Good to see that W is a stand up guy, unlike others:
WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush sharply defended Donald Rumsfeld on Tuesday, saying the embattled Pentagon chief is doing a “fine job” despite calls for his resignation from six …

Knowing what I do about peanuthead, that had to be an accident. Either that, or he thought it would never work and would drain funds from more relevant weapon systems. He sabotaged the development of nuclear penetrators, and the enhanced radiation weapon, both of which would be quite nice to have to drop from our shiny new stealth aircraft.

I agree with you Severian. Rummy has stood up to alot of “waste” in the military. I bring up the Paladin weapons system only as a point of referance. I agree with Rummy’s decision to get rid of it. We have tons of self propelled artilery. In 2000 our base was asked to store and maintain 36 of these bad boys. They are cool to see moving around the base, but it was obvious that we have more than we need, so why continue to make more. Rummy made the right decision. Also there are some new ideas coming out in High engery laser systems, and sound also has become more important. We shall see what happens. The only thing I like Jimmy Carter about was the fact that he was the guy who really saw stealth technology as the way of the future and he made sure it was funded. Now look at where we are with that. The F22 Raptor I hear is pure heaven to fly. – Lorica (again)

- Whats laughable in this argument is the gact that it has to start with the stupid assumption that the enemy is going to just remain static. Nothing could be further from the truth, particularly when the enemy is already using terrorist tactics, since he can’t hope to win in a linear, mano-el-mano battle, against the American forces. On those few occassions when they’ve even tried they’ve been slaughtered wholesale.

- In other words it wouldn’t matter on some levels who the hell was in Rummys position. The enemy will adjust to avoid losses and thwart your plans, no matter how often you adjust. Add to that the “sneak in attack and run” tactics of the Jahidists, and you see the problem. Rummys a tough cookie, which is probably the best you can hope for in someone with his responsibilities.

I certainly didn’t agree with all his deciusions, but I also know full well I don’t see the whole picture, so I can’t really judge him at the time, in the heat of the moment. Incidently, the enemy just loves this kind of Liberal ankle biting crap, but the Left is so hungery to regain power they could care less, so they’ll pile on, even though its an empty, feckless gesture.

- Rummy has done about average in some regards, below average in others, and above average in still others. The cater-walling is pure sour grapes, and will continue as long as the DoJ is allowed to fight the changes that are needed in this type of warfare.

- Lastly, the executive civilian government decides policy, not the military. Only an idiot with a wish for a runaway Totalitarian system would want it otherwise. A major part of the way our Constitution, and governmental strutures are setup, are teeming with safegaurds against the Military ever becoming its own regime. So when you see a handfull of retired generals playing President, you can pretty much disregard. They’re wrong on all fronts, and probably interested in big speaking fee’s and book sales.

- So much for the lefts/Steves(fn) strawman.

- Bang

First of all you have 6 generals, who out of there concern for our troops and military, waited YEARS till they retired to speak out. Do you KNOW how many generals there are in the Armed Forces? No?
Let me help you put this in the proper perspective …

First of all you have 6 generals, who out of there concern for our troops and military, waited YEARS till they retired to speak out.

Do you KNOW how many generals there are in the Armed Forces?

No?

Let me help you put this in the proper perspective then:

ARMY GENERALS: 12
ARMY LT GENERALS: 49
ARMY MAJ GENERALS: 97
ARMY BRIG GENERALS: 154

TOTAL ARMY GENERALS: 312

MARINE GENERALS: 5
MARINE LT GENERALS: 15
MARINE MAJ GENERALS: 21
MARINE BRIG GENERALS: 41

TOTAL MARINE GENERALS: 82

AIRFORCE GENERALS: 13
AIRFORCE LT GENERALS: 37
AIRFORCE MAJ GENERALS: 85
AIRFORCE BRIG GENERALS: 138

TOTAL AIRFORCE GENERALS: 273

NAVY ADMIRAL (GENERALS): 9
NAVY VICE ADMIRAL (GENERALS): 31
NAVY REAR ADMIRAL (U) (GENERALS): 68
NAVY REAR ADMIRAL (L) (GENERALS): 106

TOTAL NAVY ADMIRAL (GENERALS): 214

TOTAL ARMED FORCES ACTIVE GENERALS: 881

Deptartment of Defense
Active Duty Military Personnel by rank/Grade
February 18, 2006.
Link

Out of that 881 Generals, you have 6 that retired, and are speaking out. Correct me if I am wrong, but that is approximately what, .6 percent of all generals on Active Duty? Less that one percent.

Out of the 881 Generals you have 6 retired generals that waited YEARS before retiring to speak out (out of concern for the troops and our military).

These 6 Generals are what the Media is holding up as proof that the Military doesn’t suppose the President, that even the President’s own Generals do not support him.

Also posted Here, on my Blog.

Laughable statement, and obviously clueless.
IF, and I say IF, therse generals were truly concerned, they would not have waited years down the road for when they retire to say something so they can get on the talk show circuits.

The MSM would have had the same reaction and would have brought them on TV and interviewed them the same, but why, if the generals were so concerned, did they not speak out until years later and when they retired?

Could it be that they are correct.

Possibly, but then again, what about the hundreds of other generals who say different? Who says they are not correct? You have 6 out of how many generals say negatives?

I will grant you that it is possible they can be correct, as long as you grant the same that they can be incorrect and doing this for possibly reasons that are not so benign as you seem to think.

Nothing in Iraq has gone the way bush/Rummy/Cheney said it would

President Bush did say this would be a War that would be like no other.

We are fighting terrorists, not a country, not an army. Conventional warfare, which is what these generals are used to, will not work when fighting terrorists and I do agree that they may have a bone to pick and hard feelings with the shake up Rummy is doing to the military.

Generals, are probably the most set in their ways and are used to giving orders and not taking them. when you have a civvie like Rummy come in, giving orders, revamping things, killing off generals pet projects and interests, I am sure they would be quite bent out of shape.

Guess for some, they cannot adapt and overcome.

Like I said, if they were so concerned, why wait till years later and till they retire, if they are so concerned for our military and troops?

Rumsfeld has done nothing but help the military. It is a far far more potent, lethal, effective, efficient, and flexible force now than when he came in, largely due to his efforts. Oh, Lorica, he canceled a project that I was on that eventually led to me being laid off from that company after the work evaporated. Know what I think of him for that? He was right to cancel it, it was a bloated, non-functional POS (this was a major sim system). It didn’t work, the govt had sunk tens of millions of dollars in it, and it would never have worked. Putting it out of everyones misery was the best decision I could think of, and it took someone of Rumsfeld’s rank to force the issue.

Rummy is AOK in my book…

I guess my whole point is, most of us don’t have a clue at how many people are PO’d at Rummy. It is illegal for them to say anything while they are commissioned so why not talk once you retire. Also the talk circuit is flooded with generals. Might not be a whole lot of money there, but I wonder how much the MSM gives for an appearance on one of their hate the Bush admin shows. – Lorica

- However, on the bright side the orifice of homely defense has determined that this menace can be easily driven off with bug spray, tidy bowl, or a good strong anti-deoderant.

- Bang