Posted on 06/30/2021 1:20:25 PM PDT by rod5591
Donald Rumsfeld, the two-time defense secretary best known for serving in that position at the height of the Iraq War, has died. He was 88.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
‘Time’s fun when you’re having flies.’
His memoir, published in 2011, is good reading. It’s called “Known and Unknown”
A few years ago I had a presentation to the executive leadership at my company.
Part of it dealt with unknown unknowns.
My slide included that quote along with a photo of me and Rumsfeld standing together.
Do you really think Bush was Rumsfeld’s master? Or do you mean that Cheney was the master? Rummy, like Cheney or like McNamara a generation before, was too arrogant and full of himself.
But yeah, dark chapter in American history...another "never forget" moment, more like never forgive, never repeat.
Very well put RIP
‘We were blessed and didn’t know it...’
Sorry about that. I would edit the link but I am not certain if I can do that.
RIP. Not gonna lie, I found Donald Rumsfeld extremely sexy.
I thought he got more flack for saying you go to War with the Military you have.
I think it was in response to the issue of Iraqi IED’s destroying our Humvee’s that weren’t Armored, which caused massive deaths and injuries to our Troops (after the actual War was over)...
What a trio; Cheney, Rumsfeld, and McNamara. So many lives wasted under their combined efforts with absolutely nothing gained.
There are always unintended consequences. Free Republic cheered Bush and Rummy in the immediate aftemath of 9/11. We were rivited to the F5 key as our forces wrecked havoc in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet hindsight is a stern teacher. Saddam was evil and deserved to be taken out. Yet our opinion turned with endless war, nation building, and the realization that Hussein was somewhat of a block against Iranian agression. Rumsfield served his nation and seemed to be a decent man. A life well lived.
“Iraq was complicated.”
There was a natural balance of power in the Middle East between Iraq and Iran. Iraq under Sadaam served as the regional check on Iran’s desire to expand to its west. Likewise, the threat from Iran required Sadaam to maintain a large armed forces. Saddam miscalculated in moving into Kuwait, starting the first Gulf War. Perhaps the Bush administration had sent confusing signals to Saddam about possible willingness to accept an invasion of Kuwait if Iraq didn’t go on into Saudi Arabia. Or perhaps Saddam called what he thought was a bluff. In any event the US did go in, pushed his army back to Iraq and trimmed his tail feathers. Notably George H.W. Bush, and his advisors, recognized the need to retain the regional balance of power so Saddam was not removed and he retained enough military capability to keep check on Iran.
George W. Bush made the mistake of removing Saddam without having a plan to maintain the balance of power with Iran. Naively the Bush administration thought it could create a democratic state in a nation without the cultural values to support democratic institutions. As a result US troops, and the U.S. treasury paid the price with decades of military occupation and no progress toward democratization. Iran increased it terrorism in the region, despite the presence of U.S. troops. Twenty years after George W. Bush destroyed the natural balance of power in the region, it is in turmoil and less stable than it was when he took office.
A great American. May he rest in peace.
Downsizer Cheney did his damage that's for certain. Rummy? What can I say? Under Ford policy was military went U.A. A policy of discharge meaning instant out via desertion and for many no brig time just a GDC. He wanted this in his second tenure as well but war was on and it didn't happen. McNamara the worse of the worst though.
I lost respect for him.
RIP
Rummy Chick was my first thought too....ah, those were the days.
May his soul rest in peace.
Say what you will about Rummy, but he is going to be voting democrat in the next election.
Yep, the days when the Deep State pulled the wool over our eyes.
Wonderful comments. Thanks for reminding us of that long-ago truth.
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