| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Dharmananda" |
| Date: |
11 Dec 2004 07:10:04 AM |
| Object: |
Oh, And Hey, Abu Grahib Happened on Rummy's Watch Too |
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/story/11728579p-12616621c.html
http://tinyurl.com/6gseu
Editorial: Reveille for Rumsfeld
Troops pose awkward, pertinent questions
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, December 11, 2004
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has signed on for another tour of duty
at the Pentagon - in military jargon, "re-upping." But his decision was
voluntary - and mutual: President Bush asked him to stay. However, it's
different for thousands of soldiers in America's all-volunteer military
whose tours of duty in Iraq have been extended beyond what they signed up
for.
In some circles that might be called breach of contract. In the military,
it's called "stop-loss," and it appears to be perfectly legal.
But the secretary had a rude awakening during a visit with Iraq-bound
troops in Kuwait, most of them Reserve and National Guard members. They
wanted to know why, 20 months after U.S. forces occupied Iraq, they still
don't have enough armor for their vehicles, which are highly vulnerable to
deadly roadside bombs; why some other equipment is antiquated; and why
those who signed up for fixed tours of duty are being re-upped once, twice,
even three times.
Rumsfeld, rarely at a loss for words, was taken aback. When he recovered,
his answers amounted to variations on "stuff happens," his blithe
explanation in April last year when rioting, looting and vandalism erupted
in Baghdad as U.S. troops looked on and did nothing to stop it.
While the exigencies of wartime may require hanging onto termed-out
volunteers, the Pentagon could have planned better. Now the Army is
ordering an increase in production of armored Humvees from 450 to 550 a
month.
Good, if a bit late. But astonishingly, a Pentagon spokesman offers the
lame defense that, once a war begins, "then we start to mobilize." We
always thought you mobilized before the war.
Besides playing catch-up in Iraq, the Pentagon still has failed to give a
credible explanation of how the top brass, including Rumsfeld, didn't know
about the abuses at U.S.-run prisons in Iraq, Afghanistan and at Guantánamo
Bay, Cuba, when there's growing evidence of the widespread extent of the
abuses and at least tacit top-level assent.
Of course Rumsfeld has bigger things on his mind, grand plans for making
America's fighting forces leaner and more flexible for coping with all
potential threats in a dangerous world. We wonder, though, how he and his
aides will be able to foresee the multitude of possible scenarios if they
can't put enough troops in Iraq and give them what they need to protect
themselves. Why is this man still working for the government?
--
Triratanam sharanam gaccami
Dharmananda
http://mysite.verizon.net/res6zeam/american-buddhist/news.html
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| User: "Scott homealone.com" |
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| Title: Re: Oh, And Hey, Abu Grahib Happened on Rummy's Watch Too |
11 Dec 2004 11:20:04 AM |
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"Dharmananda" <Nil@neph.net> wrote in message
news:1563133.V4QHZTg4p7@news.verizon.net...
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/story/11728579p-12616621c.html
Crossposting *****.
plonk
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| User: "Dharmananda" |
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| Title: Re: Oh, And Hey, Abu Grahib Happened on Rummy's Watch Too |
11 Dec 2004 01:39:00 PM |
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"Scott" <homealone.com> wrote:
"Dharmananda" <Nil@neph.net> wrote in message
news:1563133.V4QHZTg4p7@news.verizon.net...
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/story/11728579p-12616621c.html
Crossposting *****.
plonk
Another witless sock attempts to have a purpose.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--
Triratanam sharanam gaccami
Dharmananda
http://mysite.verizon.net/res6zeam/american-buddhist/news.html
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