Rumsfeld Rebuffs Criticism on Postwar Iraq

[Nambe]

National Public Radio

In a Morning Edition interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep, Rumsfeld acknowledges that he cannot be sure who is continuing to attack U.S. interests. "But the truth is, a person who wants to can attack at any time, at any place, using any technique... and the damage, of course, is done to the Iraqi people," who are being deprived oil revenues as a result of the sabotage, the defense secretary says.

Rumsfeld also counters suggestions by current and former U.S. officials that there had been inadequate planning for the postwar situation in Iraq. "A lot of the planning that was done, interestingly, was for things that eventually, fortunately, didn't happen," Rumsfeld says. -

[kainah]

1. Well, he better get out his rebuffer

because there's a lot of rebuffing to be done.

[yakmoe]

2. What do they expect him to say?

Sorry America, you caught us raping a country for it's oil.

[alcuno]

3. "A lot of the planning that was done, interestingly, was for things

that didn't...happen" Isn't that what poor planning is?

[paper chase guy]

4. you beat me to it.

jesus, what a moran.

[Cocoa]

5. He must realize how inane that is, right?

they say this kind of thing all the time, sometimes I wonder if they're trying to gaslight anyone with a brain.

Like when the British reporter was concerned that the detainees at Guantanamo might not get proper justice, and Bush answered "All I know is that they're bad people." :mad:

[patdem]

9. Yes...the intake valves of all the tanks were prepared for flowers

and how to overcome that phenomenom! They were prepared for that outcome!

[gulliver]

6. Can we really blame Rumsfeld for the acts of saboteurs?

Of course.

I find it grotesque that Rumsfeld and Bremer think they can escape responsibility for problems in Iraq by blaming saboteurs. Rumsfeld et ilk are responsible for the saboteurs. Rumsfeld's idea, Rumsfeld's blame.

[Mandate My Ass]

7. Is this statement as convoluted as I think it is?

Rumsfeld acknowledges that he cannot be sure who is continuing to attack U.S. interests. "But the truth is, a person who wants to can attack at any time, at any place, using any technique... and the damage, of course, is done to the Iraqi people," who are being deprived oil revenues as a result of the sabotage.

So he is admitting the oil wells are a legitimate US interest, but attacking them and preventing the US (oil pigs) from plundering and stealing the that oil, is hurting the Iraqi people? :wtf:

[stickdog]

8. Thank God they planned ahead for everything bad that didn't happen.

Strange that they forgot to plan for any of the "minor" problems they've been experiencing for the last 6 months.

[lanlady]

10. this kind of denial is precisely why--

--the situation in Iraq will keep deteriorating. They won't admit their failures, ever. The classic recipe for disaster.

[zekeson]

11. Rummy sez they planned for things that didn't happen, "they"

claim he didn't plan well. Gee, I think maybe there should be an investigation to see what went so wrong. Rummy admits it ain't working; lets take a look at the planning process and determine (other than that we should have never gone in there in the first place) just how in the chilly hell Rummy fucked this up so much

[are_we_united_yet]

12. Mr. Rumsfeld....

You.... What an..... Did you.... ahhh forget it!

[Mari333]

13. RumsField is a War Criminal who belongs behind bars

I pray every night he dies on the battlefield in some remote place , a slow and painful death just like what he is putting US troops and Iraqi civilians though.

[QuietStorm]

14. You have heard of the fullerbrush man and the shoe shine boy

well meet Rummy the Rebuffer. It's his job to wipe the old spot clean and rebuff the spot in his effort to shine us all on. In his sleep he's been known to wake in cold sweats screaming to the darkness in the room "OUT DAMN SPOT". Plagued as he is by a reoccuring nightmare that the old spots will come back to haunt him.

[scarface2004]

15. are more people gonna die??!!

you bet!!!

[The_Casual_Observer]

16. Take Dumbsfeld's advice on this

Don't worry about it, it's just "untidy" right now. Things are getting better, hardly anybody got killed last week, nobody important anyway.

[newyawker99]

19. Hi The_Casual_Observer!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[RapidCreek]

17. Hmmm let's see now

Rumsfeld states the "he cannot be sure who is continuing to attack US interests"..."but the damage, of course is done to the Iraqi people".

Attacking US oil interests is damaging to the Iraqi people? Sounds like a threat to me. Here all this time I thought the invasion of Iraq was to liberate Iraqi's. Seems like he's saying their liberation is predicated on the security of US oil company interests? If the second goal cannot be attained without the first how can the claim be made that the war is not about oil?

RC

[QuietStorm]

18. LOL

I love sarcasm don't you? It really is a marvelous coping mechanism.

[Not a robought]

20. Right on time

and on script.