Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire rummy resigning?

Now then if Cheney will just get in a 55 gallon drum with forty feet of chain and roll on down to the river, that will help a lot.

Maybe I'm just not understanding the politics of it, but this whole thing is just friggin' stupid.

1. If Rummy was in effect "fired" by Bush (resign or we'll resign you), why did Bush not do this weeks or months ago? Did he think people would change their opinions about him? Certainly couldn't have hurt them in the election, and could have only helped I'd think.

2. If this is Rummy's way of "taking his ball and going home" because he's upset about the election results, he should have done this months ago as well. Maybe he has been wanting to do this for months, but was asked by Bush to stay on and ride it out until after the election? Stupid move on Bush's part if that's the case.

With Rummy's reputation, and the way the war is perceived to have been going, waiting until after the election to resign / fire him seems to me the worst thing they could have done.

Then again, I'm not a politician either.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Only about 2 years too late unfortunately.

Nicked, Pelosi is not in line if Cheney resigns. First off if the VP quits the president gets to select a new one as Nixon did with Jerry Ford. Second, Pelosi is not the speaker yet. She will have to be voted in in January when the new congress goes into session.

Yeah--Let's let a CIA man work with our Generals to get the Middle East job done---And done right !!

It was on Rush this am also.. I'm sure a mutual decision 'for the good of the party'. Like said above, it removes a bitching point for the dems. The task ahead now is for the elections coming up in '08; removing whatever possible obstacle that may give up the top job..

It's all politics...

I listened, carefully to the press conference. According to the President (and I believe him) the decision had been made sometime ago, but the President stuck to his pledge not to make any major moves during the political season before the election, lest it be construed as a political move. In this I think he was mistaken.

My thoughts on Rumsfeld are mixed. While I supported him 100%, particularly with the defeatist democrats nipping at his heels, and Iraq, I vehemently disagree with him regarding his "new wave" Armed Force, consisting of smaller, faster and more mobile units.

Personally, what we needed (and need) to do is increase the size of the US Army back to Cold War levels of 16 Divisions as well as the size of the Marine Corps. I'm just a dumb-ass Naval Aviator, but we should have invaded Iraq with at least twice the number of troops and kept them there for the post-war reconstruction, much like we did in Germany in 1945 as well as reatin the Iraqui military and political infrastructure just like we did in Germany.Remember, WE ARE STILL THERE some 60 years later.

Also it would serve to close down the border with Iran, a constant source of arms, men and money currently supporting the insurgency in Iraq. This "Gucci" high tech, all volunteer armed force sure looks; and fights pretty, but it is woefully inadequate to fight a prolonged conflict, particularly in light of a lot of idiots that listen to the national media on the true situation in Iraq. Folks, I have to tell you, we are stretched THIN and if Korea "pops" not to mention Iran we are in deep $hit.

So what is the solution? well a national draft is a good start as well as a quick re-build of our ground forces. Rumsfeld also was a hard ass and the caliber of General/Flag Officer we have today lacks the intestinal fortitude to stand up to a tough SECDEF. Having said all of that, my hat's of to Secretary Rumsfeld, a true american patriot, who thanks to our politicians--ON BOTH SIDES--of the aisle was a handed a $hit sandwich, fighting a tough war constrained by political pressures. Finally,to those of you who voted democratic, I only hope that it's not left up to us who wear a uniform to pay the price of having elected a defeatist philosophy. jorge

excellent post, jorge.

I stand correcred, she is 3rd in line for the presidency after she is voted in as speaker

jorgeI,

Well, spoken and right in your assesment.

I will add that if we cut and run because of the defeatist demo's, it won't only be our uniformed personel paying the price, but the entire country will pay dearly.

Then there will be political fighting and finger pointing like we have never seen.

Even in their smug, defeatist ways, I can't believe the demo's would let that happen. Contrary to what they say to the public, they know exactly what pulling out of Iraq (before it can take care of it's own business) would do.

Tony

I wish you were correct hicountry, but based on past performance they will run. After the Paris Accords were signed, our part of the agreement was to withdraw and support and supply The ARVN. Shorlty after our troops were withdrawn, the demorat congress abrogated and left the South Viets swinging with horrid consequences to both S. Vietnam and Cambodia. Not that a demorat ever gave a damn about how many people their "progressive" heroes slaughtered. Why should the Iraqis trust us?? Our track record for running out on allies is MISERABLE going back to JFK leaving the Bay of Pigs fighters hung out to dry.

ET: I lost a family member at the Bay Of Pigs. Don't EVEN mention the Kennedys to me. They are a POX upon the land! jorge

Hey have you seen Teddy lately he is a PIG!! Render him down and sell it as lamp oil!!!!!!!

Here are a few tidbits for the Demos to consider, since they are the new sheriffs in town..........

Bin Laden stated that he will attack the Saudi's oil fields. Only a matter of time. As a matter of fact, I have read where the Saudi's are already beefing up their security and security forces. Of course, they depend on the USA for their protection.

If the demo's cut and run out of Iraq, Iran moves in and control the worlds 3rd or so largest oil reserve. Add that to Al Quida control over the Saudi oil fields.......

Add that up and see what you get................

Some more tidbits......all of the sectarian fighting in Iraq is over oil not over their religion. The Kurds have oil in their land...can't recall which one, but the Sunnis and Shiites, one of them doesn't. What a surprise. They don't want to get cut out of the oil pie. Iran is behind the scenes spuring the whole thing on. They know what will happen if the US pulls out. They played the US public like a fiddle. And you know what....it worked.

People need to wake TFU and smell the Penzoil......it is ALL over oil and the control over it. It IS a matter of national security. Stated in another way, it is a matter of our way of life, our economy...freaking EVERYTHING, get it ???

And for you liberals out there, think of what the price of gas would be if the above scenario plays out ?

That is what our troops are fighting for. I wish the President would call a spade a spade. The thinking is that the sheeple can't handle the truth.

The aftermath of an Iranian takeover of Iraq is caos in that region and using oil as a weapon to get what they want. They will hold the world hostage over a bbl of oil.

We better hope the demos step up to the plate and don't strike out. Too much at stake.

Tony

Jorge, A national draft is totaly out of the question during this generation of baby boomers and their offspring. Nothing will destroy a president faster for the nest 40 years than a national draft. Kennedy and Johnson made certain of that. It is said that we as a nation have short memories but try to implement a draft and see how short those memories really are.The mothers of every draftie will vote against any pro military draft supporting politician and thats a lot of mothers. A draft currently is the fastest way to end a war not win a war.
what is needed is a lot of real support for the military and good incentives for young amaricans to want to enlist, good pay lots of training that matters and good support programs for vets. make the military service as least as valuable as a college degree. In fact make military service a form of degree one that offers bennifits to enlisted personal that can be transfered to civilian life. A tank driver should be able to operate heavy construction equipment like dozers and graders, a ships gunner should have a trade associated with his duty and so on. I don't have the answers but I do know a draft at this juncture in history would be a very bad mistake. See what happened during Vietnam and the missmanagement of troops there by our politicians. I do not think todays crop of power mongers would be any different. the road to ruin is just up ahead and we better be looking at the proper turn as there is no turning back once fully commited.

Bullwnkl.

No offense intended Jorge. I have the highest admiration for men such as your family member. It makes NO difference whether we have enuff troops or not. If we get yanked out of Iraq our word means NOTHING!!! Someday WE may need military assistance desparately and people are going to remember that we have no honor to our word or allies. Rummy stuck to his guns. Better than the abortion SOD that was in charge during Mogadishu.

Precisely right! The demorats became part of the consensus to go to war and had Bush et al do the dirty work for them, then turned around and
blamed them for the war.

When the dust settles,make the judgement.

There is a strong sentiment among my peers (USAF Aviators and former USAF Aviators) that Rummy was a big part of the problem. I am not so sure. In my three deployments to the ME, I remember CENTCOM getting whatever they wanted. They got the troops they wanted and the equipment they wanted. Some items, like the armor, took longer to get there than anyone wanted, but it got there just the same.

So if the CENTCOM always got what they wanted, how is Rummy to blame?

There are accusations out there that Rummy fired every General Officer that disagreed with him. If that was really true, then the GOs in CENTCOM would have held the same views as Rummy. They would certainly have got what they wanted, because they would have wanted things Rummy agreed with.

I don't know if any of those accusations are true. They might just be there to sell a book. Regardless, culturing a bunch "yes-men" has always been a recipe for disaster.

I am sure this has been planned on as a contingency if the Dems got the House or Senate
Takes that much away from the witch hunters. But now they will be trying to get a raise in taxes, all the time bitching about the deficite then they will spend the extra taxes on entitlement programs aimed at buying Minority votes.

Gates was a lousy DCI, and his confirmation hearings will be all about Iran-Contra. An inexplicable choice IMHO.