I think I would avoid pissing off Rummy.
By all means, avoid
telling the truth about military readiness, especially in front of the duly elected, constitutionally mandated representatives in Congress. Just in case most people forgot, it is the US Congress, that retains the power to wage war. I would say that Rummy was out of line on this one. And he was definitely out of line for doing this in public, rather than taking these officers in private and chewing their ass. As it is right now, this will now attract ever more media scrutiny.
And I guess we'll find out soon enough whether these officers were telling us true about our readiness. (Hmm seems to me Bush and Rummy were singing a different tune about readiness 14 months ago....maybe they actually think they solved a decade worth of deterioration in only a year?)
I suspect the brass were right. But I think you are very right to avoid offending Rummy. I believe he's a kick *ss and take no prisoners sort of guy. A friend of mine worked immediately under him as a CEO of operations in this area in the last or 2nd to the last company he commanded.