Cheney: Rummy Best SecDef EVER! (A Look at Bushco Strategy)

[markses]

Here's a winning quote from the NY Times:

Separately on Saturday, Vice President Dick Cheney said through his spokesman, Kevin Kellems, that "Don Rumsfeld is the best secretary of defense the United States has ever had. People ought to let him do his job."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/09/international/09rice.html

I posted here after Rumsfeld's hearing that the strategy seems to be the reverse of what was expected.

Rumsfeld Kicked Ass and Took Names

Rather than humility, Rumsfeld went in roaring. Sure, there was a bit of humility for the soundbites, but the majority of his testimony was shouting, making absurd proclamations about the number of courts martial, eye-rolling, degrading, shrugging off and belittling. His treatment of Senator Pryor was a textbook case of bureaucratic bullying. So, despite the early spin (released by the GOP, we might remember) that if Rumsfeld showed any arrogance, it would be "all over," we saw arrogant Rumsfeld at full-throated bloatedness. It was a Kung Fu move, and it worked.

As the Sunday shows line up, we see that Rumsfeld's performance was no accident, but a matter of Bush Co. strategy. Rather than show any humility, which they read as weakness and/or general responsiveness to the peasantry, they are coming with both barrel's blazing and maximum contumely; they are directly attacking anyone who would question them, and generally portraying such questioning as preposterous. They are bringing it. This is the struggle for the crown, and they damn well understand that.

What is the best counter-strategy. They are not relenting. they are not admitting culpability. They will not humble themselves. They will fight every last inch of the way. Are we willing to fight them? Will we bring our own arguments to bear? If you think they'll lie down, or even change their general strategy of divine correctness, you're dead wrong. It has worked so far. Will it work again?

[markses]

1. State makes its Move: Powell on Rampage at Propitious Time!

Powell Goes All In

While the NY Times has Bush, Rice and Cheney "strongly supporting" Rumsfeld, the Washington Post has a virtual Pentagon mutiny that states, in no uncertain terms, that we are losing the war as a result of Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz! Amazing stuff in this article, including:

Some officers say the place to begin restructuring U.S. policy is by ousting Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, whom they see as responsible for a series of strategic and tactical blunders over the past year. Several of those interviewed said a profound anger is building within the Army at Rumsfeld and those around him.

A senior general at the Pentagon said he believes the United States is already on the road to defeat. "It is doubtful we can go on much longer like this," he said. "The American people may not stand for it -- and they should not."

---snip---

Now, this is either a way of moving Rumsfeld out, or it is Bush's government in complete disarray, with Powell attacking hard. It is hard to say. One could conceive of a strategy whereby Bush, Rice and Cheney offer strong support, but Rumsfeld resigns based on his "inability to be effective." In this scenario, Bush and Co. look good with their base, while being able to argue that political pressure forced Rummy out. It still wouldn't explain the near panic in the Post article, which basically lays the blame for the lost war at Rummy and Wolfie's door, and this coming from senior military within the Pentagon, and from the commander of the 82nd Airborne Division!

Curiouser and curiouser, folks. We're through the looking glass....

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. hmmm - it appears Canuks don't agree

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Do you think U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld should resign over Iraq?

Yes 16945 votes (79 %)

No 4608 votes (21 %)

Total Votes: 21553

LINK

[kerry-is-my-prez]

3. Hey - it's worked for them over and over again.

[No2W2004]

4. Make room for Condi

same article:

"The president strongly supports Donald Rumsfeld and so do his colleagues, and I strongly support him," Ms. Rice said in an interview. "He's doing a good job as secretary of defense in one of the most challenging periods in American history."