Idiot says Rumsfeld's critics have it wrong

[Ian David]

Rumsfeld's critics have it wrong

DEFENSE Secretary Donald Rumsfeld doesn't lack for critics. But his critics often lack sound judgment.

Mr. Rumsfeld long has been a punching bag for Democrats and journalists, who wish we had not gone to war with Iraq at all. Lately they have been joined by right-wingers who want someone to blame because we haven't won yet.

The most recent spate of Rumsfeld bashing was triggered when a reserve soldier asked him why his unit had to scrounge for armor to put on its humvees and trucks.

Mr. Rumsfeld was "passing the buck" when he indicated it was the Army's responsibility to put Spec. Thomas Wilson in an armored truck, said the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol in a snarky editorial, and "arrogant" when he told Specialist Wilson that "you have to go to war with the Army you have, not the one you'd like to have."

<snip>

It isn't Mr. Rumsfeld's fault that the Army is too small to provide many more troops - we can thank the Clinton administration for that - or that Kuwait's port facilities were inadequate. But we could and should have sent three or four more brigades into the country shortly after Saddam fell.

As retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, a Rumsfeld critic, put it: If you don't pay the butcher's bill up front, you pay it, with interest, in the end.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041218/COLUMNIST14/412180328/-1/NEWS03


Jack Kelly is national security writer for The Blade and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Jack Kelly is a member of The Blade’s national bureau.
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» Read more Jack Kelly columns at www.toledoblade.com/jackkelly

[sandnsea]

1. Liar

Already emailed and let him know it. And recommended he put out a call for the 51% to support the troops and sign up, so the ones who have done more than their share can come home.

[Pithy Cherub]

2. His application to the Reality Based Community

was unanimously rejected. 100% of the votes were counted!