Don's Gone

[draconis]

Former CIA chief Robert Gates is being nominated to take the place of now-former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. I know virtually nothing about Gates, so I will refrain from commenting on him.

I find the clear contradictions in some of Our Fearless (P)Leader's statements to be interesting.

During the 2004 Presidential elections, he made a big deal about not changing horses in the middle of the stream. Today, he commented:

"Don Rumsfeld has been a superb leader during a time of change," Bush said Wednesday. "Yet he also appreciates the value of bringing in a fresh perspective during a critical period in this war."

So clearly, it's all right to bring a fresh perspective, so long as it's someone else having to change / step aside. And why is now a more critical period in this war than any other time?

I also find it very interesting that the Army Times stated unequivocably that "Rumsfeld has lost credibility," that "His strategy has failed," and that "Rumsfelt must go."

I've never had any great love for Ol' Donald, but his "last straw" in my book was when he tried to claim that he "has never painted a rosy picture." I doubt that I am the only one who remembers predictions that the Iraqi people would welcome us with open arms and flowers in the streets, and it doesn't get much "rosier" than that!

Our Fearless (P)Leader seems to also think that Americans either have very short memories, or no reasoning capabilities. His comment today to the military, "Don't be doubtful. America will always support you," may sound good, but I find it hard to reconcile that against cuts in veterans' benefits, refusal to acknowledge the end of someone's term of service, and other actions that the Command-In-Thief has taken.

The next two years should be very interesting indeed.

Comments

[saxononyx.livejournal.com]

And did you here the Rummies' farewell speach? were he blamed it all on how stupid the armican public is?

[rhi]

::blinks:: Are you serious?

[saxononyx.livejournal.com]

unfortunatly yes.

[devohoneybee.livejournal.com]

Bush also admitted that, when he said, a few days before the election, that Rumsfeld was not leaving, he knew it wasn't true, but "didn't want to make a major policy announcement during an election campaign" (paraphrasing, but it was something to that effect). He admitted to deliberately "misleading" the reporters at the press conference. Uh, I think that's called "lying", and to be specific, "lying for political gain."

Not (cough) that it was successful.

[rhi]

::wry:: I saw that transcript. You know? I saw the part where he tried the interior decorator joke. I didn't hear any laughter. I didn't even see a smile....