Rumsfeld 'Surprised' by Saddam Loyalists

Yahoo News ^ | 10-10-03 | Andrew Bridges/AP

[PatrioticCowboy]

Rumsfeld 'Surprised' by Saddam Loyalists

Fri Oct 10, 7:11 PM ET

By ANDREW BRIDGES, Associated Press Writer

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Friday he was surprised by the effectiveness of Saddam Hussein's loyalists to sustain the Iraq conflict long after the end of major combat operations. He called the continuing fighting serious but described it as low intensity.

 Fear instilled in the Iraqi people by the ousted leader's former paramilitary force is contributing to the situation, he told an audience of more than 500 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

"I suppose on reflection the thing that probably surprised me the most is the ability that the so-called Fedayeen Saddam people had to terrorize and frighten the rest of the Iraqi people and cause them to not come over to the other side," Rumsfeld said in answer to a question from the audience.

Two U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush in Iraq on Friday, bringing to 94 the number of American soldiers killed by hostile fire in Iraq since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1.

Rumsfeld said coalition forces made 1,700 patrols daily in Iraq and only a tenth of 1 percent involved any kind of armed conflict. "It is a very low-intensity situation, percentage-wise, nonetheless people are getting killed," Rumsfeld said.

His comments followed a 20-minute talk on the legacy of Reagan. Among those attending the event were former first lady Nancy Reagan and former California Gov. Pete Wilson.

Rumsfeld also said the coalition's achievements in Iraq are impressive, listing the opening of schools, hospitals and a new central bank.

"These are things that took, you know, a year, two years, five years, 14 years in Germany after World War II and over in Japan after World War II, and they're being done in a matter of months," he said.

[PatrioticCowboy]

Prayers Hevanward for our soldiers

[PatrioticCowboy]

Hevanward = Heavenward

[PatrioticCowboy]

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[PatrioticCowboy]

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[PatrioticCowboy]

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[maestro]

Amen!

It took 'Dresden',...and,........'Little Boy',...to negate the 'vows' of the military enemy 'brotherhood' made before Hitler...and the Emperor of the Sun!

Reality check....regarding,.......public 'vows'...'obligations'...to/unto/before the 'brotherhood' of....genuine PAGANS.

(Romans 10:17)

(Titus 1:2)

(St John 14:6)

[aristotleman]

Prayers for our soldiers.

I don't think it's a good idea for the secretary of defense to make a statement about being surprised by the Baathists. A large portion of the American population are impatient and ignorant about this conflict and the media is not clean about reporting it. Most people get their news from the usual suspects and form opinions based on emotion and a superficial understanding of the situation.

It would be better if Rumsfeld launched a campaign to explain what is happening for real, and what the plan is, its milestones and objectives, as well as the victories that come everyday.

Keeping the people totally in the dark looks bad. The DOD has held the line of "trust us we know what we are doing" -which has always been the line of the military during a campaign. That line presupposes that a population comprehends the real timeline of a war, and supports it's merits, trusting their government to know what they are doing.

However, things today are different than WWII or Vietnam: Most Americans are too used to being sold something through marketing and obvious explanations. The DOD has to understand the weakness of their audience, and to respond to it appropriately.

If the current trend is not addressed, the president's image as a man of honesty will be harmed.

Secondly, I feel that Rummy is on his way out of the game. The fact that he was left out of the change in the Iraq administration plan, and had to learn about it from secondary sources, tells me that he is not on good terms with the people above him. Is it because of the image he portrays? Is it because he was surprised in Iraq? What are the political struggles taking place here?

[Dr. Scarpetta]

I don't think it's a good idea for the secretary of defense to make a statement about being surprised by the Baathists.

Rumsfeld's comment makes it appear that he underestimated the enemy and was naive. IMO, It's best to never underestimate the enemy and Democrats.

[Jabba the Nutt]

"These are things that took, you know, a year, two years, five years, 14 years in Germany after World War II and over in Japan after World War II, and they're being done in a matter of months," he said.

We know how to do it now.

[yoe]

Secondly, I feel that Rummy is on his way out of the game. The fact that he was left out of the change in the Iraq administration plan, and had to learn about it from secondary sources, tells me that he is not on good terms with the people above him. Is it because of the image he portrays? Is it because he was surprised in Iraq? What are the political struggles taking place here?

Wrong! You let the media spin get you. He was never out of the loop. That is the sort of yellow reporting that has prevailed in the deliberate misinformation coming from leftist reporters. Don't let that happen again!

[Jalapeno]

Saddam needs to be nailed. It's as simple as that. There will be no peace in Iraq until then.

[bushfamfan]

I should have a job with the Defense Dept. as they should have known they'd go to these tactics after their fall. It's just murder, plain and simple. Sneak up on US soldiers or other helping organizations and murder them. Get the media on their side(which they have) and panic the American people and others to submit to them.

[aristotleman]

rong! You let the media spin get you. He was never out of the loop. That is the sort of yellow reporting that has prevailed in the deliberate misinformation coming from leftist reporters. Don't let that happen again!

I hope that the rumors about Rumsfeld's position is indeed leftist spin. I didn't read about it in a newspaper though, I heard it analyzed by a conservative radio talk show host. That's what got me worrying. What's your take on it?