Pipe Down, Rummy (Barf Alert)

Los Angeles Times ^ | August 31, 2006 | Los Angeles Times

[libstripper]

Rumsfeld's cranky outburst mangles a historical analogy, bad-mouths legitimate critics, and illustrates once again why the defense secretary should resign. August 31, 2006

TWO REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS ago, the mantra of conservatives was "Let Reagan be Reagan." Apparently President Bush has decided to let Rumsfeld be Rumsfeld — even when Bush himself is no longer the Bush who taunted Iraqi insurgents with "Bring 'em on!" and posed in front of a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished."

ADVERTISEMENTIn a cranky speech Tuesday to an American Legion audience, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld compared critics of U.S. policy in Iraq to those who sought to appease Hitler before World War II. For good measure, Rumsfeld suggested (echoing Jeane Kirkpatrick's liberal-bashing speech at the 1984 Republican National Convention) that those same critics "blame America first."

One effect of Rumsfeld's outburst was to serve as a reminder that he is still in office. Once the public face of the war in Iraq, he lately has been AWOL from the administration's public advocacy, ceding the spotlight to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The assumption was that, although Rumsfeld remained fireproof, his cocksure contempt for criticism was out of favor now that Bush has acknowledged that the prolonged U.S. presence in Iraq is "straining the psyche of our country."

[libstripper]

Rummy really hit the target with that great speech!!

[N. Theknow]

LA Times desperately seeking to take itself out of the crosshairs of the Truthscope.

[Ouderkirk]

They just can't tolerate having their failings pointed out to them

[BerniesFriend]

They're almost always disproportionate.

Their is that word "disproportionate" again..funny how appeasers like that word..hmmmmm..

[IrishMike]

My man Rummy hit the ball out of the park.
Listen to the pigs squeal..........

"With the growing lethality and the increasing availability of weapons, can we truly afford to believe that somehow, some way, vicious extremists can be appeased?" Rumsfeld asked.

Rumsfeld said "any kind of moral or intellectual confusion about who and what is right or wrong can weaken the ability of free societies to persevere" in any long war.

[libstripper]

Even more offensive is Rumsfeld's "blame America first" canard. Who exactly has been pushing what he called "the destructive view that America — not the enemy — is the real source of the world's troubles"? Certainly no one in mainstream American political discourse[.]

How about John Murtha, George Soros, Red Ned Lamont,Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore, Jimmy Carter, et al.

[libstripper]

Here's a good companion piece (NOT a barfer) to go with the LAT editorial:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1692970/posts

[Russ]

and the L.A. Times...

[Sgt_Schultze]

The assumption was that, although Rumsfeld remained fireproof, his cocksure contempt for criticism...

Is the LATimes pot calling the kettle black? Here we have Rummy criticizing the anti-war crowd as appeasers and the LAT has a tantrum about Rummy not liking criticism. How do the editors react? They publish a hissyfit about how they have contempt for Rummy's criticism of them. He has called them out as apeasers and they don't like it so they lash back.

[laotzu]

the mantra of conservatives was "Let Reagan be Reagan."

Man. If I've heard that once, I've heard it.....wait.

I have never heard that.

[Old Student]

Y'all might want to FReep the poll down the page, here:

http://www.kfor.com/

[tkathy]

The dish it out but can't take it wussies are whining again.