York Democrat said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. "We have a full-fledged insurgency and full-blown sectarian conflict in Iraq."
The defense secretary seemed briefly stunned by the intensity of her attack, exclaiming, "My goodness," before launching into a point-by-point defense.
He rejected some of her specific criticisms as simply wrong and said the war against terror will be a drawn-out process.
"Are there setbacks? Yes," said Rumsfeld. "Is this problem going to get solved in the near term? I think it's going to take some time."
The testy exchange between Clinton and Rumsfeld came after a top general told the panel violence in Iraq is probably as bad as he's ever seen it and the country may be descending into civil war.
"We hear a lot of happy talk and rosy scenarios, but because of the administration's strategic blunders and frankly the record of incompetence in executing you are presiding over a failed policy," she said. "Given your track record, Secretary Rumsfeld, why should we believe your assurances now?"
Rumsfeld vehemently denied he'd ever glossed over the difficulties of the fighting in Iraq or elsewhere.
"There's a track record here," countered Clinton. "This is not 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, when you appeared before this committee and made many comments and presented many assurances that have frankly proven to be unfulfilled."
"Senator, I don't think that's true," Rumsfeld fired back. "I have never painted a rosy picture. I've been very measured in my words and you'd have a dickens of a time trying to find instances where I've been excessively optimistic. I understand this is tough stuff."
At that point, the Republican chairman of the committee, Sen. John Warner of Virginia, came to Rumsfeld's defense, saying his past comments had been balanced.
Clinton still shied away from a demand made by a growing number of Democrats: a deadline for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
The disagreement between the two extended to Afghanistan. The senator specifically faulted Rumsfeld for saying in 2002 that the Taliban was gone, noting that the extremist faction has grown stronger in recent months.
He conceded violence has escalated in Afghanistan, but added, "Does that represent failed policy? I don't know. I would say not."
The defense secretary said he expected the violence there to follow a seasonal pattern and decline as winter approaches.
Hillary and John McCain on the same page? Again?
Next thing you know John will be joining Ted Kennedy to co-sponsor legislation.
LMAO
The Beast is blowing kisses to the Loony Left
The McInsane One is giving bjs to the media.
Maybe Hillary is the true manbearpig.......
Here's the headline of the day for me: KC Says Hillary Should Resign!!"
I don't care about her reasons for it are. That shrill skank needs to be censured by the senate. It's the equivalent of patricia Ireland lecturing Ronald Reagan on how to confron the USSR. Utterly absurd.
I had no idea about McCain. I was at work and couldn't watch the exchange. McCain is an A$$!
Hiliary Clinton=hypocrite. h-y-p-o-c-r-i-t-e. hyprocrite. She voted to remain in Iraq.
Oh this was more than just to the "Loony Left" they demanded a public showing and that means they wanted the world to see something.
If I understand the column she grilled him in the committee, but called for his resignation when giving an interview to reporters after the hearing. I guess she's running.
Oh, and she's chickensh*t for not doing it to Rumsfeld's face (calling for his resignation).
Loserman's numbers are pushing all the RATs to the left...they cherish their lame jobs more than what few principals they still have.
McCain went into a long drawn out about numbers of troops and where exactly they were going, coming etc. He sounded like Congress did back during Vietnam running that war.
I wish now I had paid closer attention to exactly what McCain said.
Well she's going to try. Right now the Ultra left doesn't want her to run but she figures if she starts this stuff they will accept her. I lurked to see their responses. Most think it's too little to late and haven't forgotten her war vote. Others are glad but they can easily turn against her again.
Hillary is watching what is happening to Joe Lieberman and the Stalinization of the Democrats. Watch her turn sharply to the left.
and I'm a little tired of listening to Clinton...both of them. If Hillary's husband had been doing his job for eight years instead of getting BJ's in the Oval Office we would not have had 9/11!
McCain is another Senator stuck in a Time Warp. McCain, Kerry, Kennedy and Murtha still stuck in a time warp!
I think the fat bit** Hillary should resign. Why is she still in power. Her and her trash hubby broke every law in the book.
She is worthless as a Senator but that is a good thing. Better to have her doing absolutely nothing than breaking the law the way she did when fatboy was prez.
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