Rumsfeld Warns Against ‘Graceful Exits’ From Iraq

[RedEarth]

...the axis of evil.....



WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said farewell to the Pentagon today with a combative address in which he warned against “graceful exits” from Iraq and said it would be wrong to regard the lack of new attacks on American soil as a sign that the nation is safe from terrorism.

“Today it should be clear that not only is weakness provocative,” Mr. Rumsfeld said, standing at lectern with President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney at his side, “but the perception of weakness on our part can be provocative as well.”

In a clear shot at those considering an American withdrawal from Iraq, Mr. Rumsfeld said, “A conclusion by our enemies that the United States lacks the will or the resolve to carry out missions that demand sacrifice and demand patience is every bit as dangerous as an imbalance of conventional military power.”

Mr. Rumsfeld has overseen the war in Iraq since the American invasion of March 2003. He spoke after receiving full honors on the Pentagon grounds on his last day of work there. The ceremonies began with a 19-gun salute before he walked the grounds to inspect representatives from all of the branches of the military gathered before him in formation in dress uniforms.

Those present included some former administration hawks with whom he planned the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq: Paul Wolfowitz, his former deputy, and Douglas Feith, his former undersecretary for defense policy. Not in attendance, Condoleezza Rice, his frequent rival in Mr. Bush’s cabinet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/15/washington/15cnd-prexy.html?ex=1323838800&en=67fcb49e845ffd70&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss

[JHB]

1. No need to worry about that Rummy. You've made it impossible.

It's also shows weakness to not recognize when to cut your losses and end a bad venture.

[acmavm]

2. bush**, wolfie, cheney, rumsfeld, and feith. More frigging evil

in one place at one time than you can shake a stick at.

[Kagemusha]

3. An ugly exit is apparently much more honorable.

Well isn't that cute.

[maxsolomon]

4. We didn't have to worry about lack of will

till you exposed our inability to impose our will.

"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"

Better to not use your overwhelmingly powerful military & be thought a paper tiger than to use it foolishly & remove all doubt.

[Posteritatis]

5. Very well! Panicked rout it is! (n/t)

[Kikosexy2]

6. Warns against...

Graceful Exits!!???...did the door slam Rummy's ass as he exited the Pentagon?....

[focusfan]

7. we wouldn't be there if it wasn't for Bush,Cheney,and Rummy

it was a money thing and Rumsfield just went along with it.

[Wednesdays]

8. OMG

Missions that demand sacrifice? Yeah, he really sacrificed a lot, didn't he?

"Oh...and I lost my job, too...boohoohoo..."

[teryang]

9. Smirking, self satisfied, smug, corrupt genocidal jackasses...

The Army Chief of Staff just said that the US Army is reaching a breaking point. The American people have made their decision to get out, and you and the ISG, the corporate emissaries of mass murder in suits, proceed further into the destruction of our world.

[Trajan]

10. Trajan warns against ....

... idiotic, egotistical, dogmatic administrators leading our nation down dangerous paths with extreme incompetence ....

Ooops .... too late ....

Bye Bye ASSHOLE .....

[mikeytherat]

11. No "graceful" exits, ever! Exit like a bull in China shop!

Exit like someone fleeing a burning house!

Exit like my cats when they hear a loud, sudden noise!

But a "graceful" exit? What are you, nuts?

mikey_the_rat

[Theduckno2]

12. Thanks for warning us about those WMD's too, Mr. Rumsfeld.

Just another warning about something that doesn't exist in Iraq. There are no "graceful exits" thanks to you.

Bushco has a lot of nerve talking about sacrifice when they were the ones giving tax cuts to the wealthy and then taking the war off-budget. I can remember Mark Shields, on the PBS Newshour, stressing that the case for war was being made without a word about sacrifice.

[pfitz59]

13. Horrible, disgusting departure ceremony.....

Still throwing steaming piles of BS to the bitter end! I say confiscate all his properties and throw him into the Gitmo Gulag for the rest of his natural life! Rummie has done more to spread terror and fear across the globe than any other SecDef in history! Lying sack, he is!