Posted on 12/17/2004 1:17:57 PM PST by Kaslin
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House gave a new vote of confidence on Friday to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld amid growing criticism of him from members of President Bush (news - web sites)'s own Republican Party.
"Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a great job leading our efforts at the Department of Defense (news - web sites) to win the war on terrorism and to help bring about a free and peaceful Iraq (news - web sites), and the president is focused on working closely with him on those matters," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
Rumsfeld has faced heavy criticism for not sending more troops to Iraq and failing to give them proper equipment. In recent days some prominent Republicans have questioned his performance.
Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said in his home state of Mississippi on Wednesday: "I am not a fan of Secretary Rumsfeld. I don't think he listens to his uniformed officers."
Lott did not call for Rumsfeld's resignation but said, "I would like to see a change in that slot in the next year or so."
Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), a strong Bush supporter on the campaign trail this year despite past differences, got the latest round of criticism under way by saying he had no confidence in Rumsfeld.
Then a prominent moderate Republican, Sen. Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record) of Maine, was critical of the Pentagon (news - web sites) for insufficient armor protection for troops in Iraq.
Rumsfeld got himself into trouble last week by appearing to brush off a soldier headed to Iraq who complained that military vehicles did not have sufficient armor and troops were having to piece together scraps of metal for extra protection.
"As you know, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time," Rumsfeld had told the soldier in Kuwait.
Little more than two weeks ago, Bush told Rumsfeld that he could stay on as defense secretary in the president's second term.
The thinking behind the decision was not to change leaders while the United States is at war, even though many in Washington blame Rumsfeld for failing to recognize and prepare for a determined Iraqi insurgency. More than 1,000 Americans have died in combat in Iraq.
McClellan said Rumsfeld was responding to troop concerns.
"Secretary Rumsfeld cares deeply about our men and women in uniform, and I think that is reflected by the way he goes and visits directly with those who serve, particularly those in combat zones, and he listens to those concerns, and that's what the president expects," McClellan said.
The Bush administration is preparing an emergency supplemental budget request for early in the new year that could seek as much as $75 billion to $100 billion for funding the U.S. military in Iraq.
I hope McCain, Biden, Hagel, Lott and Collins figure out their side lost soon
It is pretty clear that the DoD plan for Iraq is in trouble, that in an of itself is not surprising or alarming, "mice and men" what is alarming is NOT adjusting the plan. More troops on the ground in Iraq and stop eating up all our Reserve and NG units.
Republicans ran for the tall grass, rather than standing up to the race pimps, with Bush leading the way.
I have no particular love for Trent Lott, especially now that he's attacking Rumsfeld. I just thought hounding him from his leadership role was an excuse by Republicans to get rid of someone they saw as ineffective, so they could put someone else in (Frist) who has proven just as ineffective.
No problem, and thank you for your explanation.
JMO, and again, the latter is my opinion, there is no reason to attack Rumsfeld over that.
Rummy, is trying to reform the Pentagon, and he is going to get fire from all sides, as has been demonstrated by the press and the Republican Quislings in the Senate, who are trying to gain favor with NYT/Wash Post.
JMO, Thank God, Rumsfeld, has the fortitude, to dismiss this mini frenzy by the press.
Those Republicans in the Senate, who are on the bandwagon, could learn a lot from Rumsfeld, IMO.
If we pull out the NG and Reserves we'll have even fewer boots on the ground. We're a little short of active divisions since Clinton cut us back so far. That's not Rummy's fault.
See this for some nNEEDED history:
Be sure and compare the casualties.............
Yea he thinks all you need is air power and maybe a regiment or two of infantry. "Rummy" has dissed and dissed and dissed ground forces since day one, he's a fly boy that has zero respect for Army units, Army tactics or Army Commanders. He'd better wake up fast, ground forces win wars, period.
Clinton was 5 years ago, WW2 was fought and won in 3 years.
Which just makes Lott another political whore. The ships built at Pascagoula are of little use in the war on terror, and are largely a leftover of cold-war 600 ship navy.
Nasty little hit piece.
Bush "told Rumsfeld he could stay on," comes to mind as an example.
B f'n S! He has not been critical of ground fighting forces at all. He has been very critical of an army bureaucracy that told him it would take 2 years to get forces in place to strike Iraq, and an army force and logistics structure that made it so. We know who those guys are. They are on television telling us how badly Rumsfeld is screwing up.
An army mired in a Pentagon bureacracy is not a fighting force at all.
Here's a ticket to the home for the galactically stupid.
That is a great page! I don't get to watch the Rummy Show very often, so thanks for posting the link.
Lott's most recent remarks on Rumsfeld are evidence of why he was far more ineffective than Frist. He is more interested in process and procedure, protecting his turf and the good old boys club atmosphere in the Senate. In the end it was his own lack of wit and personality that doomed him after his Strom comments. If the President left him to rescue himself, so be it. He was a weak advocate.
Frist on the other hand has played a major role in winning back and building on the majority in the Senate. At least his strategies are about an agenda, not his career as a Senator.
I like Republican power and despise Democrat power. I'm a very happy camper right now.
What "rights and freedoms" are being deep-sixed? Surely you're not one of those "we are doomed because of the Patriot Act" people, are you?
I have no particular use for Trent Lott, as I said. I just hate to see Republicans buckle to race pimps, but, they do it every time.
Good points...we are being manipulated and played with by the media which clearly wants to turn Iraq into another Vietnam...Think about this scenario...ok republicans ,you may have won the election but you are going to lose the war in the hearts and minds of our citzens. Kerry and company would have done it anyway by cutting and running and leaving the kids in Iraq high and dry,our loss has cagely become your loss...I detest the media!!!!!!!
New Technology Revolutionizes Business Process Automation for U.S. Army
I think my point was lost...I like Repubs and your President,..I can't tolerate the socialist/marxists who are challenging legitimate election results so vigourously and scandalously that Joe Public will be so confused and po'd that he will never know who to believe about who won the elections or care for that matter
Lumping the President with "gutless" Republicans is a bit of a stretch, the President has faults but "gutless"? He has gone beyond the pale in taking many political "risks" and has persevered. Perhaps he did not see Lott as a person who could get his aggressive agenda across and "allowed" Lott to meet his political consequences. The President picks and chooses his own battles and in many occasions has earned the public's respect and trust. Those of us who are not insiders shouldnt be so bold to stick labels carelessly.
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