Posted on 12/15/2006 3:46:46 PM PST by onyx
"The record of Don Rumsfeld's tenure is clear; … there has been more profound change at the Department of Defense over the past six years than at any time since the department's creation in the late 1940s.”
“On his watch, NATO sent its forces to defend a young democracy in Afghanistan more than 3,000 miles from Europe, the first time NATO has deployed outside the North Atlantic area in the history of the alliance."
“Most importantly, he worked to establish a culture in the Pentagon that rewards innovation and intelligent risk-taking and encourages our military and civilian leaders to challenge established ways of thinking."
"These changes were not easy to make, but Rumsfeld’s determination and leadership led to the best equipped, best trained and most experienced military in the world. “This man knows how to lead, and he did, and the country is better off for it.”
Thanks for the link!
Night see you tomorrow
Hi onyx. AWESOME Dose tonight. Thanks for posting and hosting it. I just got home from work a few minutes ago and jumped online to see the photos of Rummy's retirement ceremony.
Thank you, Wolfstar! GOOD to see you. I post sort of "early."
Thanks
WOW! What a breathtakingly touching photo.
I wish the critics who populate FR would listen more to those of us who have closely observed GWB for so long. Most of us know GWB did not summarily dismiss Rummy after the election.
Elections do have consequences, however. They aren't just about "sending a message," or taking some kind of childish revenge against politicians who dissapoint (a reaction similar to when we first realize our parents are humans who have weaknesses as well as strengths).
Unless they someday tell us in books, we can't know what passed between these two men before and after the election. But we can see from a photograph such as this the depth of respect and affection GWB has for Rummy -- and vice versa.
You write so eloquently. I agree with your every word.
In the photo in #44, there is a clear touch of sadness -- almost pain -- on the President's face. I'm convinced GWB will be presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Rummy before he leaves office. Probably as soon as next year -- assuming the Congressional Dims don't have to approve it (don't really know about this, though).
Hey onyx, I made it to the Dose!
That's interesting. My browser (Safari) can't find that link, either. I seldom have problems seeing pix. Maybe Microsoft has "updated" their system again. :-)
Hi sweet you! Good to see. You must have come right here after work!
Rummy and his bride. All I can say is: what a lucky woman!
I hope so. I'm sure we have not see the last of our Rummy. He deserves awards and recognition and I hope history treats him well.
Bless you, Star! That's a wonderful addition to this Dose. WOW!
That is my favorite too.
Onyx, being an ex-Californian, you may find this interesting. In the early 1990's I was very politically active locally in the part of L.A. County were I live. So I met many of the local politicians, both Dims and Republicans.
Back when now-Congresswoman Diane Watson was running against Yvonne Braithwaite Burke for a seat on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, I was in a position to be able to deliver votes in the unincorporated area where I lived at the time. So they each invited me to some of their campaign events. I went to the opening of Diane Watson's campaign HQ in the Crenshaw district.
This was during the height of the Latasha Harlans and Rodney King garbage swirling in South Central. During her speech for her HQ opening, Watson stoked the crowd with hatred for the LAPD -- and, she said, for "those brown shirts over the hill," a deliberate double-entendre reference to the L.A. County Sheriffs who patrol unincorporated areas. (Over the hill referring to Baldwin Hills, a mostly middle class to upper middle class black area.)
Extreme haters and Marxists like Watson, Maxine Waters and others of their ilk now dominate the California and larger Democrat caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. They will rabidly go after those "whitey brown shirts," only this time their targets won't be LAPD and LASD, but President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
Yep, elections have consequences.
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