Related special report: Tension escalates in Iraq
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Four U.S. military newspapers will publish an editorial on Monday, asking President George W. Bush to fire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
The editorial, posted on the Website of the Army Times on Saturday, said Rumsfeld "has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with Congress and with the public at large."
"His strategy has failed, and his ability to lead is compromised. And although the blame for our failures in Iraq rests with the secretary, it will be the troops who bear its brunt," it said.
The article, first reported by CNN, said Bush, Vice President Cheney and Rumsfeld have made "one rosy reassurance after another," such as "mission accomplished," the insurgency is "in its last throes," and "back off."
American military leaders generally "toed the line," but a few retired generals eventually spoke out from the safety of the sidelines. "Now, however, a new chorus of criticism is beginning to resonate. Active-duty military leaders are starting to voice misgivings about the war's planning, execution and dimming prospects for success," said the editorial.
The article said the call for Rumsfeld's resignation at this moment "is not about the midterm elections."
The editorial would appear Monday in the four weekly publications - Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and the Marine Corps Times - that serve the four main branches of the U.S. military, CNN reported.
The timing of the editorial's publishing was not prompted by the Nov. 7 midterm elections, but was inspired by Bush's statement this week that he wanted Rumsfeld and Cheney in their posts through the end of his term, Robert Hodierne, the senior managing editor for Army Times Publications, the papers' parent company, was quoted as saying.
Army Times Publications was owned by the Gannett Company, publisher of USA Today and many local U.S. newspapers, according to the CNN report.
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The editorial, to be published in the Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Time and the Marine Times, says Rumsfeld has "lost the support and respect of the military leadership" over his policy on Iraq, calling on Bush to fire him. Full story>>
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- An editorial to be published Monday in independent publications that serve the four main branches of the U.S. military will call for President George W. Bush to replace Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, CNN reported Saturday.
"Basically, the editorial says, it's clear now, from some of the public statements that military leaders are making, that he's lost the support and respect of the military leadership," Robert Hodierne, senior managing editor for the publications' parent company Army Times Publications, was quoted as saying. Full story>>
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Rumsfeld has often criticized media for concentrating too much on bad news coming out of Iraq, and not enough on progress being made there. Earlier this year during a trip to Nevada he said he was deeply troubled by the success of terrorist groups in "manipulating the media" to influence Westerners. Full story>>
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| At a press briefing at the Pentagon, Rumsfeld says there is no "power play taking place in Washington. " (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters) |
WASHINGTON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Tuesday expressed support for the nomination of Michael Hayden, a Air Force general, as the new Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief, but denied the Pentagon was trying to expand control over the intelligence community.
At a press briefing at the Pentagon, Rumsfeld said there was no "power play taking place in Washington, and termed Hayden, currently the principal deputy director of National Intelligence, as "an intelligence professional."
He said Hayden had had assignment after assignment after assignment in the intelligence business, and the general was "very good at it." Full story>>
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