Rummy's gone within two weeks. Here's why.

[John_H]

As all DUers know, Herr Rummler is despised by most of the military top brass--they hate the way he micromanages stuff he knows nothing about, the way he pays zero respect for their careers in service to their country, and the way he tries to get their boys killed unnecessarily. (The excuse that the political appointees in the Pentagon Press Office put out--that they hate him because he's a visionary and they are dinosaurs--is utter BS).

When the pictures became known and things started going south in Iraq the Generals made their move. The first batch came out. Then you get the stories about how many officers think the war is lost and rummy's to blame. More pictures follow before he gets up from his testimony chair.

Ol' Rummler may be amoral, but he's no dope. He knows it's payback time. That's why he tried to inoculate himself on Friday. It's too late, though.

The Generals have won. Now that Bremmer and Powell have officially covered their asses by saying they warned Rumsfeld. Now that the Abu Grab MP's have lawyers saying this goes way up the chain of command, and it probably does, I'll bet you a hundred Bucks Rummy's toast within two weeks.

Rove is not going to let this fiasco take a single vote from Chimp.

[demnan]

1. I agree

I now think they will dump Rummy because they have to dump someone high up over this. Perhaps Gen. Meyers too.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. I think you're oversimplifying here

Everything you said may be true... but do you REALLY think they're going to get rid of the war mastermind right in the middle of the worst fighting? It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for the Bush Regime, but I think they're just going to count on the American people's historically short term memory on this one.

[Sparkly]

3. I think they'll give him the boot

but only if it's politically beneficial for the Chimp. Not for any other reason.

[Terran]

6. But that's part of the point...

Rumsfeld has truly proven himself unable to wage war effectively, aside for the whole torture scandal. If they want to maintain any sort of effectiveness in Iraq, Bush chould fire him on those grounds alone. Rummy screwed things up from the very beginning.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. You're missing the point

They can't just fire the one person with any clue of what's going on right in the middle of the war, even if he sucks. You also have to remember that any replacement they offer is going to be subject to a confirmation process, and I don't think the Dems are going to let them off easily with that.

[Terran]

19. But, but...

The "point" is that Donald Rumsfeld himself obviously *doesn't* have a clue and NEVER DID. He's been famous for a long time now for ignoring the informed advice of his military subordinates in favor of advice from chickenhawk neocons. And there are any number of capable people who could do his job better (that's assuming the Bushies have any interest in finding a truly capable person, of course). I cannot imagine why you would characterize Rumsfeld as "the one person with any clue of what's going on" when he clearly is not that person.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

20. well, it's a mixed thing

I obviously think Rumsfeld's fucked up big time. That's not how the Bushies perceive things though. With that in mind, I don't see them doing away with the one person they feel has any clue about the war.

[Tellurian]

7. I don't believe they will do it voluntarily...

Rove doesn't want the boat rocking..

He wants to keep the team intact and
is fearful if Rumy goes they're cooked.

[sendero]

16. The military...

... must have 10,000 officers who could do Rummy's job better than Rummy has.

They may keep him, but it won't be because they "need" him.

I'm betting he falls on his sword in an effort to divert attention from the CiC (Chimp in Chief)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

18. "Need" and perceived need are two different things

Bush thinks he needs Rumsfeld.

[seabeyond]

4. powell got with his military buddies

oh wouldnt that be a hoot. bah ha ha ha. all that has gone on with powell. and the military know him, and he was truly with doing the best for military, the only one on their side.

that could be how they know the pictures will come out if rummy tries to hold them and not give to public.

interestinger and interestinger

[JuniorPlankton]

5. Not so simple, IMO

If they kick Rumsfeld out, it may start a chain reaction. So far, they have defended all their shit (and shit heads)

[David__77]

8. If they let Rumsfeld go, it can be played to our advantage...

If they don't let him go, it can be played to our advantage. I'd prefer to see him go. But it's fine if he stays as well.

[sebble1]

10. not so sure

70% of those polls want him to stay.

I would think Bush would listen to the polls

[snippy]

14. Bush always listens to the polls. He polls on whether to wipe.

But the Rumsfeld polls will change.

[JM]

11. Rummy is gone.

When Bush took the WH, he stated he was going to run the WH like a business. As a result, we have the similar effect of what happened in Viet Name for different reasons. Many blame our demise in Viet Nam on congress dictating policy. In the case of Iraq, it is clearly based on the idea of running a war on a budget.

How in hell do you justify sending troops without equipment? How do you justify pulling heavy armor and replacing it with no armor? Then there is the issue of using subcontracted labor to get around Congressional oversite and accountable cost. Don't even get me started on the Bush Administration's "Premature Iraqulation" with Shock & Awe while an entire heavy armored division was on ships. We did the same thing in Afghanistan, not surrounding the enemy. Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern of behavior, and the second time they had the convenient excuse of saying "it's Turkey's fault".

We get hundreds killed, thousands injured, and a prison crisis as a result of Rumsfeld's downsizing model for warfare.

There is little surprise that the generals and Powell hate him. He is an idiot.

When Bush declared he wanted to run the country as a business, there is little doubt in my mind he meant Enron.

JM

[BiggJawn]

12. Everybody's lining up to give Rumsferatu the "Godfather's Kiss"

Bush, then TinMan say "Get off his Ass!" and Condom-Sleezie is supporting him, too.

This is so when he accepts the short sword wrapped in paper from Rove, they can all say "He was SO good in the job, We'll miss ya, Don baby!"

They're setting him up and I'm smiling like a possum eatin' shit...

[readmylips]

15. Right! Rumbutt is Cheney's whore...

and daDick is the one in charge. You don't think daDick will give up his power. DaDick aint got a heart, power is all he has left.

[snippy]

13. I am inclined to agree, but the wild card is Bush's mental instability.

There is no telling what that crazy fucker will do. Other than lie about it.

FIRE THE LIAR

[PfcHammer]

17. I predict a general cleansing of higher ups at the Pentagon.

Rumsfeld gone. Wolfoshitz gone as well perhaps. Maybe a Memorial Day Massacre.