Why in-fighting is losing Iraq and could cost Rumsfeld his job

[huckleberry]

12 October 2003

US casualties following the war in Iraq haven’t been limited to its troops. Washington is awash with rumours that Bush is about to launch another pre-emptive strike before the 2004 election – this time at his own national security team.

snip

While many American newspapers have reported the opening of a bitter rift between Rice and Rumsfeld, Washington sources have suggested to the Sunday Herald that the rift is in fact between Rumsfeld and Bush, and that Condoleezza Rice has exploited it to her own advantage.

snip

Even by Washington standards, where political fortunes never remain fixed, Rumsfeld’s fall from grace has been spectacular. He responded to Rice’s appointment by announcing that he had not been consulted in advance, claiming he was informed of the decision through a classified memo. For an administration that prides itself on secrecy and discipline, his outburst to several European newspapers was extraordinary. When one reporter pressed him for details about the chain of events leading to Rice’s assumption of control, he responded furiously. “I said I don’t know. Isn’t that clear? You don’t understand English? I was not there for the backgrounding.”

snip

O’Hanlon and other foreign policy experts have warned that switching titles will not bring about the international commitment necessary to stabilise Iraq. Others have been more forthright, suggesting that the changes are purely cosmetic, akin to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

more at
http://www.sundayherald.com/37404

[joeybee12]

1. Can't imagine Rice is smart enough to get rid of Rummy

She exudes incompetence. Rummy is evil, so I'll place my money on him.

[bemildred]

2. Bureaucratic infighting is probably the one thing Dumbsfeld

is really good at. Unfortunately for him, the Iraq boondoggle
is his baby lock, stock, and both smoking barrels, and Condi
and State have merely served as cheerleaders, so far, so he
will need all of his wiles just to buy himself some more time,
and he still won't be able to fix the mess.

He should call up Robert McNamara and have a long chat, it might
help him gain some prespective on the situation. Then he should
fire the morons Perle, Wolfowitz, and their minions and consider
who among the retired professional military might serve well as
his assistant in pursuing the task of extricating us from the
mess with some dignity and a military force that is still an
effective warfighting machine.

[opihimoimoi]

3. From the sources I see, CNN, even FOX, Rummy is Toast.

Way in over his head, he will try anything to remain on top

but

All the Kings Men and All the Kings Horses

cannot put Rummy together again/

[bemildred]

4. That works for me.

Let's hope he takes Perle and the others down with him.

[maha]

6. Condie is smart at SOME things

She's been packing the NSC with people who are loyal to her. She's been marginalizing a lot of the old Middle East hands in the state department and replacing them with ideological purists. So, she's real good at winning power struggles. I suspect that's how she got ahead in life, as she can't do shit otherwise.

[lanlady]

5. this para. says it all:

Traditionally, the national security adviser is supposed to resolve differences between the warring cabinet members and keep them away from the President’s desk, but Rice has allowed the battles to play out and has focused instead on cementing her relationship with Bush as his closest confidante.

That's Condi, alright. 100% political creature with no demonstrable policy or analytical talents. She'll be as effective in dealing with Iraq as she was with terrorism prior to 9/11 or with the so-called roadmap to peace ni the ME.