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Donald Rumsfeld

Rumsfeld Spreads Lies and False Hope to Troops in Campaign Ploy
10-Oct-04
Donald Rumsfeld

If anyone believes Rumsfeld's trip to Iraq this week was anything but a campaign stunt, one supported on lies and throwing out false hope to our stressed troops, they are clinically brain dead. Rumsfeld's aim was to convince voters that we MAY be able to reduce troop strength after January if things quiet down. But he KNOWS damn well that won't happen - not under the Bush regime. More contemptible still, 1,500 marines were ORDERED to attend a "question and answer" session with Rumsfeld, but also ordered not to ask the "wrong questions." When reporters tried to answer the questions the marines had been gagged from asking, Rumsfeld waxed annoyed and arrogant: (in essence) Who cares if we need more troops? Who cares when anyone's going home? Why is everyone so "fixated" on that - after all, It's just "business."

Rumsfeld Now Admits He Never Saw Any Evidence of a Saddam-Al Qaeda Link
05-Oct-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Straits Times: "United States Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he has seen no 'strong, hard evidence' linking former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein with Al-Qaeda, backing away from assertions before the Iraq invasion that contacts between the two went back more than a decade. 'There were differences in the intelligence community as to what the relationship was. To my knowledge, I have not seen any strong, hard evidence that links the two. 'The link between terrorism and the Iraqi regime was a key point in the US effort to persuade the world that Saddam had to be dealt with after 9/11. In September 2002, Mr Rumsfeld had said the US had 'credible' information that Al-Qaeda and Iraq had discussed safe havens and non-aggression agreements, and that leaders of the terror network had sought contacts in Iraq who could help them get weapons of mass destruction."

One Photo Worth a Thousand Words: The Decline and Fall of the Bush Empire Epitomized
05-Oct-04
Donald Rumsfeld

This photo says it all! Here is Donald Rumsfeld, looking desperate - almost pathetically pleading - yet still trying to work some bizarre "hoodoo" on the media (which he is addressing here) and American public as he, like the rest of the Bush cartel, struggles to grasp for the power that is slipping away.

Rumsfeld Spreads the Bush 'Election Philosophy' to Iraq
24-Sep-04
Donald Rumsfeld

BBC: "The BBC's Justin Webb, in Washington, says Mr Rumsfeld has been kept out of the limelight in recent months but now has stepped back in with characteristic brio. Mr Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee: 'Let's say you tried to have an election and you could have it in three quarters or four fifths of the country but some places you couldn't because the violence was too great. Well, so be it, nothing is perfect in life, so you have an election that's not quite perfect. Is it better than not having an election? You bet." LOL! We werent' sure when we read this whether he was talking about Iraq or the US! In any case, it sure expresses the Bush philosophy - 'imperfect' being corporate speak for RIGGED.

Startin' to Believe their Own Lies! Rumsfeld Mistakes Saddam Hussein for Osama Bin Laden Twice in Same Speech
12-Sep-04
Donald Rumsfeld

The White House has worked so long and hard to create confusion in the public's mind over the connection between bin Laden and Saddam that now they can't tell the difference themselves! On Sept. 11, Rumsfeld mixed Saddam Hussein and Bin Laden up twice in a speech. "The leader of the opposition Northern Alliance, Masood, lay dead, his murder ordered by Saddam Hussein, by Osama bin Laden, Taliban's co-conspirator," Mr Rumsfeld said. He was referring to Ahmad Shah Masood, who was in opposition to the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan and was killed allegedly by Al Qaeda two days before the Sept 11 attacks. " Later Rummy said, ""Saddam Hussein, if he's alive, is spending a whale of a lot of time trying to not get caught. And we've not seen him on a video since 2001. Now, he's got to be busy. Why is he busy? It's because of the pressure that's being put on him."

Decorated Marine Corps Vet Sues Rumsfeld for Unconstitutional 'Stop Loss' Policy
18-Aug-04
Donald Rumsfeld

News24: "Donald Rumsfeld is [being sued for a] retention policy that allows the Pentagon to keep troops on active duty in Iraq even after the expiration of their contracts. As many as 40 000 soldiers have been forced to extend their stay in the US Army through the so-called 'stop-loss' emergency programme since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to legal experts. The plaintiff, who filed suit against Rumsfeld, Acting Army Secretary Les Brownlee and others with the Ninth US District Court, alleges a breach of contract and questions the constitutionality of the whole setup. He has been identified by his attorney simply as John Doe to protect his privacy." However, "Court documents describe him as a decorated veteran who has already completed nine years of active service with the army and the US Marine Corps, including deployments in Somalia and unidentified war zones in the Middle East."

Santa Cruz Votes to Impeach Rumsfeld
09-Jun-04
Donald Rumsfeld

"The Santa Cruz City Council, the first local government in the nation to come out against going to war with Iraq, apparently scored another first Tuesday when it voted 5-1 to urge Congress to impeach Donald Rumsfeld for alleged oversight failures in the Iraqi prisoner-abuse scandal... Vice Mayor Mike Rotkin said... the United States and its policy-makers have 'somehow decided that the Geneva Conventions don't matter anymore -- and it's OK to torture people.'... In addition to supporting articles of impeachment against Rumsfeld introduced by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., the council also urged the Congress to launch an investigation that makes 'the truth about these abuses clear' -- specifically, how many officials at the higher echelons of the U.S. government knew about it. Celia Scott, a former Santa Cruz mayor, urged the council to take action because the Bush administration was making a mockery of 'democratic values we cherish.' "

Rumsfeld at West Point: Urges 'Moral Clarity' while ignoring Abu Ghraib and Calling for Endless War against 'Global Insurgents'
29-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

We feel West Point Grads deserved a better speaker at their graduation - instead they got a morally bankrupt chickenhawk who, under any other "civilized" government would by now have been impeached, if not in prison doing hard time. In his speech (in which he knew he'd get "captive applause" and cheers - the cheers always made at the end of the graduation ceremony, regardless of who is propped up at the podium), Rumsfeld made no mention of Abu Ghraib, yet called for "moral clarity." And, frighteningly, Rumsfeld for the first time described the US military's current crusade not as a war on terrorism, but as a war against "global insurgency" - implying that anyone on Earth who isn't "with us" are now considered "insurgents?" Scary, indeed.

Rumsfeld Let Bondcote Keep Sending Material to Military Even after Warning of Cancer-Causing Chemical
18-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Back in late March, Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley asked Donald Rumsfeld to explain why it was still using camouflage fabrics that had been proven to contain cancer-causing chemicals months after a civilian whistleblower filed a suit to alert to public. "The purpose of this letter is to express grave concern and raise questions regarding allegations that a textile contractor has been using toxic substances in the production of fabric used by armed forces personnel," Grassley wrote. The Pentagon's response was to claim that the levels of the chemicals in the material is too low to present a health hazard. Yeah, right - that's what they said about Agent Orange. Now it's mid-May and Bondcote execs have finally admitted they lied.... after hundreds of thousands of yards of lead chromate-tainted material was shipped, courtesy Donald Rumsfeld, to the military for our soldiers to be exposed to.

The Devil and Donald Rumsfeld
13-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

If ever there was a man who seemed to have sold his soul to the devil, that man is Donald Rumsfeld.... Here's a poem/ballad about the Demon Rummy in the tradition of ancient ballads of betrayal and nonredemption.

Kissinger Once Stated that Rumsfeld was the Most Ruthless Man he ever Met
13-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

After reading this detailed bio. of Rummy, one word will definitely scream from the page: OPPORTUNIST. From exploiting the ruins of Nixon's career to befriending Saddam Hussein to solidify his position with Reagan and his corporate pals, Rumsfeld has done whatever it takes to further Rumsfeld. So arrogantly, coldly calculating an opportunist is Rumsfeld that Kissinger is widely reported to have once said that he is the most ruthless man he ever met - and this is coming from a man who has been responsible, personally, for the torture and death of millions (Cambodia, Chile, East Timor, etc, etc.).

Rumsfeld Goes to Iraq to 'Contain' Scandal
13-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

The White House is using the "corporate approach" to contain the prisoner abuse scandal: Lie, deny, hide, and threaten any potential whistleblowers with ruin. USA Today reports: "Rumsfeld, making a surprise visit to Iraq aimed at containing the prisoner abuse scandal, said Thursday administration lawyers are advising the Pentagon not to publicly release any more photographs of Iraqi prisoners being abused by U.S. soldiers." In short, hide the evidence, strong-arm potential whistleblowers among our honest troops, thumb your nose at the public, and keep on with "business as usual" - i.e., making a mockery of American justice, democracy, and freedom of information.

Bush's Loyalty to Rumsfeld Reflects a Sick, Machiavellian Relationship
09-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

It is becoming clear that G.W. Bush is abusing his power to act out his father issues. Daddy didn't take Baghdad, but HE would! And Daddy hated Rumsfeld, so who did Bush have lead the charge into Iraq? As Elizabeth Bumiller observes, "As veterans of the Ford White House remember, Rumsfeld and George H.W. Bush were intense rivals, and by all accounts the two men had a terrible relationship in the 1970s and 1980s.[though they now claim, of course all is cozy]." The Machiavellian Rumsfeld knows exactly how to how to pander to Bush's sick ego: "Republicans close to the Bushes say that Rumsfeld, who is perceived as arrogant and disdainful by many on the White House senior staff, is nothing but deferential to the president." And anyone who knows Rumsfeld also knows it's a phony act. Now on Monday, even as evidence of Rumsfeld's horrific failures in Iraq widens, Bush plans to visit the Pentagon personally as a show of support. Sick, sick, sick!

Pentagon Knives Sharpen for RumOwitz
09-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

PentaPost reports, "Especially among career Army officers, an extraordinary anger is building at Rumsfeld and his top advisers. 'Like a lot of senior Army guys, I'm quite angry' with Rumsfeld and the rest of the Bush administration, the young general said. He listed two reasons. 'One is, I think they are going to break the Army.' But what really incites him, he said, is, 'I don't think they care.' Jeff Smith, a former general counsel of the CIA who has close ties to many senior officers, said, 'Some of my friends in the military are exceedingly angry.' In the Army, he said, 'It's pretty bitter.' Retired Army Col. Robert Killebrew, a frequent Pentagon consultant, said, 'The people in the military are mad as hell.' He said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, should be fired. A spokesman for Myers declined to comment. A Special Forces officer aimed higher, saying that 'Rumsfeld needs to go, as does Wolfowitz.'" Better watch your back, Rummy!

Newsweek Online Readers Want Rumsfeld to Resign
09-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

On Mother's Day, at 3:45 in the afternoon, Newsweek's "Live Vote" asked: Do you think Defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld should resign over the abuse of prisoners in Iraq? 74% of respondents voted "YES".

Why Rumsfeld is Not Likely to Resign
08-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

The executive branch of the US government, which includes the Secretary of Defense, is immune from criminal prosecution and civil suits until they are no longer in office, either through end of term, resignation, or impeachment. If Rumsfeld were to resign, he is subject to lawsuits and prosecution for a number of crimes, not least of which is lying to Congress, both in the run up to the Iraq war and on May 7 when he made several false statements. But risking an impeachment would buy him some time. First of all, an impeachment could be stalled until his current term ran out. If not, then he might muster enough support from his Republican devotees in the Senate, so that he would be acquitted. However, he could still be prosecuted following impeachment according to US law.

Arab Reaction to Rumsfeld's Spiel: Too Little, Too Late
07-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Arabic news channels showed live coverage of a U.S. congressional hearing on the handling of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal on Friday, but few watchers thought Washington was determined to stop abuses. Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya and U.S.-funded Alhurra had simultaneous translation of the hearings, in which Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld apologized to the abuse victims but said he would not resign. Many said the gesture was too little, too late. "The Americans are playing God and they don't want to be answerable to anybody. This is really shameful," said Jassem Ali Hussein, watching the broadcast in a restaurant in the Bahraini capital Manama. 'It (hearing) is not going to stop torture completely but the Americans are going to be more careful,' he said."

To Save Iraq, Rummy & Wolfy Must Go
07-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Juan Cole writes, "Not only would their resignations begin to restore credibility to the United States, it would be an important step toward resolving the Iraqi crisis. The Bush administration has been paralyzed in going forward in Iraq by Rumsfeld's foot-dragging on Iraq. He insists on trying to run the place himself. Putting a private army of unaccountable commandos in there was his idea. Empowering corrupt expatriates like Ahmad Chalabi was his idea. Using disproportionate force and disregarding civilian casualties were his ideas. Trying to keep Defense Department control of the $18 billion in reconstruction aid was his idea. Most of the ways in which Iraq as an enterprise has gone badly wrong are the result of his ideas. Removing him will allow the State Department to do its job in Iraq starting July 1, without continued disastrous maneuvering from Rumsfeld."

Rep. Charlie Rangel Starts Impeachment Campaign Against Rumsfeld
07-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), a member of Congress since 1971 and a Korean war combat veteran, called for the impeachment of Donald Rumsfeld unless he resigns or Bush removes him from office. He announced he was drafting articles of impeachment and spoke on the House floor: "In an atmosphere where all of the people in Iraq have been demonized; where it appears to Americans and to our military that the people in Iraq are responsible for September 11 and causing us pain; where Secretary Rumsfeld did have information months ago on these atrocities and kept it from the President, kept it from the Congress, and kept it from the American people - I think that this rises to the point that it is a high crime and misdemeanor if he disappointed the President, kept information from the Congress and kept this information from the American people. I think America and the world want us to show the outrage not with rhetoric but with action!" Watch Rangel on Larry King Friday 9 pm EST.

Rumsfeld and Myers Lie - and on Record! - About Geneva Convention Applicability in Iraq
07-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

On May 7, Rumsfeld stated not once but several times - on record - that the US is observing the Geneva Convention re: prisoner treatment in Iraq. But this is a complete lie. As Georgetown University Professor and top US war crimes expert Gary Solis told NPR last week."Those whom we have seen in these photographs is not a prisoner of war. Anyone captured after the occupation began would be [classed as] criminals, they would be insurrectionists, insurgents. So the law of war only applies when you have war in progress.... And the war clearly is over in Iraq and we are now in an "occupation phase." So anyone captured during the occupation phase is not a prisoner of war but rather simply a prisoner." But as Seymour Hirsch pointed out in his New Yorker Article, the detention of prisoners at Abu Ghraib without appeal is also a violation of occupation phase Geneva Convention (Article 4).

Protesters Shout 'Fire Rumsfeld for War Crimes' During Senate Hearing
07-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

John Aravosis writes, "In the middle of Rumsfeld's testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, a group of protesters let rip a pretty damn good chorus of 'Fire Rumsfeld for War Crimes!' for about a minute before the cops ushered them out. Click here to see some quick video of the protesters that I got off of CNN's broadcast."

Kerry Calls for Rummy's Resignation
07-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

"John F. Kerry called Thursday for the resignation of Donald H. Rumsfeld and savaged the Bush administration over its handling of the discovered abuses of Iraqi prisoners, saying that 'as president, I will not be the last to know what is going on in my command.' ... 'When I was in the Navy, the captain of the boat was in charge, and captain always took responsibility,' Kerry said to sustained applause. 'I will demand accountability for those who serve, and I will take responsibility for their actions.' After his speech, Kerry said Rumsfeld should resign because of both his 'miscalculation' on the war and the escalating outcry over the abuse revelations. 'This is ... the frosting. I think Iraq and the miscalculation, and the overextension of the armed forces, and the entire way in which they rushed the nation to war ... is a huge, historic miscalculation. And I thought he should have resigned then, period.'"

NY Times Demands Rummy's Head on a Platter
07-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

NY Times opines, "It is time now for Mr. Rumsfeld to go, and not only because he bears personal responsibility for the scandal of Abu Ghraib. That would certainly have been enough... The reputation of its brave soldiers has been tarred, and the job of its diplomats made immeasurably harder because members of the American military tortured and humiliated Arab prisoners in ways guaranteed to inflame Muslim hearts everywhere. And this abuse was not an isolated event, as we know now and as Mr. Rumsfeld should have known, given the flood of complaints and reports directed to his office over the last year. The world is waiting now for a sign that Bush understands the seriousness of what has happened. It needs to be more than his repeated statements that he is sorry the rest of the world does not 'understand the true nature and heart of America.' Mr. Bush should start showing the state of his own heart by demanding the resignation of his secretary of defense."

Will the First Body thrown Overboard from the Sinking SS Bush be Rumsfeld?
06-May-04
Donald Rumsfeld

The White House is sizing up Rumsfeld as its fall guy. Not only did Bush try two different tacks to see how they 'played in Peoria', first expressing firm support for Rummy, then "mildly rebuking" him the next day, the Internet arm of his PR office, d.b.a. AOL's main page is conducting an "instant poll" to sample public opinion on the Sec. of Def. The results suggest Rummy will take the fall.. Meanwhile, his accomplices in the White House are sticking to their pre-concocted story: they never "officially saw" anything about the abuse of Iraqis. Though, of course, they've known all about it at least since January, and probably long before that, as they gave their blessing to the deployment of former torturers from repressive regimes as "private security contractors."

Kerry Blasts Rumsfeld for Viewing Troops as 'Fungible' Commodities
16-Apr-04
Donald Rumsfeld

At an April 15 press conference, the following statement by Rumsfeld was recorded: "QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can I ask you about your opening statement? You said that the challenge in Fallujah is being contained and that the situation in the South is largely stabilized, and I wonder if that is the case, why, then is it necessary to keep extra troops in Iraq for 90 days? RUMSFELD: Well, it is -- the reason it is contained is because we have the extra troops there. That is self-evident. Come on, people are fungible. You can have them here or there." Kerry's response: "Troops are not chess pieces to be moved on a board, they are real people with families and loved ones who depend on them. From failing to provide our troops with adequate body and vehicle armor to breaking their commitment not to extend assignments beyond one year, this Administration has continually let them down. They deserve more than cold impersonal calculations."

Ghouls: Cryptkeeper Rumsfeld and FBI Official Kept 9-11 Souvenirs
13-Mar-04
Donald Rumsfeld

"The removal of souvenir debris from the scenes of the Sept. 11 attacks reached the highest levels of government, including Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and FBI Director Robert Mueller's chief of anti-terrorism... The practice was so widespread inside the FBI that it even forced prosecutors in Minnesota to drop plans to prosecute a company that had taken a fire truck door from the World Trade Center... the Justice Department inspector general confirmed that Rumsfeld 'has a piece of the airplane that flew into the Pentagon' inside his Defense Department office. The Justice Department investigation also collected testimony that Pasquale D'Amuro, Mueller's executive assistant director for terrorism until last summer, asked a supervisory agent to 'obtain a half dozen items from the WTC debris.'" Laura Bush (R-Stepford) balked about people being 'Ghouls' for daring to ask what George was told by the CIA in the briefing a month before 9/11. Hey Laura, Rumsfeld is the real Ghoul!!!

Rumsfeld Takes the Big Lie Abroad as Americans Grow Skeptical
22-Feb-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Rummy still fervently believes in the teachings of Goebbels: Tell a big lie often enough and people will believe it. That's why he's still determined to shove the myth of Al Qaeda in Iraq down the throats of anyone willing to swallow the story. Here in America, the story has worn thin - Al Qaeda was blamed one too many times for Bush failures. So now Rummy is trying the lie out abroad - in Ireland, no less! There, speaking at an airport terminal, Rummy's lie become more full of smoke and mirrors. When asked specifically what type of guerrillas and insurgents were launching increasingly sophisticated attacks in Iraq, he said it was difficult to tell. "Some of these people have 13 different passports and 20 different aliases," he said." Hey, Rummy, if it's that difficult to tell, how do you KNOW they are Al Qaeda and not blackmarketeers, rogue CIA agents, or just angry Iraqis?

Rumsfeld on an Anti-Labor Crusade under Cloak of 'National Security'
13-Feb-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Rummy has outsourced tens of thousands of DOD jobs. Now he wants to turn the remaining workers into a slave labor unit in the name of "national security." Reports the American Federation of Government Employees reports: "Last week, [Rummy] sent to AFGE a list of 'proposed concepts' for a new National Security Personnel System that include: The elimination of collective bargaining, the probable end of current contracts once the new system is implemented, A new hoop-jumping system for employees wanting to have a union, rules that overturn decisions made by federal courts - including the Supreme Court - that were made in favor of unions and public employees."

Federal Government Pushes Flu Drug Made by Rumsfeld's Company Despite Rigged Trials
24-Jan-04
Donald Rumsfeld

Rummy was CEO of Gilead Sciences until named to the Bush cabinet and, like Cheney, still has ties that bind to the "old company." Now isn't it an "amazing coincidence" that the drug Tamiflu patented by Gilead Sciences is being pushed by the National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases as the NUMBER ONE choice for flu, which, wonder of wonders, is sweeping through in one epidemic after another. Tamiflu is now also being recommended to fight avian flu, the current epidemic. Scroll through this NIAID page and you will find Tamiflu listed as ahead of all other recommended drugs for both prevention and treatment of flu. Trouble is, Gilead has been accused of rigging the trials of Tamiflu as a preventive treatment. (see http://12.31.13.115/HealthNews/reuters/NewsStory0106200324.htm) Meanwhile, Gildead is making a killing.

Reagan-Bush Winked at Hussein's Evil
30-Dec-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Robert Scheer writes: "Official documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, ... detail how the U.S. government under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush nurtured and supported Saddam Hussein despite his repeated use of chemical weapons... The documents make it clear that were the trial of Hussein to be held by an impartial world court, it would prove an embarrassing two-edged sword for the White House... If there were a complete investigation into those who aided and abetted Hussein's crimes against humanity, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and former Secretary of State George Shultz would probably end up as material witnesses. It was Rumsfeld and Shultz who told Hussein and his emissaries that U.S. statements generally condemning the use of chemical weapons would not interfere with relations between secular Iraq and the Reagan administration, which took Iraq off the terrorist-nations list and embraced Hussein as a bulwark against fundamentalist Iran."

Rumsfeld Backed Saddam Even After Chemical Attacks
27-Dec-03
Donald Rumsfeld

The UK Independent reports: "Fresh controversy about Donald Rumsfeld's personal dealings with Saddam Hussein was provoked yesterday by new documents that reveal he went to Iraq to show America's support for the regime despite its use of chemical weapons. The formerly secret documents reveal the Defence Secretary travelled to Baghdad 20 years ago to assure Iraq that America's condemnation of its use of chemical weapons was made 'strictly' in principle. The criticism in no way changed Washington's wish to support Iraq in its war against Iran and 'to improve bi-lateral relations ... at a pace of Iraq's choosing.'"

While Rummy was Chairman, Clinical Trials of Tamiflu Treatment were Rigged
23-Dec-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Here's a story the US media never ran! In 1999, the FDA approved the use of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, developed by Gilead Sciences and Roche, for the treatment of flu (not just as a preventive drug). As a result of this approval and one of the most aggressive advertising campaigns of a drug ever to be waged, Tamiflu profits have soared in the US. No wonder - a course of just 20 pills is over $200!! But it turns out that the so-called randomized trials of Tamiflu were rigged - they excluded subjects most likely to contract the flu! Guess who was one of the moving forces in Gilead through these trials and the aggressive marketing campaign? Donald "America Is My Guinea Pig and Cash Cow " Rumsfeld, (Chairman of the Board 1997-2001). (background on Gilead-Roche tamiflu collaboration see http://www.gilead.com/wt/sec/pr_02272001)

Did Rumsfeld Commit Perjury Before Congress over Iraq's WMD?
21-Dec-03
Donald Rumsfeld

On 9-23-2002, "Newsweek reported that the Reagan administration in the 1980s had allowed sales to Iraq of computer databases that Saddam could use to track political opponents and shipments of 'bacteria/fungi/protozoa' that could help produce anthrax and other biological weapons. Sen. Robert C. Byrd asked Donald Rumsfeld about the Newsweek story at a Senate hearing on Sept. 19. 'Did the US help Iraq to acquire the building blocks of biological weapons during the Iran-Iraq war?' Byrd inquired. 'Are we, in fact, now facing the possibility of reaping what we have sown?' 'Certainly not to my knowledge,' Rumsfeld responded. 'I have no knowledge of US companies or government being involved in assisting Iraq develop chemical, biological or nuclear weapons'... Promises of further investigation last September also haven't brought answers to Byrd's questions." Urge our friend Sen. Byrd (202 224-3954) to investigate Rumsfeld for lying to Congress!

Memos: Rummy's '84 Visit to Saddam Was to Reassure Him of U.S. Support
20-Dec-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"Rumsfeld went to Baghdad in March 1984 with instructions to deliver a private message about weapons of mass destruction: that the U.S's public criticism of Iraq for using chemical weapons would not derail Washington's attempts to forge a better relationship, according to newly declassified documents. Rumsfeld... was urged to tell Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz that the U.S. statement on chemical weapons, or CW, 'was made strictly out of our strong opposition to the use of lethal and incapacitating CW, wherever it occurs,' according to a cable to Rumsfeld from then-Secretary of State George Shultz. The statement, the cable said, was not intended to imply a shift in policy, and the U.S. desire 'to improve bilateral relations, at a pace of Iraq's choosing,' remained 'undiminished.' 'This message bears reinforcing during your discussions'... Privately... the administrations of Reagan and... Bush sold military goods to Iraq, including poisonous chemicals and deadly biological agents."

Rumsfeld Aims to Privatize the Military
10-Dec-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"Rumsfeld has considered privatizing U.S. military arsenals, its ammunition plants, and repair depots by spinning them off into federal corporations modeled along the lines of Fannie Mae. The secretary also wants to free up some of the military budget as venture capital to entice private industry into running our armed forces. Carrying machine guns in the field, contract soldiers look like a regular army, but they wear no name tags, and when asked questions, they refuse to say anything at all. Dead private army soldiers don't get included in casualty reports. Laws that require government officials to disclose war information to Congress don't pertain to the executives in corporate suites."

Rumsfeld Ramble Wins 'Foot in Mouth' Award
03-Dec-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Reuters: "Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's curious statement at a press briefing was named on Monday as the year's most baffling comment by a public figure. Rumsfeld, usually renowned for his uncompromising tough talking, was awarded the 'Foot in Mouth' award for a confusing message which probably left his audience in the dark as to its meaning, Britain's Plain English Campaign said. 'Reports that say something hasn't happened are interesting to me, because as we know, there are known unknowns; there things we know we know,' Rumsfeld told the briefing. 'We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know.' John Lister, spokesman for the campaign which strives to have public information delivered in clear, straightforward English, said: 'We think we know what he means. But we don't know if we really know.'"

Twenty-Six House Dems Call for Rummy's Resignation
11-Nov-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Reuters: "A group of more than two dozen House of Representatives Democrats on Monday said they had introduced a resolution urging Resident Bush to fire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. 'This resolution would make official what so many members of Congress already believe -- that the soldiers in Iraq and America's foreign policy would be helped greatly if Donald Rumsfeld would leave,' Rep. Charles Rangel said... Rangel said he so far had 25 co-sponsors to the resolution who were 'willing to stand up and say what so many policy makers know, that the first step to bringing our troops home is to send Donald Rumsfeld home.' The resolution said Rumsfeld misled the American public on assessments of progress in the war and occupation, sent U.S. forces to Iraq 'without adequate planning and sufficient equipment,' and 'demonstrated a lack of sensitivity' in statements on the war and U.S. casualties... The resolution [is] highly unlikely to come up for a vote."

Rumsfeld Retreats -- Disclaims Earlier Rhetoric about WMDs, 'Liberators'
11-Nov-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Hearst News reports: "In the lead-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said U.S. forces would be welcomed by the Iraqi citizenry and that Saddam Hussein had large stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. Now, after both statements have been shown to be either incorrect or vastly exaggerated, Rumsfeld - with the same trademark confidence that he exuded before the war - is denying that he ever made such assertions. In recent testy exchanges with reporters, Rumsfeld interrupted the questioners and attacked the premise of the questions if they dealt with his pre-war comments about weapons of mass destruction and Americans-as-liberators." Hey Don, since you fulfilled your duty in the military, you're not a chickenhawk like George 'AWOL' Bush or Dick Cheney -- you're just a weasel! You can't even stand behind your own statements. Not even for Veterans Day.

Hey Rummy, YOU 'Misinformed and Misled the American People'
03-Nov-03
Donald Rumsfeld

The Progress Report: "Sens. Richard Lugar (R-IN) and Joe Biden (D-DE) both called for more U.S. troops to be deployed to Iraq. When Russert asked Rumsfeld about troop levels and deployment lengths, Rumsfeld said, 'Every time someone has answered those questions, they've been wrong. They've been embarrassingly wrong. I'll use another word. They have misinformed. By believing they knew the answers to those questions, they've misinformed and misled the American people.' But, it was Rumsfeld on 2/27/03 who said, 'What is, I think, reasonably certain is the idea that it would take several hundred thousand U.S. forces I think is far from the mark.' Similarly, it was also Rumsfeld on 2/7/03 who said the war 'could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.'"

Is Congress Turning on Rummy?
23-Oct-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld runs the most powerful military in the history of the world - and this awesome power has gone to his head. Rumsfeld hasn't just bitten the hand that feeds him - Congress - he has chomped it right off, feasted on the flesh, and spit out the bones. Until now, he was able to get away with it because of 9-11. But as the Iraq costs mount - and the occupation timeline stretches towards infinity - senior REPUBLICAN Senators are starting to grumble. But will the fascist followers of Tom DeLay in the House join their Senate colleagues? Stay tuned...

Now the Leak's on Rumsfeld, and He Doesn't Like It One Bit
23-Oct-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"Rumsfeld was 'livid' when he discovered a memo written to top aides made it onto the front page of the nation's largest circulated newspaper, a senior defense official told Fox News... Speaking to reporters Wednesday evening, Rumsfeld was clearly annoyed by the leak. 'If I wanted it published, I would have written it as a press release, which I didn't,' Rumsfeld said after a closed-door meeting with senators on Capitol Hill... The Oct. 16 memo, written to four top aides - Myers, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Gen. Peter Pace and Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Doug Feith - was splashed across the front page of Wednesday's USA Today. 'It boggles my mind how a memo to four people ends up on the front page of a newspaper,' a senior defense official said."

Has Rumsfeld Been Demoted?
14-Oct-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Nick Childs writes for BBC News: "Mr Rumsfeld was a key architect of the war in Iraq Indeed, he appeared to get a slap in the political face with the news that the National Security Council (NSC) under Condoleezza Rice has established a new committee to oversee Iraq policy. William Hartung, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute, said that, not before time, Resident Bush was putting Mr Rumsfeld in his place... But Mr Hartung said the defence secretary's very outspokenness, once an asset, is a liability now that the administration is looking vulnerable and defensive on Iraq. 'He's a bit of a loose cannon and I think he believes he can get away with it because he's an elder statesman, he's been secretary of defence before, he's served in business, he's the oldest member of this administration, in the national security post, he says these things in this kind of jovial fashion. But in fact, if you listen to what he's saying, a lot of it is really over the line.'"

How to Ruin a Great Army? Watch Donald Rumsfeld
27-Sep-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Joseph Galloway, senior military analyst for Knight Ridder Newspapers, writes, "Armies are fragile institutions, and for all their might, easily broken. It took the better part of 20 years to rebuild the Army from the wreckage of Vietnam. With the hard work of a generation of young officers, blooded in Vietnam and determined that the mistake would never be repeated, a new Army rose Phoenix-like from the ashes of the old, now perhaps the finest Army in history. In just over two years, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and his civilian aides have done just about everything they could to destroy that Army. How will they explain to history the mistakes that threaten to weaken a great nation even as it seeks ways to win the war on terrorism it has declared?"

Dean and Kerry call on Rumsfeld to Quit
27-Sep-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"Howard Dean and John Kerry have called for Donald Rumsfeld to resign, citing a 'pattern of deception' in his statements on Iraq and a failure to plan for the postwar period. Kerry first said Thursday that Rumsfeld should step down, saying he proceeded in Iraq 'in an arrogant, inappropriate way that has frankly put America at jeopardy.' Dean joined the call Friday and added Paul Wolfowitz to the list... Dean announced a national petition drive on the Internet to demonstrate support for their resignations... Dean accused the Bush administration of 'a long line of problematic statements' on Iraq, from the resident's disputed State of the Union message about Iraq's attempts to acquire uranium for a nuclear weapon to claims of ties between Iraq and the al-Qaida terror network. 'This pattern of deception is but one major reason that this administration deserves to be fired by the American people,' said Dean, who also cited the 'abject failure' to plan for a postwar Iraq."

Did Rumsfeld Admit that Bush Did Nothing to Prevent 9-11?
19-Sep-03
Donald Rumsfeld

The NY Times quotes Rumsfeld: "Anytime an act of terrorism is rewarded, a lesson is learned by the terrorists. There are going to be losses if you do nothing, as we learned on Sept. 11, and there are going to be losses if you do something." So is he saying that Bush did nothing to stop Sept. 11?

Rumsfeld Heckled at National Press Club
11-Sep-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"Rumsfeld was heckled by protesters against the Iraq war during a speech at the National Press Club on Wednesday and brushed aside a question on whether he might resign,' an attending journalist from China reports. 'Rumsfeld stood quietly at the podium while a small group of uninvited protesters unfurled a 'Bloody Hands' banner from the balcony and, interrupting his speech, shouted accusations that the war was illegal, that U.S. soldiers were dying there, and that he should 'bring the troops home now.' 'Hey, Rumsfeld, what do you say, how many soldiers did you kill today?' they chanted... After the protesters were removed, Rumsfeld paused, then drew laughter by saying, 'Well, now,' and continued with his speech." Which was followed by carefully screened, handpicked, and totally pointless questions.

Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee Calls on Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz to Resign
08-Sep-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"As troubles in Iraq continue and Americans grow apprehensive, congressional Democrats seem to have returned from the August recess in a more outspoken mood about Bush administration policies. U.S. Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., on Friday sought the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, for what he called 'a disaster' in planning for post-war Iraq. 'It is impossible to review the record of the past year and not conclude that they have made repeated and serious miscalculations,' Obey wrote in a letter to Resident Bush.... [The letter] shows how Democrats who opposed the war, many of whom held their fire back in May and June, have grown outspoken in ways that would have been unthinkable earlier."

Rumsfeld Blames Iraqis for Their Own Lack of Security
07-Sep-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Iraq expert Prof. Juan Cole writes that during his visit to Najaf, "Rumsfeld blamed the Iraqis for their own lack of security, since they are not doing enough to tell the US forces in the country who the bombers are. [Rumsfeld: 'Instead of pointing fingers at the security forces of the coalition because there are acts of violence taking place against Iraqi people in this country, it's important for the Iraqi people to step up and take responsibility.'] Does anybody but me find this sort of rhetoric disgraceful? Do people in Najaf even know anybody in Tikrit, where the recent bombing was probably planned?... Since the US dissolved the Iraqi army, moreover, how exactly could Iraqis track such terrorists? With the PTA? It is the US that has 140,000 troops in the country and is supposed to be in control of places like Tikrit, and which has special forces and CIA field officers on the ground. Why isn't it the responsibility of the US to stop bombings and provide security?"

Pentagon Insider Fires Broadside at Rummy & Office of Special Plans
07-Aug-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Jim Lobe reports, "Few could help notice last week that the Pentagon's 'Early Bird' omitted an opinion piece distributed by the Knight-Ridder news agency by a senior Pentagon Middle East specialist, Air Force Lt Col Karen Kwiatkowski, who worked in the office of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith until her retirement in April. 'What I saw was aberrant, pervasive and contrary to good order and discipline,' Kwiatkowski wrote. 'If one is seeking the answers to why peculiar bits of 'intelligence' found sanctity in a presidential speech, or why the post-Saddam [Hussein] occupation [of Iraq] has been distinguished by confusion and false steps, one need look no further than the process inside the Office of the Secretary of Defense.'"

Pattern and Practice: Rumsfeld, Cheney, Wolfowitz and the Original 'Team B'
17-Jul-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"In 1974 Albert Wohlstetter of the Rand Corporation... fired the first shot. 'He accused the CIA of systematically underestimating Soviet missile deployment, and conservatives began a concerted attack', led by the then defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, his protege' Richard Cheney, Ford's chief of staff at the time, and by the president's foreign intelligence advisory board (PFIAB). One key result was the establishment, on 26 May 1976, of Team B, a group of outside experts commissioned by the new director of central intelligence, George Bush Senior, to produce competitive assessments of the Soviet threat... Team B was headed by Richard Pipes, an 'expert' on Soviet affairs... , and its members included Paul Wolfowitz, now deputy defence secretary, and other eminent cold warriors drawn from PFIAB and the committee on the present danger (CPD)... According to Howard Stoertz, the CIA official responsible for USSR analyses, Bush's Team B exercise 'was an absolute disaster for the CIA.'"

In 1995, Rumsfeld Headed Another 'Team B' to Push for Stars Wars Missile Defense
17-Jul-03
Donald Rumsfeld

PBS reports: "A 1995 intelligence estimate by the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency concluded, however, that the threat of a rogue state being able to deploy an ICBM capable of reaching the United States was at least fifteen years away. Charging that the estimate was the result of political pressure placed on the intelligence community, the Republican-controlled Congress ordered an outside review -- a 'Team B' exercise -- to be chaired by former CIA director Robert Gates. But Gates did not deliver the verdict many proponents of national missile defense were expecting... Congress then convened yet another 'Team B' -- this one chaired by Donald Rumsfeld, a long-time proponent of missile defense... The Rumsfeld commission concluded that some Third World countries, by collaborating among themselves, cutting corners, and lowering their military specifications, could produce a crude missile of intercontinental range far sooner than the CIA had predicted."

In 1998, Rumsfeld's 'Team B' on North Korea Knocked Clinton -- While Overlooking Rev. Moon's Millions to North Korea
17-Jul-03
Donald Rumsfeld

From Consortium News, 1/3/01: "Bush's choice of Donald Rumsfeld to be U.S. defense secretary could put an unintended spotlight on the role of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon -- a Bush family benefactor -- in funneling millions of dollars to communist North Korea in the 1990s as it was developing a missile and nuclear weapons program... In 1998, Rumsfeld headed a special commission... that warned that North Korea had made substantial progress during the decade in building missiles that could pose a potential nuclear threat to Japan and parts of the United States... Yet, during the early-to-mid 1990s, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency [in documents obtained via FOIA] was monitoring a series of clandestine payments from Sun Myung Moon's organization to the North Korean communist leaders who were overseeing the country's military strategies... Republicans have used Rumsfeld's report to club President Clinton and Vice President Gore for alleged softness toward a recalcitrant communist enemy."

Rumsfeld Operated His Own Spy Ring in Pentagon and Used It to 'Engineer' Intelligence
17-Jul-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Salon reports: "The Pentagon's innocuously named Office of Special Plans served as a unique, hand-picked group of hawkish defense officials who worked outside regular intelligence channels. According to the Department of Defense, the group was first created in the aftermath of Sept. 11 to supplement the war on terrorism; it was designed to sift through all the intelligence on terrorist activity, and to focus particularly on various al-Qaida links. By last fall it was focusing almost exclusively on Iraq, and often leaking doomsday findings about Saddam's regime. Those controversial conclusions are now fueling the suspicion the obscure agency, propelled by ideology, manipulated key findings in order to fit the White House's desire to wage war with Iraq. "

Good Golly! Molly Says Rummy Should 'Rot in Hell'
16-Jul-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Molly Ivins writes, "I opposed the war in Iraq because I thought it would lead to the peace from hell, but I'd rather not see my prediction come true and I don't think we have much time left to avert it. That the occupation is not going well is apparent to everyone but Donald Rumsfeld. If this thing turns into Vietnam simply because that man is too vain and arrogant to admit that Gen. Eric Shinseki was right when he said we would need 'several hundred thousand soldiers' over there, I hope Rumsfeld rots in a hell worse than the one he's making."

Back in the 70's, Rumsfeld's 'Team B' Cooked Intelligence on the Soviet Threat, Now He's Done It Again with the WMD Lies
04-Jul-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"Out of these meetings came the Committee on the Present Danger (CPD), whose existence revolved around the die-hard belief that the United States was failing to keep pace with the Soviet war machine. Though originally seen as an extremist organization, the group--which included a number of Rumsfeld's adepts and comrades-in-arms [including Paul Wolfowitz] -- managed to prevail upon the Ford administration to let its members have access to CIA data in the service of providing an 'alternative' assessment of the Soviet threat. ... It was no surprise, then, that when [CIA Director George] Bush [Sr] asked the White House for permission to bring in the CPD, he obtained an enthusiastic response. The CPD experts, who by this point had come to be known as 'Team B,' crafted an assessment that, as American University national security expert Anne Hessing Cahn put it, 'everywhere saw the worst case,' was rife with what we now know was rampant overestimation of Soviet military capability."

Rumsfeld's Rules
04-Jul-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Heather Wokusch writes: "In a little-known 1974 document entitled 'Rumsfeld's Rules,' the Secretary of Defense offers his philosophy on life and work. But how well does Rumsfeld follow his own rules? Here's a sampler of quotes from the text, followed by Rumsfeld's actual performance."

Time for Rumsfeld to Resign
12-Jun-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Wayne Madsen writes, "It is no secret that Donald Rumsfeld treats his flag rank officers with contempt and disdain. Rumsfeld's latest dissing of his senior officers came when he chose retired General Peter Shoomaker, the former head of the US Special Operations Command, to succeed outgoing Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki. Rumsfeld was faced with the problem that neither of the two active duty generals he first asked to take the Army Chief of Staff job, wanted it. CENTCOM commander General Tommy Franks, fresh from his victory over Iraq, decided to retire rather than preside over Rumsfeld's plan to restructure the U.S. Army into small mobile SWAT teams. Shinseki's Vice Chief of Staff, General John Keane, turned down Rumsfeld's offer because of his wife's illness."

The Two Faces of Rumsfeld
09-May-03
Donald Rumsfeld


From the UK Guardian:

"2000: director of a company which wins $200m contract to sell nuclear reactors to North Korea
2002: declares North Korea a terrorist state, part of the axis of evil and a target for regime change"

We would add:

1983: shakes hands with Saddam Hussein as an envoy on behalf of Reagan-Bush -- to offer military aid and financial support, for the purposes of closing the Aqaba pipeline deal for Bechtel.
2002: declares Iraq a terrorist state, part of the axis of evil and a target for regime change.
2003: prosecutes unprovoked war of aggression on Iraq.

Pravda Compares Rumsfeld to Jabba the Hut
10-Apr-03
Donald Rumsfeld

As US-Russian relations rapidly deteriorate, Pravda opines, "Donald Rumsfeld today proclaimed that Saddam Hussein will join others in the annals of the history books as a failed dictator, naming 'Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Ceausescua'. For Donald Rumsfeld's information, Vladimir Ulyanov [aka Lenin] set in motion a process which was to bring a Medieval state to the front line of development and give to an oppressed, illiterate population...every opportunity for a good education, a guaranteed job, house, retirement pension, food, vodka, health care...a process which sees the Russian people today as well or better prepared than their peers abroad to perform any job anywhere on earth...And [he] set in motion the mechanism to create the Soviet Union, which heroically defeated the fascist forces of Hitler, [losing] 20,000,000 of its souls [in WWII]. If Rumsfeld compares Lenin to Hitler, maybe we should compare Bush to Genghis Khan and Rumsfeld himself to Jabba the Hut."

Under Reagan-Bush, Rumsfeld Ignored Weapons of Mass Destruction in Pursuit of Iraqi Oil Pipeline for Bechtel
07-Apr-03
Donald Rumsfeld

From the Institute for Policy Studies: "Examining recently released government and corporate sources, researchers at the Institute for Policy Studies have uncovered new evidence that oil has long been the driving concern behind US-Iraqi relations. Key figures associated with the Bush Administration, in particular Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, pressed Saddam Hussein during the mid '80's to approve the Aqaba pipeline project from Iraq to Jordan. In 'Crude Vision: How Oil Interests Obscured US Government Focus On Chemical Weapons Use by Saddam Hussein' the Institute for Policy Studies reveals that the diplomatic pressure from Rumsfeld and the Reagan administration happened during and despite Hussein's use of chemical weapons. Behind the scenes, these officials worked for two years attempting to secure the billion dollar pipeline scheme for the Bechtel corporation. The Bush/Cheney administration now eyes Bechtel as a primary contractor for the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure."

Rumsfeld was on ABB Board during Nuke Reactor Deal with North Korea
26-Feb-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"The Swiss-based ABB on Friday told swissinfo that Rumsfeld was involved with the company in early 2000, when it netted a $200 million contract with Pyongyang. The ABB contract was to deliver equipment and services for two nuclear power stations at Kumho, on North Korea's east coast. Rumsfeld...was a member of ABB's board between 1990 and February 2001, when he left to take up his current post. Wolfram Eberhardt, a spokesman for ABB, told swissinfo that Rumsfeld 'was at nearly all the board meetings' during his decade-long involvement with the company... Rumsfeld's position at ABB could prove embarrassing for the Bush administration since while he was a director he was also active on issues of weapons proliferation, chairing the 1998 congressional Ballistic Missile Threat commission. The commission suggested the Clinton-era deal with Pyongyang gave too much away because 'North Korea maintains an active weapons of mass destruction programme, including a nuclear weapons programme'."

Rumsfeld Must Go! He Let Bin Laden and Al Qaeda Escape!
22-Feb-03
Donald Rumsfeld

In a PBS "NOW" interview, Seymour Hersh tells how al Qaeda got away: the Pakistan Intelligence was with al Qaeda- training them- and they requested Musharraf to ask the US to help them escape. Musharraf- fearing a revolt amongst his own Muslim fundies- asked the US- in a decision that "must have" gone at least as high as Donald Rumsfeld, if not the White House! Rumsfeld ALLOWED these terrorists to escape- including, it seems, bin Laden! "Sy Hersh: I am here to tell you it was authorized - Donald Rumsfeld who - we'll talk about what he said later - it had to be authorized at the White House. But certainly at the Secretary of Defense level. Jane Wallace: What did we do that? Why we would put our special forces guys on the ground, surround the enemy, and then-- fly him out? Sy Hersh: With al Qaeda. Jane Wallace: With al Qaeda. Why would we do that, assuming your story is true? Sy Hersh: We did it because the [Pakistan] ISI asked us to do so."

Rummy is Disowned by his German Relatives
10-Feb-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Telegraph/UK reports, "The Rumsfelds of Weyhe-Sudweyhe, an unremarkable red-brick suburb of Bremen, were once proud of their long-lost cousin, America's secretary of state for defense - but no longer. Like many Germans, they are appalled by Donald Rumsfeld's hawkish attitude to military action against Saddam Hussein. About 18,000 anti-war demonstrators marched through Munich yesterday to protest at his presence at an international security conference - chanting slogans such as 'No room for Rumsfeld!' 'We think it is dreadful that Donald Rumsfeld is out there pushing for a war against Iraq,' Karin Cecere (nee Rumsfeld), 59, said from her two-up, two-down home last week. 'We are embarrassed to be related to him,' she told The Telegraph. Margarete Rumsfeld, her 85-year-old mother, was equally dismissive: 'We don't have much to do with him anymore. Nowadays he's just the American defense secretary to us, but for God's sake, he'd better not start a war,' she added. "

Feeling the Heat, Rumsfeld Apologizes for Draft Statement
21-Jan-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Rummy definitely noticed the furor over his remarks dissing draftees, and quickly issued this "apology." "My statement was not eloquent. A few columnists and others, though, have suggested that those words were intended to mean that draftees added no value to the military. That is not true. I did not say they added no value while they were serving. They added great value. I was commenting on the loss of that value when they left the service... Hundreds of thousands of military draftees served over years with great distinction and valor - many being wounded and still others killed. The last thing I would want to do would be to disparage the service of those draftees. I always have had the highest respect for their service, and I offer my full apology to any veteran who misinterpreted my remarks when I said them, or who may have read any of the articles or columns that have attempted to take my words and suggest they were disparaging." Now when will Rummy apologize for lying about Iraq?

Mark Shields on Rumsfeld's 'Giant Fib' about the 'All-Volunteer Service'
20-Jan-03
Donald Rumsfeld

"Asked about legislation introduced to re-institute the draft on the eve of war, Rumsfeld was emphatic: 'We're not going to re-implement the draft. There is no need for it at all. ... We have people serving today -- God bless 'em -- because they volunteered. They want to be doing what it is they're doing.' Sounds good, except that it is not true. Two days after these unequivocal words, the United States Marine Corps -- which reports to the secretary of defense -- froze for the next 12 months every one of its 174,312 members currently on active duty. Marines who had completed their voluntary enlistments or their 20 years and had chosen to return to civilian life or retirement will instead remain, involuntarily, in the service. Marines being Marines, they will answer their country's call. But let us be clear: This action, along with other more limited freezes affecting other thousands in uniform imposed by the other services, means the volunteer U.S. military is no longer all-volunteer."

Rumsfeld Declares Precious American Soldiers' Blood Had 'No Value'
16-Jan-03
Donald Rumsfeld

On 1-7-03, Rumsfeld made a shocking statement about draftees. "The disadvantages to the individuals so brought in are notable. If you think back to when we had the draft, people were brought in; they were paid some fraction of what they could make in the civilian manpower market because they were without choices. Big categories were exempted - people that were in college, people that were teaching, people that were married. It varied from time to time, but there were all kinds of exemptions. And what was left was sucked into the intake, trained for a period of months, and then went out, adding no value, no advantage, really, to the United States armed services over any sustained period of time, because the churning that took place, it took enormous amount of effort in terms of training, and then they were gone." In past wars, America drafted its finest young men because the American people decided we had to all pay a price - "the last full measure of devotion." Rumsfeld must be fired!

Rumsfeld Wanted to Poison Afghanistan's Food Supply!
14-Jan-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Back on 2/18/02, Matthew Rothschild wrote: "Deep inside the sixth of eight glowing articles in its series '10 Days in September' about what wonderful crisis managers George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice are, The Washington Post on February 1 buried the following bit of information: The Pentagon was considering poisoning Afghanistan's food supply. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld prepared a briefing for Bush on September 17, Bob Woodward and Dan Balz reported. Rice, head of the National Security Council, 'and Frank Miller, the senior NSC staffer for defense, went with the President to the Pentagon. Before the briefing, Miller previewed the classified slide presentation prepared for Bush and got a big surprise,' Woodward and Balz reported."

Rumsfeld Trash Talks Veterans While Sending More to 'Possible' War
14-Jan-03
Donald Rumsfeld

Symbolman writes, "Donald Rumsfeld needs to RESIGN immediately. The latest flash animation by Symbolman makes just this point, considering that Rumsfeld dissed just about everyone who was ever drafted in one fell swoop, and in Public. He obviously has no respect for Veterans - they are defunding Veteran benefits while sending more boys off every day for the 'possible' war with Iraq that is nothing more than a transparent, naked grab for OIL. Using OUR american troops as venture capital is wrong and Rumsfeld needs to RESIGN this instant. See Rumsfeld's gleeful dance for death in the 'Pentagoon' flash work, and pass this along to as many Veterans as you can." (Flash).

In September, Rumsfeld Lied Repeatedly about his Role in Arming Iraq
30-Dec-02
Donald Rumsfeld

WashPost reports, "In a September interview with CNN, Rumsfeld said he 'cautioned' Hussein about the use of chemical weapons, a claim at odds with declassified State Department notes of his 90-minute meeting with the Iraqi leader." In other words, Rumsfeld LIED. "Rumsfeld has also said he had 'nothing to do' with helping Iraq in its war against Iran. [But] the documents show that his visits to Baghdad led to closer U.S.-Iraqi cooperation on a wide variety of fronts," ABOVE ALL helping Iraq fight Iran. Thus, Rumsfeld lied AGAIN. We demand Rumsfeld's resignation for lying!

Rumsfeld Transcript Reveals Corporate-Style Flimflam: Office of Strategic Influence - Same Operation, Different Name
02-Dec-02
Donald Rumsfeld

The Office of Strategic Influence was supposedly discontinued due to extremely unfavorable publicity. But an 11/18 statement by Donald Rumsfeld shows what a lie that was! Instead of honoring the public's wishes, Rumsfeld pulled the old corporate ploy - change the name, but not the modus operandi. "And then there was the Office of Strategic Influence. You may recall that. And 'oh my goodness gracious isn't that terrible, Henny Penny the sky is going to fall.' I went down that next day and said fine, if you want to savage this thing fine I'll give you the corpse. There's the name. You can have the name, but I'm gonna keep doing every single thing that needs to be done and I have." What odious arrogance!

Before Rumsfeld Sends Your Kids to Kill and Die in Iraq, Ask Him Why
12-Nov-02
Donald Rumsfeld

WBBM-AM Chicago is teaming up with 24 other Infinity Broadcasting news and talk stations nationwide in a call-in show featuring Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. 'Infinity Radio Connect: American Security,' hosted by CBS' '60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft, will air live at 4 p.m. Central Time Thursday on 'Newsradio 780.' Rumsfeld is expected to respond to questions about the war on terrorism and possible U.S. action against Iraq. 'This is not a press conference, but rather a forum that will give people a chance to talk directly to the secretary of defense,' said John Sykes, CEO of Infinity." Find other infinity stations here: http://www.infinityradio.com/station/

Emperor Rumsfeld Sets Up His Own Administration within the Pentagon - Is this a Coup D'Etat?
30-Oct-02
Donald Rumsfeld

Rumsfeld seems to be forgetting just who is president (however illegally). In addition to being an arrogant pain in the ass by all accounts, Rummy has now set up his own State Department within the DOD, because the real thing wasn't bullying other nations enough. He now also has his own DOD within the DOD, grabbing power away from those who are legally entrusted with it in his own little coup. Worst of all, he and his inner circle now have their own C.I.A. in a slimey scheme to justify his twisted foreign policy and military goals. So, says Maureen Dowd, "We have one group of spies that doesn't get any information, and another group of spies looking for information that doesn't exist so they can twist it. " Whaddya wanna bet a "White House within the DOD" is next?

To Justify W-ar, Rumsfeld Desperately Tries to Manufacture an Al Qaeda-Saddam Link Where NONE Exists
24-Oct-02
Donald Rumsfeld

Thwarted at every turn by the facts, Donald Rumsfeld is (we are told on good authority) becoming increasingly pushy, sullen, and punitive amongst coworkers at the Pentagon. Like a spoiled, overentitled adolescent denied to keys to Daddy's car, he is determined to have his own way no matter what. Now he has pulled an intelligence unit off other, more critical duties to have them pore over info on Iraq for the sixty-zillionth time in the hope that they will find something - ANYTHING - he can use as a pretext to attack Iraq. Members of the five-person "intelligence" unit were hand-picked by Rumsfeld and stacked with pro-war folks. It's like bringing in Ken Lay and Arthur Andersen to review the evidence in the Enron case. We will not buy Rumsfeld's manufactured Bushit!

Rumsfeld Lays Out 'War Principles' for Bush's Military Dictatorship: Screw our Allies, Screw the Public
17-Oct-02
Donald Rumsfeld

Roland Watson writes: "America should never allow the concerns of allies or worries of the public to dictate its military aims, according to Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary. Mr Rumsfeld said that the United States 'must not dumb down what is needed by promising not to do things', such as not to endanger civilians or bomb during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The maxim is among several personal principles that Mr Rumsfeld believes should guide the deployment of US forces. Together, the 'Rumsfeld guidelines' make up the clearest definition of when and how the Pentagon plans to unleash America's military might for a decade. Others include the statement that if Americans or others are likely to be killed, the US 'must have a darn good reason' for proposing military action. Just as the risks of military action needs to be considered, 'so, too, the risk of inaction needs to be weighed.'"

Donald Rumsfeld Shows Pathological Grandiosity by Vowing to 'Get' Every Single Living Terrorist On Earth
09-Oct-02
Donald Rumsfeld

Can anyone in their right mind believe ANYTHING that a man says when he makes a totally impossible statement like this? It's like saying "I will find every needle in every haystack in the world." Yet we are supposed to believe this is a reliable, trustworthy, balanced man. Yeah, right. So we are being pushed into a wider and wider war based on trumped up evidence and on psychopathic vows to 'get' every enemy. Follow that kind of thinking to its illogical and paranoid conclusion and the scenario that suggests itself is a world where only the Bush administration and a handful of other rightwing hawks are left alive and/or unimprisoned.

Gulf War Veterans Call Rumsfeld 'A Clear and Present Danger to the Lives of our Military' and Demand His Resignation
02-Oct-02
Donald Rumsfeld

The American Gulf War Veterans Association is demanding that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld resign or be removed from office because he is either dishonest or incompetent. "In response to questioning by Sen. Robert C. Byrd, (D-WV), Rumsfeld denied any knowledge that the United States had shipped biological weapons to Iraq during the 1980's. There is no disputing the evidence that the U.S. provided bacteria and viruses as evidenced by Senate Report 103-900. If our Secretary of Defense is unaware of the sales of biological materials to a country with which we are about to go to war, or if he is in denial over the fact that these sales occurred, the AGWVA believes that he represents a clear and present danger to the lives of our military, our country, and the American people, and should be considered a very serious threat to the national security."

Rumsfeld Says Schroeder 'Poisoned' US-German Relations - We See it the Other Way Around!
23-Sep-02
Donald Rumsfeld

Each new day with the Bush administration bring a new humiliation. Now, in the wake of Schroeder's win of the German election, Rumsfeld, Bush's "Secretary of War" is pouting and snubbing the Chancellor as if this were a grade school playground and not the global stage. Whines Rummy, "I would have to say that the way it (the election) was conducted was definitely unhelpful, and as the White House indicated, has had the effect of poisoning the relationship." Hell-OO! You are supposed to be representing the AMERICAN PEOPLE, not Bush's ego, and since when is it any of your business how the Germans run their election? You Bush folks can't run an honest one here!

Rumsfeld Wants to Round Up and Prosecute Protesters on Vieques
18-Sep-02
Donald Rumsfeld

The headline in this article refers to "violent protestors." What "violent protestors?" A few rocks were thrown and two Puerto Rican police officers were injured slightly in confrontations. However, the police themselves are sympathetic to the protestors, whose complaints about having their island used as a US bombing range have fallen on deaf ears in the Bush administration. In fact, the police have reportedly refused to intervene when protestors gather. But now as Rummy gears up to play war, Vieques is undoubtedly slated for a steady rain of bombs. The Bushfeld solution: throw everyone who complains in jail. Whaddya wanna bet the next step is to declare the Vieques protestors "terrorists?"

Has Donald Rumsfeld Stopped Taking His Medication?
30-Aug-02
Donald Rumsfeld

There's nothing quite as embarrassing for Americans than seeing one of their supposed "leaders" revealed to the world as a looney tune with delusions of grandeur. In the space of about three minutes in front of 3,000 marines, Donald Rumsfeld flapped his arms like a giant bird (his gestures have gone from hyper to hysterical, see the "Big Bird" Rumsfeld photo at http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/020827/161/24jud.html&e=4&%20ncid=27), compared the Idiot Bush to Winston Churchill and suggested that Saddam Hussein might be getting ready to march on Europe. Meanwhile, as photos of the episode showed, the marines didn't exactly look impressed. And neither was the rest of the world.

Rumsfeld Seeks Power to Launch CIA-Style Secret Military Operations (Including Targeted Murders) in Dozens of Friendly Nations
14-Aug-02
Donald Rumsfeld

If Donald Rumsfeld gets his way, America's Special Operations units will be plunged into long-term covert operations in countries where the US is not at war and, in some cases, where the local government is not informed of their presence. Rumsfeld is hoping to get the green light to permit these units to carry out CIA-type murders of anyone labeled a "terrorist". So how on God's green Earth does Mr. Rumsfeld and his Pentagon minions justify this scheme? By calling it a "preparation of the battlefield" in the "war against terrorism."

Karl Rove is De Facto Secretary of State, and Colin Powell is PO'ed
13-May-02
Donald Rumsfeld

In a front page story, the NY Times reports, "Karl Rove, President [sic] Bush's top political adviser, is expanding his White House portfolio by inserting himself into the debate over how to deal with the Middle East, trade, terrorism, Latin America and other foreign policy matters, say outside advisers and administration officials, including some who are rankled by his growing involvement... Mr. Rove's involvement has put off Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, who is described by associates as questioning why someone with a background in domestic politics should be an important voice in foreign policy... Mr. Rove declined to be interviewed for this article, writing in an e-mail message, 'I'm not deeply involved in foreign policy!' Asked to elaborate, he restated in a subsequent e-mail message, 'I am not deeply involved.'" Senator Joe Biden, why don't you haul Rove before the Foreign Relations Committee and make him say that under oath?

Has Power-Crazy Rumsfeld Gone Off the Deep End?
27-Apr-02
Donald Rumsfeld

We always had the impression that Rumsfeld was about the least stable of all the rightwingnuts in the administration (Paul O'Neill is a close contender). But scarily, added to instability we have delusions of grandeur and thirst for MORE power. Now it comes to light that Rummy - who recently fired all Pentagon officials who oppose his views (the Democratic officials) - is trying to override presidential decisions. With the aid of his Pentagon toadies, he is attacking Bush's back on nuke treaty issues so arrogantly that, "At one point, President [sic] Bush had to order Rumsfeld to stop opposing a treaty now being negotiated that would limit the United States and Russia to deploying no more than 1,700 to 2,200 operational warheads each by 2012." (Jonathan Landay, Knight Ridder) So what day do you plan to hold your coup, Rummy?

After the Urzugan Massacre, Rummy is Not So Sexy
12-Feb-02
Donald Rumsfeld

While the US bombed Afghanistan, Donald Rumsfeld became a sex symbol for the corporate media - but this is changing. "What allegedly happened on Jan. 23 in the south-central Afghan province of Uruzgan is widely seen as something qualitatively different than anonymous bombs dropped from thousands of feet in the sky. In Uruzgan, according to the Afghans, their American friends stood right in front of them, looked straight at them and fired. The Americans captured those left alive and, the Afghans claimed, beat them and locked them in 'cages,' without even stopping to ask who they were. If true, said James B. Steinberg, who served as President Bill Clinton's deputy national security adviser, 'this beating-up thing is going to hurt [the Bush administration] much more' than any anonymous bombing mistake. Bush administration officials appeared to agree on the potential fallout. 'People will allege that we look just like their oppressive regimes when things like that go on,' said one."

In Ukraine, Rumsfeld Proves He's More Interested in Corporate Looting Ops than 'Democratization'
02-Aug-01
Donald Rumsfeld

Not long ago, Darth Rumsfeld visited Ukraine where, he said, he "laid down the law" to President Leonid Kuchma about democracy and reform. Rummy assured Kuchma that Washington would be waiting and watching the "democratization process" patiently. But, writes Chad Nagle in NYPress, "The real message, of course, had nothing to with democracy. Although the official American worldview is that the "free market" and "free trade" are great democratizing forces inseparable from law-governed society, this is only a smokescreen for the West’s goal of plundering small states to transform them into impoverished dependencies, helpless to protest the looting of their economies for fear of feeling NATO’s boot. What Washington cares about in Ukraine is not a "free market," but a Ukrainian government prepared to flog the country’s national wealth on the cheap to Americans."

Darth Rumsfeld
01-Mar-01
Donald Rumsfeld

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has quite a spooky pedigree. In the Ford administration, Rumsfeld and a group including Richard Perle - a future Iran-Contra figure - undermined the Salt II Arms Treaty with Russia. Along with then-CIA Director George Bush Sr., Rumsfeld brought on the Committee For Present Danger (CPD) as "Team B", which conspired with Bush's CIA to grossly overestimate the Soviet Union's military strength to justify runaway defense spending. The CPD has continued as a think tank pumping out archaic cold war propaganda. Recent committee members include the Heritage Foundation's Midge Decter, John McCain and even Tom Clancy – who wrote a novel titled "Clear and Present Danger". Rumsfeld has worked with Bill Bennett at the Scaife and Coors-funded Empower America, an adjunct of the Heritage Foundation. In recent years, Rumsfeld revived his "Team B" efforts to push for missile defense, including a report that over-hyped the North Korea threat. His report conveniently ignored that Bush benefactor Rev. Moon had paid millions to the North Korean leaders (See http://www.consortiumnews.com/2001/010301a.html).

 


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