MSNBC breaking: Rumsfeld Visits US Troops in Mosul

[arcos]

MOSUL, Iraq - U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived here before dawn Friday amid tight security at an air base in northern Iraq where an insurgent’s attack on a military dining hall killed 14 U.S. troops and eight others earlier this week.

Hoping to raise holiday spirits and demonstrate compassion for soldiers’ sacrifices, Rumsfeld landed in darkness and walked immediately from his plane to a combat surgical hospital where many of the bombing victims were treated. The most seriously wounded already have been transferred to a U.S. military hospital in Germany.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6751599/

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[Demeter]

1. Again?

Things must be awful hot in DC for Rummy to take a powder to Mosul for the second time in a month...

[MADem]

5. Thought he did that debacle of a presser from Kuwait

You have to wonder why he went to Mosul?

Is he trying to prove his compassion, is he trying to blunt criticism of himself, or does he really want to see the true picture?

Maybe it's an opportunity for him to have a MacNamara Moment...??

[merwin]

36. lol, MacNamara moment :-) n/t

[oldhat]

2. This PR stunt is working.

I'm getting a warm and fuzzy sensation in my groin.

[Disturbed]

4. Rumsfailed loves his job.

I read that he has around $160 Million but wants to keep working for the next 4 years. Guess he loves the power of his job. Why else would he be groveling in front of the cameras now?

[Nikepallas]

3. God this little photo op is getting sooo Effin OLD!!!

[SodoffBush]

His failed policy in Iraq and his lack of conscience at home

will keep him photo-oping right up to the day he is finally forced out of his job.

There will be plenty of other Mosuls to keep his ass moving and his hand signing.

[fryguy]

30. and so expensive!

wasn't he just in kuwait? what did he do, fly to kuwait, insult a bunch of soldiers, fly back to DC and then turn around and head to iraq a few days later? jesus, has any of these guys considered CONSOLIDATING trips?

[movonne]

6. I wonder if he will be having lunch there....

[Ilsa]

13. Did he bring any food tester mice?

After all, it is the military that will be serving him.

On edit: Oops. Maybe he'll be safe if Halliburton is serving the food.

[Dem2theMax]

31. I bet he brought along *'s plastic turkey from last years photo op.

Excuse me while I :puke: along with the rest of the board.

Why doesn't he just take the money it cost to send him over there and use it for the troops, instead of wasting it on yet another propaganda run? :mad: Oh, wait. That would make sense.

[Theres-a]

45. AMEN!!!

[uppityperson]

7. Preface:I am a peaceful lawabiding patriotic citizen

so why were my first thoughts the sound of "pow pow pow" and "one day too late"?

(Again, dear homeland security and fbi,I would never ever wish anyone to be shot or die or promote this type thinking anywhere. )

[tabasco]

8. Ahhh...golly ...what a great guy....

do you think he will explain to them what "fungible" means?

[IHeart1993]

9. It is so transparent

Yet some will think Rumsfailed did it because he cared.
:puke:

[brucefan]

10. Did he have a plastic turkey

with him ?

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Ho Fucking Hum

[devinsgram]

12. I've got one word,

GUILT and wanting to keep his job.
Sorry I don't buy it, too little, too late.

[VegasWolf]

14. bless his pointy little head. n/t

[Sara Beverley]

15. I think that was the worst move he could make. What a slap in the face.

It's like saying, "I don't care how badly I screwed up or how fucked up the situation is, I'm in your face."

Rumsfeld would be the last person I would want to see were I a soldier in Iraq and especially Mosul.

[SodoffBush]

16. What is it going to take to get this phony fucker out of the WH?

[Solly Mack]

17. He's 3 days too late. He didn't bring armor with him. So, besides

a "transparent" attempt to make it look like he gives a shit, why is he even bothering?

[VolcanoJen]

18. Takes a lot of nerve.

Resign, Rumsfeld. Step down. Quit. Give up.

Have some dignity. Quit grandstanding. GO AWAY.

[AlinPA]

19. Phony- as bad as his "commander in chiefs" (Rove-Bush**).

[hollowdweller]

20. Is he gonna do any Q & A???

[GiovanniC]

26. Would he like to do some Q & A? Certainly.

Is it logistically possible? Not really.

Does that upset him a lot? Definitely.

Do we go to war with the Army that we have? I think that's true.

Can an armored vehicle be blown up anyway? Probably.

Do I enjoy asking myself questions framed the way I want them framed, and then answering them for myself? Absolutely.

[cronincal]

21. isn't he more of a detriment

for the security needed to fly his guilty-feeling ass in and out of there? does it benefit the troops? no. a photo op and everything is "business as usual". "hey, i care about you guys no matter what my actions might indicate!" and "see you next time i screw up!"

[young_at_heart]

22. I wonder how many "holiday spirits" were raised?

Do they really feel his "compassion"? This trip should do the trick.

[MyDogSpot]

23. Will McCain, Hagel and Schwartzkopf now reverse themselves

and declare full confidence in Rummy?

Or does this amateur theatrical stunt sicken them all the more?

[DoYouEverWonder]

24. He must have lost the coin toss

with Wolfman.

[cronincal]

27. wolfie can't go

the fear would dry his mouth out and he wouldn't be able to groom his hair with spit

[pdurod1]

39. Wolf doesn't even know how many troups have been killed --ask him stupid

shit MEDIA (get some balls). Neocons are the worst enemy here and the stupid Rethugs are realizing it. Bush is losing control of this shit. Where's Vampire liver-lip Cheney? --hiding under Offutt again?? I saw fully loaded F-16's landing there last Sunday. I though Edwards slayed this dragon at his debate.

[VegasWolf]

25. Is he gonna answer any more "tough questions?"

[NYC Liberal]

28. I hope his plane and car didn't have armor.

After all, they could get blown up anyway even with it.

[fryguy]

29. how much do we tax payers pay for these little photo-op junkets?

a thirteen hour flight half-way around the world to say hello to the troops he seems to have utter contempt for? glad to see my tax dollars continue to be wisely spent....

[mediaman007]

32. He's trying to shore up support among the troops...

He might be more on the hot seat than we know. Soon Bush* is going to figure out that he will get a honeymoon on Iraq if he dumps Rummy.

[mitchum]

33. F for Frag

it must have been tempting

[0007]

34. How come junior didn't go also?

To hear Rumsfeld is as depressing as seeing him. Well, maybe they can have a Q & A session, 'eh?

[johnfunk]

35. Did Rumsfailed bring turkee for the troops?

Oh, right -- he IS the turkee...

[Lugnut]

37. Fuck him

And the rest of the POS administration. :grr:

[Sterling]

38. I wonder if anyone will try to frag him?

I don't think the troops will be impressed.

[wicket]

40. Fucking dog and pony shpw

:grr: :grr: :grr: How DARE he use our troops as a cheap prop when his poor planning of this war has gotten over 1300 of them killed???? :grr: :grr: :grr:

[lebkuchen]

41. Rummy is the architect of all those Iraqi corporate contracts

He told all the CEOS, there is money to be made in Iraq. With the obvious lack of security 21 months into the invasion, those corporations are starting to get nervous. If Rummy goes, they, too, will flee.

That's just another reason to have Rummy out of a govt. job.

And that's why he's clutching to the position all the tighter, hoping a visit to Mosul will reprieve him of his incompetence.

[OETKB]

42. Maybe it will be ok

If there is any human feeling left in this man maybe seeing what destruction looks like up close will make him think a little harder when it keeps on happening. I don't think it will happen this time around, but as more "events" keep occuring something has to dawn on these "marching to freedom" idealogues. IMHO noone wins or loses wars, just one side gets exhausted. I don't believe anyone has ever predicted or expected its aftermaths.

My hope is he will be shown the gore and the blood so he can take those images home with him. In some quieter moment away from the revenge mode, the stupidity of what is happening may seep in. This is my prayer!

[neweurope]

43. Keep on praying *sigh* I think he is immune

to the sight of blood and gore as long as it's not his own. And he won't see blood and gore. He'll see nicely bandaged heroes, he'll have that picture taken and fly out again.

[Theres-a]

44. hoping to raise holiday spirits?

excuse me,but :puke:

[robbedvoter]

46. He'll bring a batch of hand signatures as mark of his new found compassion

BLITZER: Do you want Donald Rumsfeld to resign as secretary of defense?
CLARK: Well, I've never called on that. You know, he's -- Secretary Rumsfeld's made some serious misjudgments. I think he's been disrespectful of the troops and frankly, I was shocked by what he said to the soldiers questioning about the lack of armor. I mean, that should have all been nailed down, it should have been corrected months and months and months ago. But ultimately, this is President Bush's policy. And Donald Rumsfeld is executing it.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0412/22/nfcnn.01.html

[renaissanceguy]

47. The S.O.B. should be put in the front lines.

I'd like to see how he'd fare without any armor.


Get this bumper sticker at http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.15676271

[vixengrl]

48. Would it really be Christmas without a showing of the "Grinch"?

I think this guy's heart *is* three sizes too small.

[talk hard]

49. what a ...

douchebag.