Rumsfeld's exit

As Donald Rumsfeld exits as Secretary of Defense more evidence of the strain his policies has put on the military. The idea of the lean mean fighting machine so greatly advocated by Rumsfeld has come back to haunt the military. This man cannot leave too soon.

And yet someone even in the end anyone who dares to oppose his idea is somehow a traitor. Rumsfeld had this to say: “It may well be comforting to some to consider graceful exits from the agonies and, indeed, the ugliness of combat,” Rumsfeld said, choking up slightly as he capped a roster of speakers at his pomp-filled goodbye ceremony. “But the enemy thinks differently.”

Gee Don how about an actual plan on what to do once you’ve taken over a country? How about some sort of recognition that the policies you are pursuing are not getting the job done? How about checking your ego at the door and coming up with plans that will make Iraq work?

There are those who for a very long time said we shouldn’t be there and we should just get out. But there were also people who thought what we were doing was the right thing but believed the plans in place were not working. Neither group are traitors; neither group is pro-terrorist. They have just different ideas on what should be done. It’s called a democracy.

And it was your job Mr.. Secretary to see what was going wrong and try and fix it. Not continue to say that Iraq was coming up roses. Not blame the press for only reporting the bad news when it was obvious the plan in place was not working.

However, anyone taking heart from Rumsfeld leaving should be warned. The person who approved all the policies and supported all the policies is still in place. And Bush it seems has decided not to listen to anyone. There will be no change in course. Mr. Gates openess and frankness are meaningless unless he can change Bush’s mind.

The Iraq Study Group Report is DOA.

What we are going to have is stay the course on steroids.