General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI need help fast. Which neocon said this?
To paraphrase: "Every president goes to war with the army his predecessor left behind."
I know its not exact. But which one of those devils said that? (I am at the goal line, and I am going to win an argument with a rw wacko who claims Obama "destroyed" our military.)
Remember when they used to say that shit about Clinton? They are repeating themselves.
Cerridwen
(13,260 posts)You go to war with the army you have not the army you choose.
Or somesuch drivel.
Off to google unless someone else posts it first.
edit: yeppers, "Rumsfeld: It isn't a matter of money. It isn't a matter on the part of the army of desire. It's a matter of production and capability of doing it. As you know, ah, you go to war with the army you have---not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.---You can have all the armor in the world on a tank and it can (still) be blown up... "
Found it at Crooks and Liars: http://crooksandliars.com/2006/12/15/remebering-rumsfeld-you-go-to-war-with-the-army-you-have-not-the-army-you-might-want-or-wish-to-have-at-a-later-time
Rhiannon12866
(206,072 posts)You go to war with the army you have, not the army you'd like to have, or something really close to that. Believe he said that on a visit to Iraq, made huge news at the time.
And thanks to everyone who posted the answer!
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)Cerridwen
(13,260 posts)Thank you, southernyankeebelle.
That idiot actually said that to a guardsman?! That makes it so much worse.
southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)showed what he said.
Saturday
(3,744 posts)You don't have the quote exactly right, Google it and you'll get his exact words.
The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)"As you know, you go to war with the Army you have. They're not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time."
-- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld,
lob1
(3,820 posts)and vehicles didn't have the right armament to protect against IED's.
MADem
(135,425 posts)He should have been PROUD to be on the Roulette Wheel of Fortune in the War on Terrah, instead of questioning the SECDEF on issues of armor plating!
oldhippydude
(2,514 posts)said you go to war with the army you have..
Brother Buzz
(36,466 posts)that me and my draftees brothers added "no value, no advantage, really, to the United States armed services . . ."
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)If we run out of oil or need something, they plan on just taking it.
Make7
(8,543 posts)[div class="excerpt" style="border: 1px solid #bfbfbf;"]"A commander-in-chief leads the military built by those who came before him. There is little that he or his defense secretary can do to improve the force they have to deploy. It is all the work of previous administrations."[font style="font-size:0.9231em;"]
Richard Cheney - Address to the Southern Center for International Studies, Aug. 30, 2000[/font][font style="font-size:0.8462em;"]
http://www.votesmart.org/public-statement/5386/address-to-the-southern-center-for-international-studies[/font]