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'm glad the president is a real man who defends his people and doesn't decide matters on the latest Washington poll! Also, the writer needs to review Sec. Rumsfeld's answer and not just the sound clip.
Frist has proven just as feckless as Lott.
When the Germans attacked the Poles in 1939, Poland responded with its cavalry. Surely you mean, armored cav...right? Wrong.
Poland went to war "with the army it had, not with the army they might have wanted or wished to have..."
The assault by a Polish mounted brigade against a column of infantry and motors - only a fragment of the fight against the German invasion in 1939 - was executed in the glorious tradition of the horse cavalry's saber-wielding charge.
It wasn't long before the horse cavalry and the nation of Poland were probably asking themselves why their PREDECESSORS had retained a national defense force that used horses. Sometimes weak decisions aren't displayed until the bullets fly. This was one of those times.
What was Poland to do? Fight the war, of course, was the first step. To have outfitted the army overnight with armor would have been nice.
Actually Clinton was less than four years ago, and the military buildup of the United States began during 1940, five years before the war ended.
Comparing the current situation in Iraq to WWII is ridiculous anyway. There aren't dozens of divisions to defeat in Iraq; it's a totally different type of conflict. The main reason we are having so much difficulty is that we are unwilling to use classic methods of suppressing armed resistance within a conquered country by irregular forces. See how the British subdued the Boers, for example, or Sheridan and Sherman operated in 1864. That is a political decision which Rummy cannot overrule. Masses of troops will NOT stop guerrilla attacks on supply lines; ask Moltke in 1871, Hitler in 1942 or Kitchener in 1902.
Actually, the latest Washington poll shows Rummy with 79% approval or something - a fact that Lott and McCain might have considered before they opened their fat yaps and proved to us how genuinely stupid they really are.
You must believe the propaganda about the stupidity of the American Voter. Fact is that the challenge to the Ohio results is of no interest to anyone except political junkies. The vast majority realizes that the election is over, Bush won, and the kooks challenging have no chance of winning.
Once Lott went on BET and grovelled before the race whores, he killed whatever shred of leadership effectiveness he had left. He basically promised he would be a tool for Je$$e Jacka$$ and Co. if onl;y they would allow him to keep his cushy little job. That was the point where I gave up on Lott. Up until then, I had agreed with Sink's point - if you want to get rid of Lott, fine and dandy. But do it properly, not by crawling into bed with the race whores.
Instead of standing firm, he submitted to humiliation.
True, saying Frist has been a disappointment seems like an understatement, I can only hope much more is happening behind the scenes. The Democrats have basically dared the Republicans to undo Senate traditions and the Republicans favor time honored traditions so this has made political navigation tricky at best.
The stakes are too high to allow this no win situation to continue. The President could use the bully pulpit to create a favorable environment but I don't know how much he has on his plate already with Iraq elections coming up and unstable distractions such as Korea and Iran.
Frist must make the call to enlist the Presidents help or to take the bull by the horns and make his own call.
When all things are considered, Senator Frist has no "easy" choices and must exhibit the leadership the President is counting on him to have or risk failing the electorate who mobilized to give them their date with destiny.
With the help of the Republican controlled Congress since 1994! Blackbird.
I am really tired of the criticism of Rumsfeld by all these knuckleheads. I always expected he would STAY ON with the Bush team. I would have been very disappointed had he not stayed.Why would you get rid of someone doing a great job??
Click HERE or on the pic
to hear the Rolling Thunder !I am proud of Bush for standing on principle. And I look forward to the next 4 years!
Thank you for the correction. I am glad that the people are supporting him.
I agree with you about the state of Ohio but what about the election of the governor in Washington state where the Rats are magically producing new votes for the "recounts" which practise may or maynot be stopped by that state's Supreme Court...I SAY,RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY, THAT THIS PROCESS OF RECOUNTING AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN YET THE MEDIA SAYS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING EXCEPT THE DEMOS MAY WIN AND IF NOT IT WAS BECAUSE OF VOTER FRAUD BY THE REPUBS
In my view, when I listen to Rumsfeld, I hear a man of intense resolve and dedication to his service to our country.
When I hear Tom Daschle, Barbara Boxer, Susan Collins, Trent Lott and John McCain, I hear nothing.
LOLOL! Yeah, really. hahahaa!
Thanks for the ping!
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