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Rumsfeld to Obama: What Requests For Troops in Afghanistan Are You Talking About? [UPDATED]
RedState ^ | 12-2-09 | Dan McLaughlin

Posted on 12/02/2009 4:56:35 PM PST by smoothsailing

Rumsfeld to Obama: What Requests For Troops in Afghanistan Are You Talking About? [UPDATED]



Congress Should Investigate Those 21 Words In Obama's Speech

by Dan McLaughlin

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

One line in President Obama’s orgy of blame-Bush-for-everything speech last night has prompted former Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld, who managed the Afghan war for five years, to call for the President to back up his assertions. Secretary Rumsfeld’s statement, issued in a press release this morning:

“In his speech to the nation last night, President Obama claimed that ‘Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive.’ Such a bald misstatement, at least as it pertains to the period I served as Secretary of Defense, deserves a response.”

“I am not aware of a single request of that nature between 2001 and 2006. If any such requests occurred, ‘repeated’ or not, the White House should promptly make them public. The President’s assertion does a disservice to the truth and, in particular, to the thousands of men and women in uniform who have fought, served and sacrificed in Afghanistan.”

“In the interest of better understanding the President’s announcement last night, I suggest that the Congress review the President’s assertion in the forthcoming debate and determine exactly what requests were made, who made them, and where and why in the chain of command they were denied.”

UPDATE: The Administration responds:

Robert Gibbs cheerfully responded to Donald Rumsfeld’s denial that he’d denied troops to Afghanistan with, first, a clarification that Obama had been talking about the post-Rumsfeld era of 2008.

…”I will let Secretary Rumsfeld explain” whether the war in Afghanistan “was sufficiently resourced during his tenure” … and how he thinks “history will judge whether they were or were not sufficient,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs quipped: “You go to war with the secretary of Defense that you have.”

Or, in the case of the Obama Administration, you go to war with the very same secretary of Defense - Robert Gates, the man who held the job in 2008 - that you just threw under the Obamabus. If you recall, Gates himself had testified in November 2008 (after the election) that he expected an additional 30,000 troops to be sent, but the incoming Administration put off its follow-through on that promise until March, and cut Gates’ proposal nearly in half.

21 words don’t say what they used to, do they?


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS:
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To: LucyJo

It occurs to me that all those leaks about prosecuting Bush Admin officials for torture, lying, etc. were not intended as trial balloons, but so that former officials were too scared to speak out like this against Obama when he lies, distorts and commits treason. It won’t work against courageous men like Rummy and Cheney, but it can deter others who are less secure.


21 posted on 12/02/2009 5:50:46 PM PST by Defiant (The absence of bias appears to be bias to those who are biased.)
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To: Carley

Yes, we’ve always had to deal with those with an agenda. There are many more today. But, there are a few who care enough about their profession, etc., to want an accurate recording of events.

I know a few. That’s why I corrected my post.

The problem is that the others far out-number them, and the bad actors control the limelight, for the most part.

It’s important that the records of those who do accurate work are substantiated by those who were there and have actual knowledge of the events.


22 posted on 12/02/2009 5:52:06 PM PST by LucyJo
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To: LucyJo

Yes, the liars far outnumber the truth tellers in the media.

Thankfully Albore’s invention is making life very difficult for the liars.

Little by little the facts emerge. It’s going to be up to us to disseminate the true facts to as many people as possible.


23 posted on 12/02/2009 6:03:03 PM PST by Carley (OBAMA IS A MALEVOLENT FORCE IN THE WORLD)
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To: Defiant

I’ve thought the same. I’ve also thought that they may as well speak out now, or, at least, get the info out. It isn’t likely that silence will save them, and may prove more harmful in the long run - for them and for the country.

The enemy is within, and that’s where it will have to be engaged whether or not we like it.


24 posted on 12/02/2009 6:04:54 PM PST by LucyJo
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To: smoothsailing

WTH is that obama-smoocher Colin Powell? Why haven’t we heard from the smartest general in town? (according to the libs ...... after Powell’s endorsement of bamster)

Yoo Hoo- Colin? Where are you? Fact-checking Tiger Woods’ rolodex?


25 posted on 12/02/2009 6:05:39 PM PST by silverleaf (More folks being invited to the White House for Holiday parties than are being sent to Afghanistan)
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To: smoothsailing

26 posted on 12/02/2009 6:08:06 PM PST by Rome2000 (OBAMA IS A COMMUNIST CRYPTO-MUSLIM)
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To: tobyhill

Why all of a sudden no news on casualty levels?

More soldiers are dying on his watch and the enemy is sitting fat dumb and happy and getting more so with every passing day.

This is SICK.

God help the soldiers that will die and be mutilated for no particular reason as this skinny mohammedan crtypto-muslim uses them for photo ops and political expediency.

A price must be paid.


27 posted on 12/02/2009 6:09:37 PM PST by Rome2000 (OBAMA IS A COMMUNIST CRYPTO-MUSLIM)
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To: Defiant
Major Nidal Hasan had an enabler ... Mark Steyn

Steyn pretty much says it all with regard to keeping silent.

28 posted on 12/02/2009 6:31:51 PM PST by LucyJo
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To: TailspinJim
Rummy profitited greatly from the ASPERTAME poisoning of our populace. He cares more about $ than the lives of our populace.

If you don't like Rumsfeld, that's fine with me, but isn't that whole aspartame thing just an overblown internet scare hoax?

Aspartame Information Center

29 posted on 12/02/2009 7:15:55 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: silverleaf; jazusamo
Yoo Hoo- Colin? Where are you? Fact-checking Tiger Woods’ rolodex?

ROFLOL!

30 posted on 12/02/2009 7:31:25 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: smoothsailing

Neither Gibbs nor Obama nor any of Obama’s thugs he’s surrounded himself with answered that inquiry by Secretary Rumsfeld, did they?

Obama should make allegations perfectly clear if he’s going to make them about a previous administration and not have his yes man press secretary make what he considers cute remarks about about them.

Obama and his thugs are making a mockery of the Presidency and they’re too stupid to realize it.

Donald Rumsfeld has more integrity than all of them put together!


31 posted on 12/02/2009 8:07:29 PM PST by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: penelopesire; Salamander; Markos33
"Wait until history judges Obama, Glibbs and all of the democrat hacks in Congress!"

The hell with history! Let the citizenry judge.

Lamp posts are awaiting.
32 posted on 12/02/2009 8:14:44 PM PST by shibumi (" ..... then we will fight in the shade.")
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To: smoothsailing

WTG, Rummy!


33 posted on 12/02/2009 8:19:14 PM PST by ohioWfan (Proud Mom of a Bronze Star recipient!)
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To: jazusamo
Neither Gibbs nor Obama nor any of Obama’s thugs he’s surrounded himself with answered that inquiry by Secretary Rumsfeld, did they?

They can never answer, they would have to expose their lies.

Jaz, this gives a good timeline on troop requests, when you have the time

34 posted on 12/02/2009 8:41:41 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: smoothsailing

Thanks for the link, Smooth. That should be an interesting read.


35 posted on 12/02/2009 9:07:06 PM PST by jazusamo (But there really is no free lunch, except in the world of political rhetoric,.: Thomas Sowell)
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To: smoothsailing
Don't think so, smoothesailing, try http://www.rense.com/general67/rum.htm or Google Aspertame "Rumsfeld"
36 posted on 12/03/2009 3:39:25 PM PST by TailspinJim (PC is BS)
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To: TailspinJim

Jeff Rense? ROFLOL! You gave me a great laugh! Take care.


37 posted on 12/03/2009 4:45:38 PM PST by smoothsailing
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