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US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today acknowledged that the Pentagon conducts "counter-surveillance" of civilians in the United States to protect military personnel and bases. But he said the program was "no big deal", dismissing concerns that it has led to domestic spying on anti-war activists and protests by a Pentagon unit called the Counter-Intelligence Field Activity. Speaking at the National Press Club, Mr Rumsfeld said the surveillance was a "perfectly understandable thing" because the Defence Department was responsible for protecting US forces and bases in the United States. "Given the assignment to do that, they decided to establish a program...

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld yesterday said that U.S. troop levels in Iraq will dip below a base force of 138,000, the first in what is expected to be a string of reductions as local security forces take on more counterinsurgency missions next year. Mr. Rumsfeld chose an audience of U.S. Marines and the town of Fallujah, where U.S. troops fought bloody street battles to capture the city, to make an announcement that could affect the 2006 congressional elections. "President Bush has authorized an adjustment in U.S. combat brigades in Iraq from 17 to 15," said Mr. Rumsfeld, who is...

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NEWSMAKER: DONALD RUMSFELD December 8, 2005 JIM LEHRER: And now to our Newsmaker interview with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Mr. Secretary, welcome. DONALD RUMSFELD: Thank you very much. JIM LEHRER: First, on some of the news items of today, there was a claim today that kidnappers had killed an American contractor in Iraq. Can you confirm that? DONALD RUMSFELD: I can't. We have claims by kidnappers and terrorists and beheaders, three or four a day, and it takes - anyone can say anything they want, and it gets carried across the globe in about five minutes. But till you...

We don't yet know whether Washington is in the process of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. But certainly the jaws of defeat are not agape, except among Washington naysayers. Part of our answer to the contortions will be a series of daily editorials on unreported good news from Iraq -- a series which begins tomorrow.

Live Now, just FYI (end of message)

Please see above link for the two transcripts. There are some nasty copyright violation warnings on the DoD site, stating that the transcripts are done by a private company. So I won't post even an excerpt, but you can go there to read the full transcripts.

ULAN BATOR, Mongolia (AP) - A chat with a Buddhist monk. An encounter with a gift horse named Montana. A peek inside a yurt, the traditional felt tent home. A word with Mongolian veterans of the war in Iraq. No outpost is too distant, no audience too small for U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, globe-trotting to bolster support for Iraq, Afghanistan and the wider fight against terrorism. The roaming Rumsfeld dropped in Saturday for an official visit with senior leaders of this once communist nation of about 2.7 million, home of the legendary horseman-warrior, Genghis Khan. Rumsfeld wound up...

The nation's two highest military officials rejected comparisons yesterday between Iraq and Vietnam in the aftermath of Saturday's anti-war demonstration on the Mall that rekindled memories of an unpopular war four decades ago. More than 100,000 people protested the Iraq war amid polls that show fewer than 50 percent of Americans support the battle to foster a democracy in Iraq. Demonstrators compared President Bush to President Johnson, who ordered more than 500,000 troops to Vietnam in the 1960s. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, and Sen. Chuck Hagel, Nebraska Republican and a Vietnam veteran, also have compared the 2?-year Iraq...

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld pauses to rub his eyes during a press briefing at the Pentagon, in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2005. Rumsfeld commented on the elections in Afghanistan and the use of the American military to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

No Photos of today's events folks :o( Been kinda quiet today as President Bush and Laura continue thier "vacation" at the ranch. So, I thought a little nostalgia wouldn't go amiss, I'm sure everybody would love to suggestion I'm about to make. Last night Snugs featured pics of W and VP Cheney with children and babies both from the campaign trail as well as thier own families. Well, after all the brewhaha about Ms Sheehan and her ilk, I though we go with a military theme. So, please feel free to post any of your favorite photos of President Bush...

WASHINGTON - Congessional critics of Bush administration Iraq policy lashed out at the Pentagon Thursday for keeping classified parts of a report that gave a detailed assessment of the readiness of Iraqi fighting forces. Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said he fears "the American people are going to be left out" of discussions about when the United States can bring troops home and turn the wartorn country over to Iraqi security forces. Levin's broadside came in the wake of a newly disclosed memo in which the vice chairman of the military's...

Every conflict in history has seen its share of rumor, propaganda and misinformation. The "yellow journalism" that helped launch the Spanish-American War and the infamous radio broadcasts of "Tokyo Rose" during World War II come to mind. But the information technology of the 21st century has made waging an ideological global struggle against extremism particularly complex. Decision makers, the media and the public at large will need to come to terms with the effect of these new realities. The old adage that "A lie can be half-way around the world before truth has its boots on" becomes doubly true with...

. The Pepsi 400 Saturday 8:00 pm Eastern Pre-race at 7pm, Green flag 8:10 from Daytona International Speedway Please give your support to the FR Canteen - Dedicated to our troops, veterans, and their families: The FR Canteen God Bless Our Troops

MIDI - TEDDY BEARS PICNIC They're set for racing 400 miles...a nightime run at Daytona The left hates NASCAR with all its might and its patriot persona A man is gonna step to the mic...he's someone that they really don't like Today's the day that Rummy shouts "Start your engines!" In the deep Underground of RATS they're gonna be apoplectic We'll have such fun as we're mocking them and won't be apologetic A man is gonna step to the mic...he's someone that they really don't like Today's the day that Rummy shouts "Start your engines!" It is really an...

http://www.tedkennedy.com/page/petition/rumsfeldresign

MIDI - TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME Take me to Teddy's ballgame...we'll hear him shouting loud He will tell Rummy he ought to quit We know Teddy is so full of it He will root, root, root for the bad guys If we lose it's a shame For it's one, two, three fifths he's drunk That is Teddy's game Take me to Teddy's ballgame...he'll go out on a bridge We hear a big splash and a gurgle sound He hopes the body never is found He will root, root, root for the bad guys If we lose it's...

9:30(est) C-SPAN3 Senate Armed Services Committee Situation in Iraq Warner, John W., U.S. Senator, R-VA Levin, Carl, U.S. Senator, D-MI Rumsfeld, Donald, Secretary, Department of Defense Myers, Richard B., Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Abizaid, John, Commander, U.S. Central Command Casey, George W. Jr., Commander, U.S. Army, Iraq Task Force The Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on the situation in Iraq. Witness include Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Richard Myers, and Central Command Commander General John Abizaid. --------------------- 2:00(est) C-SPAN3 House Armed Services Committee Iraq Security Forces Hunter, Duncan, U.S. Representative, R-CA Rumsfeld,...

Title and link only.

Per foxnews alert. Rummy announcing something in the war on terror.