Rumsfeld Visits Baghdad, Warns Against Corruption

[DoYouEverWonder]

Apr 11, 2005 — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, on a surprise visit to Iraq, warned the country's new interim leaders on Tuesday against political purges and cronyism that could spark "lack of confidence or corruption in government."

He said the United States also opposed any move to delay the political schedule in Iraq, which includes drafting a new constitution by mid August and national elections next December.

"The presence of (U.S.) security forces is not going to be something that is going to go on forever," he told reporters traveling with him aboard his military transport plane on a non-stop flight from Washington.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=661620

So Rummie sneaks into Baghdad again. Looks like the first hint of a peace with honor exit?

[eleny]

1. Let me hold my side

[saigon68]

23. Like Falwell lecturing on the Great Points of Islam

What an idiot.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Is this an example of 'do as we say, not as we do'?

It must be galling to listen to a lecture on corruption from an representative of the most crooked adminstration in US history.

The Bush regime is so crooked that it made up reasons to invade a sovereign state for the purposes of creating opportunities for war profiteers. And Rumsfeld dares to lecture the Iraqis on government ethics?

Good grief!!

[unkachuck]

14. yes, but he is qualified....

....who better to lecture on the art of corruption, than Rumsfeld?

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Cheney. DeLay.

Of course, DeLay isn't a member of the administration. He just acts like it.

[unkachuck]

17. I must admit....

....they do have an extraordinarily good list of qualified people....

[daleo]

3. Rummy lecturing people on the need for honesty

Is like Hitler lecturing people about the need for religious tolerance.

[blogbear]

4. Rumsfeld comments about 'political purges and cronyism'..

lol..

[tanyev]

5. Bravo, Rummy...

That's a good lecture. You can use it again at the next Cabinet meeting.

[ninkasi]

6. Oh, how funny...

Coming from one of the members of the most corrupt government in U.S. history. Maybe he's trying out a new comedy routine, because I can think of no reason at all that he said this with a straight face.

[KlatooBNikto]

7. Saddam Hussein, visiting his friend, Rumsfeld ,from a bygone era, warned

today against cronyism and corruption.As a first step, he told Rumsfeld, his advice would be to remove Bush by impeachment.Saddam Hussein reconsidered this idea the next day when he realized who would step up to the throne and advised Rumsfeld to leave things alone.

That Saddam, he is one funny guy, Rummy.You can keep him.

[Teaser]

8. Oh Jesus Christ.

That takes stones. The biggest stones on the planet.

[leesa]

9. How much was it Rummy's pals ran off with, 9 billion? Not to mention the

hundreds of billions he's stolen from us and laundered through a bogus war.

[yorkiemommie1]

10. cough, cough, cough

he's kidding, right?

[NYC]

11. What about the oil?

...
"The presence of (U.S.) security forces is not going to be something that is going to go on forever," he told reporters traveling with him aboard his military transport plane on a non-stop flight from Washington...

Would the U.S. actually leave without the oil? I find that hard to believe. What was the point of going there?

[icymist]

12. The wolf is warning about wolves!

Oh Please! :eyes: :wtf:

[UpInArms]

13. just forget about those 14 permanent bases that the US

built - those troops are so out of there :sarcasm:

Rummy the Dummy is a comedian :rofl:

[lovuian]

15. Baaawaaahaaa!!! I can't believe he said that with a straight face

Iraqis might have learned some thievery tricks from the BEST!!!

[rocktivity]

18. Hardly your first visit to Baghdad, is it, Rummy?

:headbang:
rocknation

[Theduckno2]

22. Thanks for the photographic evidence!

Now I'm laughing even harder, Rummy lecturing on corruption in government. hahaha:rofl:

[rocktivity]

34. FYI, background info on the photo (actually taken from a video)

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein greets Donald Rumsfeld,...in Baghdad on December 20, 1983.

...Donald Rumsfeld (who had served in various positions in the Nixon and Ford administrations...and at this time headed the multinational pharmaceutical company G.D. Searle & Co.) was dispatched to the Middle East as a presidential envoy. His December 1983 tour of regional capitals included Baghdad, where he was to establish "direct contact...(with)...President Saddam Hussein," while emphasizing "his close relationship" with the president...

...(T)he two discussed regional issues of mutual interest, shared enmity toward Iran and Syria, and the U.S.'s efforts to find alternative routes to transport Iraq's oil; its facilities in the Persian Gulf had been shut down by Iran, and Iran's ally, Syria, had cut off a pipeline that transported Iraqi oil through its territory. Rumsfeld made no reference to chemical weapons, according to detailed notes on the meeting.

You're welcome.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Theduckno2]

35. Thanks for the link

Americans would be well served in a general knowledge of this low water mark in US diplomacy. I remember these events when the Repugs err on the side of life for one vegetative woman, but the suffering of Kurds doesn't rate a mention.

[Theduckno2]

19. He is just too much!

What ever happened to freedom being messy and with freedom they are free to make their own mistakes? Rummy stood there and passively watched Iraq looted (except the Oil Ministry); now he worries about corruption? I think he is looking to pass the blame to the Iraqis and then head for the door. I have to admit I sure laughed at this news!:)

[AuntiBush]

20. Rummy has a LOT OF NERVE!

Someone pinch, no smack this neo-nutcase. Doesn't he know, most US citizens are opposed to him!

Can't take 4 more years of this evil empire. :crazy:

[burrowowl]

21. Unmitigated gall!

:wow: :grr: and :nuke: Rummy et al!

[radfringe]

24. Rumsfeld Warns on Corruption During Iraq Visit

Gee, do you think he's talking about the bushies? ohhh the irony - the kettle is admonishing the pot

Rumsfeld Warns on Corruption During Iraq Visit
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=661991
Apr 12, 2005 — By Charles Aldinger

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld issued a terse warning to Iraq's new leaders on Tuesday, urging them to avoid political purges or cronyism that could lead to corruption and sap confidence in government.

On his ninth visit to the country since the 2003 invasion, Rumsfeld also warned against any delay in the political timetable, particularly the drafting of a new constitution, which is due by mid-August before elections in December.

--------


U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld speaks to reporters following a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari in Baghdad April 12, 2005. Rumsfeld issued a terse warning to Iraq's new leaders on Tuesday, urging them to avoid political purges or cronyism that could lead to corruption and sap confidence in government.

[NeoConsSuck]

25. I was thinking the same thing..

he's in Iraq to warn about Halliburton's looting.

And here all the time I thought of Rumsfield as being a low-life sleazy murderous NeoCon scumbag. Boy, was I ever wrong! </s-a-r-c-a-s-m>

[BR_Parkway]

26. Afraid they might cut off Haliburton? Must protect the cash flow, ya know

[HysteryDiagnosis]

27. As if.....

Boeing Scandal Part of Deeper Problems at Pentagon
by David Phinney, Special to CorpWatch
January 5th, 2005
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11780

Darleen Druyun, former weapons buyer for the U.S. Air Force, checked into a special women’s prison about 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico in the heart of Florida’s Panhandle region this week, for a nine month stay, after pleading guilty to giving Boeing special treatment on an $23.5 billion government contract.

Her crime? Violating conflict of interest laws. Druyun had been talking about possible job opportunities with Boeing at the same time she was negotiating a contract that would let Boeing pump up the price tag by $6 billion on a lease agreement for one hundred 767s tankers.

[leftofcool]

28. Hello, pot..........this is kettle.......black over and out....eom

[screembloodymurder]

29. Corruption is our job.

Bush must control the $ or he'll lose control of their government.

[Ganja Ninja]

30. Hey Rummy, while your over there lecturing the Iraqi's ...

about corruption and cronyism take a look around and see if you can find that 9 BILLION DOLLAR$$$ you misplaced.

If only irony was a substitute for oil.

[MSgt213]

31. Is it appropriate for our SecDef to lectures leaders of another country?

Who the fuck is he to be doing this? In my opinion this is an insult. He is an appointee not an elected official.

[leftchick]

32. Rumsfeld warns Iraqi government against purge of security forces

related article....http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/iraqusrumsfeld

BAGHDAD (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned Iraq's new Shiite elite against a purge of the country's fledgling security forces and to steer clear of corruption in government.


<snip>


"My concern is they'll come in and clean house," Rumsfeld told reporters. "You can't do that, if you are trying to create a chain of command in the Iraqi security force and defeat a doggone insurgency.


"Anything they do in the interior and the defense ministries ought to be with an eye to the fact that Iraqis are getting killed and they better have a good reason for doing what they are doing."


It was the bluntest comment to date by a US official over fears that Iraq's election-winning Shiite political bloc aimed to carry out mass purges of the security apparatus and other ministries.

.... then there is this...



Iraqi police march to the Mayor's office over a pay dispute in the town of Najaf April 12, 2005. The police demanded that their salaries be reinstated following a recent pay cut and threatened to riot if their demands were not met. REUTERS/Ali Abu Shish


... I don't think rummy needs to worry about a purge. There won't be any stinkin Iraqi Security forces. :eyes:

[allemand]

33. Rumsfeld: "We don't have an exit strategy, we have a victory strategy."

Yeah. :puke: