Rumsfeld my be going, going...gone, but what will get as a replacement?

Another political hack that won't be any more talented than this incompentent boob. How do I know this? I have seen all the other incompetent idiots Bush has surrounded himself with, so at this point, there is little doubt, we are simply into replacing 'old incompetence' with 'new incompetence'. It is a 'constant' with this administration.

Beware of the fanatics, they never see gray.

Why does it take any number of generals to show Rumsfeld is incompetent? Isn't the fact that 3 years later things are far worse in Iraq than they were before we invaded? Are Bush's supporters really that blind?

I think Rummy is responsible for the conduct of the wars; Bush is responsible for putting the military in that situation. Rumsfled's the SecDef, and it's his job to make sure that whatever Bush wants done with the military gets done properly.

It has not. Fire his ass. Later Bush can give him a Medal of Freedom, but get him out of there and get someone competent in there.

Rumor mill at this point,
Senator John Warner and Former SecDef Cohen. Libermann seen as too light.

It is worth noting that two of the generals, Batiste and Swannack, are commanders that served in Iraq. Batiste commanded the 1st Infantry Division and Swannack commanded the 82th Airborne Division. These guys aren't all Pentagon desk jockeys.

This may signal the start of a split with military personnel and GOP as they have more and more public acknowledge from the military's top people of the total separation of the Bush White House from the reality on the ground in Iraq.

That said, I don't think there will be any change in the situation until the next Presidential, not Congressional, election. Bush doesn't care what we, or the military, think, it stay the course, all the way.

Contrary to all opinions on this page, I'll believe that Rumsfeld is slated to resign only when it happens. Bush is a despot, and he will damn well do as he pleases, and only become more resolute when pushed.

J. McCutchen "JmacSF"

San Francisco. CA

Michael O'Hanlon sez that if Bush dumps Dumsfeld, he might just as well dump himself - it's his Disaster too, after all.

What Michael, a supporter of the Greatest Strategic Disaster in US History  doesn't tell us (quoted today in a wire service report) is that if Bush throws Rummy from the train, and then jumps himself, O'Hanlon, Daalder and the rest of the Brookings claque won't be far behind.

Will they

It looks like Leiberman has been angling for the job for a long time now. Why else would he make the silly statements he has been making.

That said, and agreeing with everybody who says 1) Rumsfeld is incompetent and ought to go, and 2) in the rest of the world a statement like "He has my full support and deepest appreciation" would be his cue to clean out his locker, I think Rumsfeld is going to stay as long as he wants. That is Bush's way.

Anyway there are three people who count in the Bush administration. Bush is number 3. Rumsfeld out ranks him. (Small snark.)

Ron Byers

J. McCutchen "JmacSF"

San Francisco. CA

 Don Rumsfeld may want to stick it out, but stick a fork in him. His goose is cooked and his reign will soon be over.

Yesterday my old pal Charlie Cook said the same thing about GWB.  Thuugh we have a bit of disagreement about the effects of the Cheney/CIA leak case, on this point I wholeheartedly agree.

Bush staked his presidency on a pack of lies. Lies have consequences.

 That goes for Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton too.  Let's have a bi-partisan house cleaning.

I agree that Rummy's days are numbered, or would be in a rational administration. What's difficult is how this could play out without an acknowledgement of error. By this sad stage, who could utter a phrase like 'time with family' while keeping a straight face?
When they start to talk about 'moving on to the next phase' in Iraq, Rummy is as good as gone. For that to happen, they need to be able to point to a successful end of the previous phase. I'm not counting on reality to provide that. Short of that, Bush will have to essentially say, "We really screwed the pooch - big time. We're going back to the drawing board" That's the part I can't imagine happening.

J. McCutchen "JmacSF"

San Francisco. CA

Out of all of this Revolt of the Generals' Alumni Assn, the most significant thing in my view is the charge that Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld "micro-managed" the Greatest Strategic Disaster in US history, this in the face, of Bush's repeated remonstrances that the Generals would tell him how to act.

 Well, that's a lie but it is more than that. I virtually confirms my thesis that the manifold lies of Bush & Co, oerneated EVERY significant strategic and tactical decision over the past 3 years from Day 1 - from Falluja to Tal Afar.

Relatedly it also demolishes the Packer War Lies - this was to be a debacle of the first order, just as predicted with 20/20 foresight by so very man.

Hello Daalder, O'Hanlon, Lindsay, Ken Pollack

Remember 'you're doin' a heckuva job Brownie'? Well, that was a couple of days before political pressure forced Bushco to get rid of him. I can't say for sure if Rumsfeld is going to get the axe, the only point I can make is that you can't believe Bush's vote of confidence in him. It's just spin. When was the last time that anyone could believe anything Bush said?

He learned how to run the shop, but not how to run a war.

Cohen would be a good choice, so he's out for sure. Warner? Probably an order taker, not an order giver. Looking for any actual, real improvements in this administration is futile.

Hoppy in Sacramento

Gotta disagree here. Bush values loyalty above all else. When and if he throws you from the bus you are certainly disparaged, but the guy hates to throw anyone from the bus. The replacement always seems scarier than the current body to Bush.

Just another sign of what a scared little man he is.

Card doesn't really count here because he was probably just worn out. Chiefs of staff never last that long and he was replaced with a near identical copy. Plus no one was really calling for Card to leave. In Rumsfeld's case, our esteemed idiot President can't just go down one job title and offer a promotion. He must go outside the circle and that terrifies him.

J. McCutchen "JmacSF"

San Francisco. CA

Ole Bernie Trainor's takin credit (as he should) for unleashing the Generals

J. McCutchen "JmacSF"

San Francisco. CA

Ole Bernie Trainor's takin credit  (as he should) for unleashing the Generals

J. McCutchen "JmacSF"

San Francisco. CA

Ole Bernie Trainor's takin credit  (as he should) for unleashing the Generals.

Paul in Brooklyn:
I have to disagree with your assessment of the political leverage that confirmation hearings for a new SecDef would have. A circus? True enough: but rather, one ringmastered by Karl Rove, most likely, and designed to do what Rove does best, only in reverse: turning an actual flaw into a perceived strength; and using said hearings as a big campaign commercial for the GOP.
Do you really think the Republican p-t-b are going to allow a confirmation hearing for Rummy's successor to turn into a free-for-all critique of the Administration's handling of the war? After 3-1/2 years of lambasting any and all critics of the Bush gang's handling of Iraq as virtual Benedict Arnolds? AND after nearly six years putting GOP prestige foursquare behind Fearless Leader Dubya, Scourge of Terrorism?
Not if those Senators want to keep their seats.
Sorry, much as I would like to see it, I still don't think Bush will become SO radioactive as to push Republicans into attacking him or his creatures overtly: they might not want to be associated too closely, if things get worse; but outright criticism?

BradTheDad is spot on-Rummy ain't goin nowhere, Bush would never 'fire' Rummy, Cheney or Rice, and Rummy is too much of a flaming a**hole to leave on his own.

I like Rummy's "Out of thousands and thousands of admirals and generals, if every time two or three people disagreed we changed the secretary of defense of the United States it would be like a merry-go-round," Rumsfeld told Al Arabiya television in an interview aired on Friday.

If every time, no Rummy, just leave after a F***ed up war that has killed or wounded 20,000 Americans and cost $500 billion over budget you a**hole. Rumsfeld goose isn't cooked, America's goose is cooked because we are stuck with Bush and his incompetent 'team' until impeachment or 2008.

Actually I can see throwing Rummy off the train precisely because of the runup to a war on Iran.

Then Bush can make a big deal about putting a guy in with "fresh ideas" (invade Iran with too few troops and no plan to handle the worldwide terrorist retaliation), and "ready for new challenges in the Global War on Terror" (invade Iran), etc., etc.

With the critics unable to hang the Iraq problem on the new guy, criticism of the conduct of the planning for the war in Iran will be disabled for a while.

You get my point? The new guy (assuming he had nothing to do with Iraq) is immune to criticism about Iraq, therefore he can do the exact same things in Iran.

Once again, the "faith-based crew" act - the "reality-based crew" have to react - too late.

Richard Steven Hack

www.computerproblemssolvedcheap.com 

It's entirely possible that Rumsfeld won't be replaced no matter how badly he performs, because the small group of criminal conspirators who run the country and the war can't afford to let anyone else into their inner circle. There's no cabal member down the hall who could be passed off as Secretary of Defense.

That old god, public opinion, needs a human sacrifice. Even constant campaigning can't bring Bush's approval rating above 40%. The 'Publicans think there is a realignment election in their future, and not one to their liking.

It is like the Bushies to select the wrong human. The only one that would give 'em a chance is Cheney; but he's the high priest, hardly likely to march up to the mouth of the volcano an jump in. Rummy might make make some good sparks, but he will burn in the volcano (and later in hell) for no benefit for the 'Publicans. Probably even the high priest is not good enough anymore. Ra himself will go down.

Now you know why:

The only generals who support the Bush Doctrine are General Electric and General Dynamics.

"There is some background noise here, a lot of chatter, a lot of speculation and opining."
- George Bush, Oct. 20, 2005

The Revolt of the Generals is about Iran, not Iraq. They won't stop it. I think the bombing starts in weeks, not months. Nobody is going to want the job after the war kicks into second gear.

well i can not email you and you know why. i understand that. i just wanted you too know i appreciate you speaking up about this matter. i only wish it could have been sooner. i am not privi to many things but i have been as i feel unjustly put upon since 1971 when i exited viet nam. i do believe there are people like you out there. i do believe you and they are silent for reasons. and those reasons are good. i have been alone all these years. but again thanks and thanks to the rest of you even though you have yet to speak. "things true will always be true for they are not things of us"

my question "when we rip the head of this snake off are you determined to replace it with another" my answer would be in the thousands of years of replacing the head upon the serpent you have gotten nowhere. i certainly do not want my head upon the carcus nor anyone i can imagine.

Rummy will be around at least through the fall elections. The bigger picture is that everyone sees the chances for a face-saving outcome in Iraq as vanishingly small, so the race is on to find a scapegoat. The administration has declared where they're putting it: on those folks that made "thousands of tactical errors" - framing it as a failure of execution, not strategy.

Which is, of course, one astonishingly bold lie.

The military establishment is fighting back, via the half dozen retired generals (so far) that have called for Rummy's head. Mere truth is of little advantage in this kind of fight - witness Kerry and the Swift Boat propaganda campaign - so the edge goes to the side that better manipulates and cows the media.

On that measure, a year from now the GOP true believers will be muttering that Rummy and Wolfowitz and the rest of their merry band had a great plan, a wonderful plan, the kind of plan that was just bound to succeeed. But gee, those darn slackers in the Army and the Marines just didn't understand the brilliant strategy that let you use 125K troops to do the job of half a million.

It's ridiculous, but no more so than the theory embraced by many conservatives that the U.S. could have won in Vietnam had we just hung in there long enough, and fought hard enough.

Only difference is that this time around such a nutty view will be packaged and marketed by the right's spin machine, and thus carry a lot more weight as the accepted mythos/hagiography.

Bo Raxo
--
"Bother," said Pooh as Satan pointed out the small print.

Lieberman may know Iraq is a fiasco, but he doesn't really care because it plays well in Israel.

He's also the "Senator from Israel", so the upcoming war on Iran would suit him just fine. He'd be the perfect guy to lead the Pentagon in the attack on Iran - a Jewish guy in charge of attacking another Muslim nation.

That's the level of stupidity Bush has. You can't make this stuff up.

Richard Steven Hack

www.computerproblemssolvedcheap.com 

I'd like to hear the Generals' views on Rummy's policy of torture. It must rankle some to have put their soldiers in the awkward position of throwing out the Geneva conventions (which will come back to haunt them).

In answer to the question about the number of generals, here's the latest data as of Feb 2006:

Rank Army Navy M/C A/F Total GENERAL/ADMIRAL 12 9 5 13 39 LT GENERAL/VICE ADMIRAL 49 31 15 37 132 MAJ GENERAL/REAR ADMIRAL(U) 97 68 21 85 271 BRIG GENERAL/REAR ADMIRAL(L) 154 106 41 138 439

So there are a grand total of 881 generals, Rumsfeld's way off.

I think things are getting ahead of themselves here. What's not been done is to draw up an easily understandable case against Rumsfeld that ordinary people can easily understand, with the individual concerns stated in clear narrative fashion. From what I can see and hear much of the opposityion to Rumsfeld is fairly disjointed -- and misses that point that in having lost trust in him -- people have lost faith in a Presidential Appointee.

I think the most important public goal now is to put pressure on Senator Warner and Senator Levin to call Armed Forces Committee hearings so as to provide a very public forum, indeed a legitimate forum for the Generals soeaking out clearly. They have to organize their critique so that there is no daylight in their case -- and in the process they assure Congress and the rest of us that they are not coup minded, and are essentially deeply concerned with the fate of these institutions in the hands of Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush.

Wonderin wondered:

I can't help but reflect on how jaw-droppingly arrogant Rummy must be; a real first-class bully.

Let's turn to an expert on arrogance and bullying.

 In '71 Nixon was recorded on the White House tapes talking about our current Secretary of defense. "At least Rummy is tough enough. He's a ruthless little bastard."

Ol' Tricky Dick may have had some lapses in judgment, little respect for the constituion, and the morals of a used car salesman who owes back rent, but you have to give the man this: he knew a thing or two about being ruthless.

 Bo Raxo

"So there are a grand total of 881 generals, Rumsfeld's way off."

Rumsfeld knows exactly how many generals there are. He inflated the numbers so if a half dozen or so are pissed it looks like better. It's a much smaller percentage of 6,000 than it is of 880.

By 'ordinary people' I assume you mean the average white racist Bush supporting dittohead. Everyone else in the world already knows the crimes and errors Bush and Rummy have committed in the name of America and 'freedom'.

Ah yes! The words of a psychopathological maniac with delusions of omnipotence....

"Out of thousands and thousands of admirals and generals, if every time two or three people disagreed we changed the secretary of defense of the United States it would be like a merry-go-round."

If six top line generals have publicly bubbled to the surface ... you can't even fathom how many more in the ranks are seething under the surface to get Rumsfeld's ass out the door. From Sun-tzu ... Art of War:

A general who understands warfare is the guardian of people's lives, and the ruler of the nation's security.

A general is the safeguard of the nation.

There are three ways the ruler can bring difficulty to the army:

To order an advance when not realizing the army is in no position to advance, or to order a withdrawal when not realizing the army is in no position to withdraw.

This is called entangling the army.

By not knowing the army's matters, and administering the army the same as administering civil matters, the officers and troops will be confused.

By not knowing the army's calculations, and taking command of the army, the officers and troops will be hesitant.

When the army is confused and hesitant, the neighboring rulers will take advantage.

This is called a confused and hesitant army leading another to victory.

Since I initially raised the issue with Rumsfeld's 3-6,000 number of generals I found what may be an explanatiuon of what he was trying to say, though he was still wrong.

Per Bill Arkin in WaPo

There are 8,000 retired generals and admirals out there