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Few Rumsfeld critics suggest possible successor
In all the recent talk about whether Donald H. Rumsfeld should quit running the Pentagon, little has been said about successors who might be better able to complete the U.S. military mission in Iraq.When lawmakers and others are pressed, the names that come up most often include several current and former members of the Senate. Some say a member of Congress taking the defense secretarys job would improve an oft-cited Rumsfeld shortcoming impatience with the legislative branch and a reluctance to consult fully with its members. A current or former lawmaker also might do a better job of communicating with the public a key factor in an election year in which party control of Congress will be up for grabs. Even a supporter, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, calls Rumsfeld not overly communicative. Names sometimes mentioned include Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., a former Navy secretary; Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.; and former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga. With President Bushs strongly worded public support, it appears Rumsfeld will remain at the Pentagon, where after more than five years in the job he is one of the longest-serving defense secretaries in history. When his critics attack Rumsfeld, they generally focus on blame for what has gone wrong in Iraq. A resilient insurgency has taken nearly 2,400 American lives since the 2003 invasion, far more than expected, and Iraqis have struggled mightily to create a stable government and provide their own security. But the critics have said little about who might do better at this stage, which the Bush administration has labeled a year of transition from U.S. to Iraqi control, with the hope of beginning to withdraw some American forces. America deserves a secretary of defense who has the vision to implement a policy in Iraq that is worthy of the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., one of Rumsfelds harshest critics. Jon Soltz, a veteran of the Iraq war and director of a political action committee for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said his group is neutral on the question of whether Rumsfeld should go or stay. Whats more important than identifying a possible successor is that those of us who have been on the ground in Iraq, have served in the war on terror in Afghanistan, know that there needs to be a fresh start, Soltz said. He rejected the administrations emphasis on staying the course in Iraq and said fresh ideas are urgently needed. Michael OHanlon, a defense analyst at the Brookings Institution, said he has little doubt that Rumsfeld will remain at the Pentagon for some time, despite the unpopularity of the Iraq war and criticism of his management style. He called Lieberman one of the few Democrats who would accept the job and who could get along with Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. There is recent precedent for having a member of the opposing political party at the head of the Pentagon. William Cohen, a former Republican senator from Maine, served as defense secretary throughout President Clintons second term. Clintons first defense secretary was Democrat Les Aspin, a former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who stepped down after one year in the aftermath of U.S. intervention in Somalia. OHanlon also mentioned Nunn, a former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, as another possibility. But Im not sure even he would take it under these circumstances, OHanlon said. Of the several retired generals who have stepped forward to urge Rumsfelds sacking, none has proposed a specific replacement. Many lawmakers from both parties also were mum when pressed for possible replacements for Rumsfeld, perhaps seeing little point in advancing a candidate for a job that might not be vacant. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-05-03 |
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