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Retired General Denies Coordinated Effort to Get Rumsfeld Fired
Retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste, one of several high-ranking military men urging the ouster of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said Friday there is no coordinated effort to get him fired, calling a recent series of critical statements "absolutely coincidental."And so is the sudden media attention to us five. "I have not talked to the other generals," Batiste, interviewed from Rochester, N.Y., said on NBC"s "Today" show. Nevertheless, he said he thinks the clamor for Rumsfeld to step down is "happening for a reason." Never see 'em at the VFW, never talk to 'em. Nothin. Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division forces in Iraq, said he declined an opportunity to get a promotion to the rank of lieutenant general and return to the wartorn country as the No. 2 U.S. military officer because he could not accept Rumsfeld's tough management style. Rumsfeld is too tough for him, but he commanded the Big Red One? Sorry, something doesn't compute. We should replace the Big Red One with Rummy or this guy should never have been in the job. He said he does not believe Rumsfeld has been sufficiently accountable for the plan that led to the invasion of Iraq and the ouster of Saddam Hussein, although he also said that "we have no option but to succeed in Iraq." Being crudified daily by the MSM is insufficient accountaiblity? And this guy is till wuss enough to say "we have no option but to succeed in Iraq." But just without Rummy. "I support civilian control (of the military) completely," Batiste told interviewers on CBS's "The Early Show." Especially now that I'm a civilian. But, he added, "we went to war with a flawed plan that didn't account for the hard work to build the piece after we took down the regime. We also served under a secretary of defense who didn't understand leadership, who was abusive, who was arrogant, and who didn't build a strong team." "That's why I served without protest or without any statement of protest when I turned down the last star they offered me." Riiight. The White House insisted that Rumsfeld continues to have President Bush's confidence. New White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten settles into his job starting next week, but few expect any moves regarding Rumsfeld. "The president believes Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a very fine job during a challenging period in our nation's history," Bush spokesman Scott McClellan said as two more retired generals called for the secretary's resignation Thursday, bringing the number this month to six. "I have not talked to the other generals," Batiste told NBC Friday. "I think it is absolutely coincidental. ... I think it's healthy for democracy. I have nothing to gain in doing this. There is no political agenda at all." Nope. None. Retired Army Major Gen. John Riggs told National Public Radio that Rumsfeld fostered an "atmosphere of arrogance." And retired Army Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack told CNN that Rumsfeld micromanaged the war. "We need a new secretary of defense," he said. "We liked it more when we could be ther arrogant ones adn Bill Cohen would stick to writing poetry." Sounds like time for Bush to go to Tehran or Ft Bragg to see what the men in the field have to say. With public anti-war sentiment increasing, "the president and his team cannot afford to lose that support," said Kurt Campbell, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense Earlier calls for Rumsfeld's replacement came from retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, retired Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold and retired Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton. Rumsfeld has been a lightning rod for criticism since the war began in March 2003. I'd say it started a lot earlier than that. Like when Rummy told the Army the cold war was over and Crusader was history. He was blamed for committing too few U.S. troops and for underestimating the strength of the insurgency. He took heat in 2004 over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the U.S. Army-run Abu Ghraib prison, and for a brusque response he gave to an Army National Guard soldier in Kuwait who questioned him on inadequate armor. Republicans in Congress have offered Rumsfeld little in the way of public support. Big surprise there. They're a real disappointment. Pentagon spokesman Eric Ruff said Thursday that Rumsfeld has not talked to the White House about resigning and is not considering it. Good. Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-04-14 |
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