Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
Rumsfeld tried to resign twice before and Bush wouldn’t let him…i wonder what changed his mind this time 
so i know nothing about this CIA guy? any info?
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
Bush is a good politician.
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
Have you guys quit dancing in big circles yet?
The reality is that the Dems have the thinnest of margins in the Senate. That is not going to be a prescription for an overwhelming agenda. They do not have enough to overwhelm a veto. Bush has not wielded a Veto much, but he could, on a line item basis or in totality. While you guys are giddy with your self righteousness, the reality of the situation is a little more sober. When Bush had a solid majority in the Senate, House and the White House, *that *was a mandate. When Lieberman, a pro War Democrat wins as an Independent, it means that the broom was not out there to sweep the place clean.
The biggest plans the Dems had was to spend the next hundred days roasting Rummy. They were preempted. Now Nancy is asking, "What do we do now?" Let's not get carried away, politics is hand to hand combat, not shock and awe. Gridlock rules.
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
OG so are you unhappy that Rumsfeld was let go?
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
thanks 5abi!
i went to IU my freshman year!
so is he more promising than rumsfeld?
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
No, it was time.
But I think that the American people are making the same mistake as Vietnam. When you are engaged with an enemy who has no time frames, no elections, no accountability, you need to be prepared for a long drawn out fight. Americans are like jumping beans, they can't sit still for more than a minute. They will annualize the last 10 minutes. Rummy had some perspective. He went head up with a bunch of Generals who are egotistical, narrow viewed, highly political, turf conscious, and massively assertive. Who would wish that on anybody? Rummy may not have always been right, but he was interesting, and I would bet that history will be kinder to him than the current press. He lept in front of the bus, and gave Bush some political cover and gained some time for Gates. It will be at least 6 months before any change is apparent.
I just think that the giddy high fiving is somewhat premature, and the corpse dancing is about as important as a Karachi street protest. Which is to say, that it is not so important at all.
When the Dems pass their first piece of legislation that is not vetoed, then wake me. Until then, this is a tied game. Yawn.
Next week we will all come down from the sugar buzz and relalze that nothing has really changed. The Republicans had no real agenda for the next two years that they had not already accomplished. If the Dems win the White House, then I will be shocked. This is a mid-term election, nothing more. That makes it about one tenth as important as '08. Continuing the momentum is much harder.
In the mean time countries like Iran may misinterpret this election a a weakness and become artificially emboldened, not understanding the process. That would be unfortunate.
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
Donald Rumsfeld resignation is a victory for Democrats because according to them it is the incompetence and half truth of Secretary of Defense that has led to what Iraq is today. Some might be true but the fact of the matter is post Iraq was never going to be a safe place, Rumsfeld might get the smack from press and editorials on predicting certain events wrongly but come on that is what everyone wanted and wished from start, I do not think a notion about staying in Iraq for a decade would have flied with American people for a bit. I think he threw himself under the bus for Republicans and took the silent blame.
Iraq after invasion is a mess. What measures could he had enforced to stop Abu Garib, looting and an on-going civil war? It would have happened. This is because the nature and reality in the ground was asking for it. When you have limited forces to stand in streets and dictate law and order in a place where people want to settle score, either become a lame duck or protect yourself.
Democrats may go for increase of troops and other measures to better arm the army but the only way Iraq can and will make progress is when the Arab nations make an effort and unite against the violence in that region. Until than American troops are just stuck
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They are making that mistake because they are afraid of this mistake.
Good Riddance. Rumsfeld lost the plot quite a while ago; even before 2004 elections. But it is interesting to see what dramatic changes does this step bring.
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
yes.. he's the fall guy.. the real culprits were in the OSP stuffed with Israeli firsters who passed on bogus intel and cajoled these idiots into doing their bidding.. It's easy to point fingers at poor Rummy in all of this.. but he's not the ONLY person responsible, and a real opposition won't sit idle with their thumbs stuck up their asses thinking.. "geee Rummy has resigned, there's nothing else wrong about this war now".. but that's exaclty what the Dems would do cuz they're pussies.
Re: RUMSFELD IS OUT!
OG, Rumsfeld was a failure on so many accounts; be it the failed Rumsfeld Doctrine, Abu Ghraib, his weakening of intelligence agencies, labeling anti-war activist as fascist, and on, and on, and on. This is Rumsfeld legacy. Rumsfeld didn't leap in front of the Bus, he pushed his country into it's path. On Tuesday the country pushed back.
And how do you expect Americans to sit still when Bush offers no plan or vision in Iraq, It's 2006 and Americans don't trust him as far as they can throw him.