Rumsfeld on war: 'A series of catastrophes that results in victory.'

[BurtWorm]

Actually Rumsfeld was optimistically (and naively) reading Clemenceau's cynical take on war, telling more truth than he might have realized. I mean isn't he coming awfully close to being the first Bush official to admit that the war is not just going poorly, but catastrophically? Does he realize that these catastrophes could very well lead to someone ELSE's victory?

The following is from Democracy Arsenal:

http://www.democracyarsenal.org/2006/08/iso_new_speechw.html

Donald Rumsfeld has just made an extraordinary speech at the American Legion's national convention in Salt Lake City, likening opposition to the President's policies against terrorism to appeasement of Hitler in the 1930's. Many people will have many things to say about the speech, which is just breathtaking in its manipulation of history and the harsh political polarization of any rational discussion of the Administration's policies.

I want to focus here on a narrower question. What's up with Rumsfeld's concluding quotation of George Clemenceau?:

"You know from experience that in every war -- personally -- there have been mistakes and setbacks and casualties," said. "War is," as Clemenceau said, 'A series of catastrophes that results in victory.'"

Clemenceau was premier of France during WWI and a critical ally of America. Good. But he's not the most providential source of Administration-friendly quotes. Here are the others that the Columbia World of Quotations offers:

"War is too important a matter to be left to the military."

"America is the only nation in history which, miraculously, has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization."

"My home policy: I wage war; my foreign policy: I wage war. All the time I wage war."

And, my personal favorite for this SecDef:

"It is far easier to make war than to make peace."

[BurtWorm]

1. kick

[genie_weenie]

2. Hey I was in ROTC during Korea...

Animal Mother: You a SecDef?
Joke of a SecDef: I'm a combat correspondent.
Animal Mother: Well you seen much combat?
Joke of a SecDef: Goodness Gracious, I've seen a little on TV.

Tragic.

[warrens]

3. OTOH, the same series can create a big loss

What an idiot.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. Victory for the side that wins, disaster for the side that loses...

1943

Surrender at Stalingrad marks Germany's first major defeat.
Allied victory in North Africa enables invasion of Italy to be launched.

1944

Allies land at Anzio and bomb monastery at Monte Cassino.
Soviet offensive gathers pace in Eastern Europe.
D Day: The Allied invasion of France. Paris is liberated in August.
Guam liberated by the US Okinawa, and Iwo Jima bombed.

1945

Auschwitz liberated by Soviet troops.
Russians reach Berlin: Hitler commits suicide and Germany surrenders on 7 May.
After atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrenders on 14 August.

[Hubert Flottz]

5. And then there was Richmond Virginia...

Everyone in the Confederate States of America believed they were fighting for a "Noble Cause" and that God was on their side! They just knew they could win that war, because "They were on the RIGHT side!"

[leftchick]

6. the quote is interesting

as is his projection of the current repuke fascist ways on Democrats. Damn! None of them have any clothes!

[bobthedrummer]

7. kick

[AntiFascist]

8. The quote:

"America is the only nation in history which, miraculously, has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization."

sounds awfully similar to the Straussian teachings underlying Neoconservatism, which undoubtedly appeals so strongly to the religious right. They want America to radically change from within, and if it takes a few catastrophes which might make 9-11 pale in significance, so be it.