Six retired generals, four who were involved in the Iraq war or served in top positions in the Middle East want to see Rummy gone --now.Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold, former director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, head of training Iraqi forces in 2003.
Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, the former head of U.S. Central Command.
Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste, who served as a division commander in Iraq and was a military aide to former Deputy Defense secretary Paul Wolfowitz, a primary architect of the Iraq invasion.
Retired Army Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack, who told CNN that Rumsfeld micromanaged the war. "We need a new secretary of defense," he said.
Retired Army Major Gen. John Riggs.
Gen. Batiste (pictured, speaking on CNN's "American Morning") has said he believed Rumsfeld should resign, arguing that the Pentagon needed a new leader who could work with top officers "without intimidation."
In an interview, Batiste said negative feelings about Rumsfeld were widespread among generals he served with. He added that there was an almost universal belief that the secretary did not treat military leaders and their opinions with respect.
"It speaks volumes about the leadership climate within the Pentagon," Batiste said. "Civilian control is absolutely paramount, but in order for it to work, there is a two-way street of respect and dialogue that has to exist."
No matter what General Peter Pace (above with Secretary Rumsfeld) can say or do as damage control, Mr. Rumsfeld needs to think about relinquishing the reigns. He has indeed gone the way of Robert McNamara, c: 1965.
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americablog - source nyt
Check out just WHO the generals are calling for Rumsfeld's resignation - they're HUGE
by John in DC - 4/14/2006 11:35:00 AM
(Source: NYT)
Among the six generals calling for Rumsfeld to resign:
a former Secretary of the Army under Bush;
former head of CENTCOM;
the general who led our ground troops in Iraq; and
general offered the #2 military job in Iraq.
These guys are HUGE. I really didn't realize exactly who they were until I re-read the articles.
In any other government, once a leader loses the confidence of so many high-powered fellow leaders, he'd be forced to step down - hell, his own sense of duty would tell him to step down. But not in the Bush administration. Arrogance and rewarding incompetence are virtues in George Bush's world. Never admit a mistake and keep watching the troops die because of your incompetence.
Tell me again how the Republicans are so pro-military?
1. General offered the #2 military job in Iraq.
Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division forces in Iraq, said he declined an opportunity to get a promotion to the rank of lieutenant general and return to the wartorn country as the No. 2 U.S. military officer because he could not accept Rumsfeld's tough management style.
2. General who led the troops on the ground in Iraq
Maj. Gen. Charles H. Swannack Jr., who led troops on the ground in Iraq as recently as 2004 as the commander of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division
3. General who headed CENTCOM
Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, who headed the United States Central Command in the late 1990's
4. Former Secretary of the Army under Bush
"Rumsfeld has been contemptuous of the views of senior military officers since the day he walked in as secretary of defense. It's about time they got sick and tired," Thomas E. White, the former Army secretary, said in a telephone interview on Thursday. Mr. White was forced out of his job by Mr. Rumsfeld in April of 2003.
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