Criticism Mounts Against Defense Secretary Rumsfeld

Fresh criticism of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld from prominent Republican senators, a retired general, and a leading intellectual architect of the war has raised concerns about his leadership and the repeated failures to predict the strengths of the insurgency in Iraq. The criticism comes after Rumsfeld's response to a National Guardsman's concerns about a lack of battle armor in Iraq, where he said, "You go to war with the Army you have." This statement has been widely criticized as a defense of his own leadership, rather than a willingness to acknowledge and address the problems plaguing the war effort.

Key Takeaways:

• Senator Susan Collins of Maine expressed concerns about Rumsfeld's leadership, citing the repeated failures to predict the strengths of the insurgency, the lack of essential safety equipment for troops, and the reluctance to expand the number of troops.
• Collins, a member of the Armed Services Committee, stated that Rumsfeld's comments to Specialist Thomas Wilson of the Tennessee National Guard were a major factor in raising questions about his leadership.
• Other critics, including Senator John McCain, Senator Chuck Hagel, and Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, have expressed similar concerns about Rumsfeld's leadership and the impact his decisions are having on the war effort.
• William Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard and a long-time supporter of the war, wrote in an op-ed article that Rumsfeld's comments were part of a broader pattern of misjudgments and buck-passing, and that he was not up to winning the peace.
• Some Republicans predict that Rumsfeld will face even greater skepticism and scrutiny from Congress in the coming months.

Statistics:

• Rumsfeld has been the subject of criticism and jokes on late-night television since his statement about going to war with the Army you have.
• According to several Republican aides on Capitol Hill, speaking anonymously, the op-ed article by William Kristol has distilled the criticism and is seen as a turning point in the debate about Rumsfeld's leadership.
• The president has expressed confidence in Rumsfeld, despite the growing criticism.

Sources:

• The Washington Post
• The Weekly Standard
• Associated Press
• CNN
• MSNBC
• National Guardsman Specialist Thomas Wilson
• Senator Susan Collins of Maine
• Senator John McCain
• Senator Chuck Hagel
• Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf
• William Kristol