(no subject)
"Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is not competent to lead our armed forces. ... (He) has put the Pentagon at the mercy of his ego, his cold warrior's view of the world and his unrealistic confidence in technology to replace manpower."
-Retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton
"Secretary Rumsfeld carries way too much baggage. ... Rather than admitting ... mistakes, he continually justifies them to the press ... and that really disallows him from moving our strategy forward."
-Retired Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack
"The idea that you could control [Iraq] in the aftermath with [at least a third fewer troops than recommended] was flawed."
-Retired Gen. Anthony Zinni, former chief of U.S. Central Command
"(The war in Iraq was launched) with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions -- or bury the results"
- Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold
"I hear the voices, and I read the front page and I know the speculation. But I'm the decider, and I decide what's best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."
-President Bush
I don't know about you, but when people from the top of the military start criticizing my performance, I would want a better defense than that. Bush's comment has the sound of a teacher or parent talking to a 3 year old and sounds a lot like his defense of Harriet Miers, which was a simple "Trust me." I can really see this blowing up in his face like the Miers nomination.
-Retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton
"Secretary Rumsfeld carries way too much baggage. ... Rather than admitting ... mistakes, he continually justifies them to the press ... and that really disallows him from moving our strategy forward."
-Retired Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack
"The idea that you could control [Iraq] in the aftermath with [at least a third fewer troops than recommended] was flawed."
-Retired Gen. Anthony Zinni, former chief of U.S. Central Command
"(The war in Iraq was launched) with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions -- or bury the results"
- Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold
"I hear the voices, and I read the front page and I know the speculation. But I'm the decider, and I decide what's best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."
-President Bush
I don't know about you, but when people from the top of the military start criticizing my performance, I would want a better defense than that. Bush's comment has the sound of a teacher or parent talking to a 3 year old and sounds a lot like his defense of Harriet Miers, which was a simple "Trust me." I can really see this blowing up in his face like the Miers nomination.