Dodd says Rumsfeld's answer was unacceptable

[Moloch]

CAPITOL HILL A Democratic senator isn't satisfied with the answer Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld gave to a U-S soldier in Kuwait today.
The soldier complained that he and his comrades had to dig through landfills for scrap metal and other material to reinforce their vehicles.

Rumsfeld responded, "You go to war with the Army you have."

That's not good enough for Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut -- who's written a letter to Rumsfeld, saying that his answer was "utterly unacceptable."

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=2668524

[Gloria]

1. I heard Rummy's response on the BBC World Service and

couldn't believe the arrogance. I don't even think that quote is the whole thing...

We get nothing straight here anymore....

[AzDar]

13. Soooo right. When I first saw the Rummy clip, the soldiers broke into

applause after the question was laid to Rumsfeld. Tonight, on the local evening news, that was completely edited out as though it had never happened. I was apoplectic...(you think I'd be used to it by now).

[Supersedeas]

25. when Rummi said that he did not hear the first part of the question,

the troops erupted in laughter....also edited out.

US Media cares little about public trust.

[ilovenicepeople]

27. I noticed that as well,edited out prior to the forthcoming claptitude.

[RamboLiberal]

30. To their credit Aaron Brown on CNN showed full clip

with the applause and hooahs of the troops and the soldier's followup when Rummy said he didn't hear first part.

[BBG]

42. ABC News also

ran the clip showing the other troops applauding the question and Rumsfeld stutteing beg for the first part of the question. And even the repeat of the question. Quite an impression it was.

[IceOwl]

89. Does anyone have video of this for download?

It'll make a great addition to my collection of stupid media gaffes.

[RawMaterials]

95. This administration

has had this arrogance for the last 4 years, it drives me crazy.
Its like this grand old fraternity that doesn't have to answer to anyone.
If you watch when he answers any reporter(this is going back a couple of years) he just jokes about the question and changes the subject, how can he (public official) get away with this crap.

[gaia_gardener]

102. No, the whole quote was

You go to war with the army you have, not the army you want or wish you had (I might have part of that off, but that's pretty darn close).

[whalerider55]

2. a glimmer

of backbone? not to be provocative, but how did Dodd vote on the original resoltuion to give the president the power to go to war without congressional assent?

whalerider55

[Divernan]

14. Your position is that anyone who believed Bush's lies cannot now be heard

to criticize this administration about their maladmininstration of Iraq? That makes no sense to me. Your motivation for taking this position is, however, transparent.

[whalerider55]

my position is...

that giving up the authority vested in you by the constitution to send troops to die in a war does not give you any "added" moral power to critique the prosecution of a war you bagged out on authorizing, that's all. i'd feel the same way if McCain said it, Hagel said it, or Kennedy said it.

since this is the United States, i believe anybody can say just asbout anything they want, so don't jump to any conclusions about my position without checking them out first. if you can find a single post i've made since i signed on suggesting that anyone should not be heard, then feel free to jump ugly.

and i haven't heard Dodd say he was flim-flammed, I haven't seen him take to the floor of the senate to complain about the admin lies. Dodd has been around DC a lot longer than Bush; he has served with most of the head of the intelligence agencies since before the Pugs became the majority.

if there was incredulity among the general public about the claims, and tbere was a great deal; and it turns out the evidence presented in secret to the senate was thin to begin with, than i just don't buy the belief in the "lies of others" argument. The way I look at it, that elction-stealing thief didn't lie to me, because i was very sure what he was telling me wasn't the truth and i never believed it for a second. it is all buckpassing. Dodd and all the others on both sides of the aisle had a constitutional responsibility when it comes to declaring and fighting a war, probably THE most important function on the Job Description of a senator, and they gave it up to an administration they knew to be pathologically untruthful.

and please tell me about my motivations. they may be transparent to you, but they contiue to elude me. unless your gonna imply i'm a freeper or a doomsayer or a naysayer of a troll. i've heard all that before. and btw, i may be disagreeable, i may be a pragmatist, i may be entirely arrogant and obnoxious, but i'm not a thug, pug, or mug.

whaleerider55

[Divernan]

36. You danced around my question quite verbosely.

My question was: Is your position that anyone who believed Bush's lies cannot now be heard to criticize this administration about its' misadministration of the Iraq war?

Your lengthy reply seems to boil down to a "yes". With an attitude like that you are a very unforgiving person. Do you view yourself as one who never misjudged a situation because someone in ultimate authority lied extensively to you?

To quote J. M. Keynes: "When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do sir?"

We need every one of our Senators to hold Rumsfeld' s feet to the fire and Senator Dodds was the first to step forward. He deserves our praise and backing. Whatever grudge you have against him, give it up. It does no good.

[whalerider55]

43. your question

14. Your position is that anyone who believed Bush's lies cannot now be heard

Edited on Wed Dec-08-04 09:57 PM by Divernan
to criticize this administration about their maladmininstration of Iraq?

in case you missed it while trying to put words in my mouth (obviously a futile task) my answer can be more clearly stated as this.

No.
No.
No.

Nothing in what i wrote stated that or implied that. if it did, snip and paste in your response.

i did go on to state that i simply think someone who abdicates their constitutional responsibility doesn't hold any special moral sway when we revisit the scene of the abdication. and i also suggested that i've seen no evidence that Dodd has rethought his position in a way that helps to build a meaningful coalition to end the war.

i think that if everyone, republican and democrat, were to share with the country that they've been rethinking this whole thing, it would make a difference in the prosecution of the war.

and i won't let it go without saying that i think coingressional abdication of their responsibility bloodies their hands.

wellstone voted not to give up the responsibility. it could have been done

that having been said, i'm glad dodd sent a letter to rummy. tenuous, but a start. maybe he'll actually say i regret my vote; lies or not, he and 98 other members of the senate coughed up their most important constituional role.

and for my two cents, it had a lot more to do with politics than lies.

and btw, i couldn't help notice how adroitly you ignored my request that you clarify my motivations, which were so transparent to you.
it would still be very helpful to me to understand exactly what it is i'm doing.

i'm very interested in helping "us", (i assume you mean democrats); I have been for 41 years. but i continue to wonder why it is that democrats, especially after having the third federal election in three years stolen in plain sight from us, don't wnat to help themselves. why can't we roll up our sleeves and really have it out about the direction and future and strategy of the party.

oh yeah, that doesn't really help us.

whalerider55

[Lorien]

45. I agree, whalerider55

I'm hoping that our party has decided to finally show a little backbone.The letter Dodd sent to Rummy is indeed a start, but I'm still waiting for the day when Democrats unite to say that they've been mislead into this fiasco by BushCo, and demand an explanation for this deceit. * and gang have ALWAYS used the "we were mislead" excuse for every dumbass decision and outright lie they've given us, yet Dems can't do the same when our soldier's lives-and the lives of innocent Iraqis-are at stake? Now is not the time to merely react to the actions of the right wing. They deserve to be on the defensive for a change!

It's not "my party right or wrong". When our party-or country-is wrong, it's our job to raise our voices and make things right again

[whalerider55]

46. thanks, lo n/t

[mike_c]

63. they're not innocents who were cruelly decieved....

Dodd is a U.S. Senator who's JOB is to protect the interests of his constituents and the nation. He's certainly politically astute enough to have understood what was at stake in the IWR and to have seen the shrub administration maneuvering toward war with no intent of pursuing any other course. Other senators saw it and voted no. Millions of Americans saw it and opposed the IWR.

Everyone who voted for the IWR betrayed their charge for what they thought would be cheap political gain, IMO. No, that doesn't preclude them criticizing the Iraq quagmire now, but it certainly erodes their credibility.

[sattahipdeep]

73. The 77 Carpetbaggers

by Senator Robert Byrd:
"To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human experiences.
On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of battle, every American
on some level must be contemplating the horrors of war.
http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_speeches/byrd_speeches_2003february/byrd_speeches_2003march_list/byrd_speeches_2003march_list_1.html
Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously, dreadfully
silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the
nation the pros and cons of this particular war. There is nothing.
Democrats Yes
Biden
Edwards
Daschle
Clinton
Feinstein
Baucus
Bayh
Breaux
Cantwell
Carnahan
Carper
Cleland
Dodd
Dorgan
Harkin
Hollings
Johnson
Kerry
Kohl
Landrieu
Lieberman
Lincoln
Miller
Nelson
Nelson
Reid
Rockefeller
Schumer
Torricelli

http://www.allhatnocattle.net/senate_roll_call_on_iraq_resolut.htm

Republicans Yes

Allard
Allen
Bennett
Bond
Brownback
Bunning
Burns
Campbell
Cochran
Collins
Craig
Crapo
DeWine
Domenici
Ensign
Enzi
Fitzgerald
Frist
Gramm
Grassley
Gregg
Hagel
Hatch
Helms
Hutchinson
Hutchison
Inhofe
Kyl
Lott
Lugar
McCain
McConnell
Murkowski
Nickles
Roberts
Santorum
Sessions
Shelby
Smith
Smith
Snowe
Specter
Stevens
Thomas
Thompson
Thurmond
Voinovich
Warner

[sadiesworld]

98. With a few exceptions, it looks like a friggin Who's Who of the DLC.

[Seabiscuit]

100. You got that right. It's the DLC that handed Bush his IWR and it's the

DLC which lost three elections in a row over the past 4 years for us all.

Every one of those idiots should be targeted for defeat by a true Howard Dean-style anti-war progressive next time he or she is up for election.

I would except John Edwards simply due to his lack of experience at that time.

[Bouncy Ball]

79. What Mike said.

With the election over, I can be more vocal about how I feel about those elected officials with a D after their name who voted for the IWR.

[ooglymoogly]

103. its called an ambush

favorite tactic of the repubs

[0007]

92. Get a fucking grip kid, you're not putting apples and oranges in

the same bag.

[Moloch]

97. So did Kerry and we all forgave him...

Dodd was lied to just like every other member of congress.

At that time, didn't like %75 of Americans think it was a good idea to invade Iraq?

Not me though.

[gaia_gardener]

104. Umm, we didn't all forgive him

I've never been able to forgive any of the people that voted for this war. I might have voted for Kerry, but it wasn't that I liked him, it was that he was better than bush.

[spanone]

3. I agree with Dodd One Hundred Percent

After all FOUR HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS a year should go pretty far toward getting whatever army you want.

[Sugarbleus]

51. Exactly! Where in hell did all the freaking money go???!!

Besides, in WWII the country pulled it's head out and got supplies out forthwith. We have the biggest military industrial complex; they can't get more than 400 vehicles or anything produced in whatever time frame???? That's horseshit.

He was utterly flippant and condecending. I hope he gets thoroughly reemed, if not now, then very soon.

Rumsfeld is a bugfucker, a criminal, and a technocrat. He shouldn't be any where NEAR the military or war zone. He's totally incompetent.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

59. Unprepared for war

"THen why did they rush into it when they weren't prepared????" I yelled at the TV when I heard this. His response was so bogus. Surely they could have found some unemployed Americans to make whatever they needed to keep the troops safe. I am not in favor of this war (or any other), but I can't stand to see those troops in mortal danger. My heart goes out to their families.

[Seabiscuit]

101. A lot of it went to Halliburton. A lot of it's still unspent. WHY???

[Just Me]

53. Where does that 400 billion (plus additional 200 billion for war) go?

The DoD is misappropriating federal funds if preference/priority is private industry over our volunteer force.

[leftchick]

77. those mercenaries are paid....

about $180,000.00 a year each. That sure would buy a lot of armour. Why the hell aren't the Democrats complaining about the freakin private army we are PAYING for. Oh, nevermind... :puke:

[bobthedrummer]

4. Rumsfeld harbors TRAITORS in his DoD-he is a war criminal.

eom

[Paleocon]

68. You're right...

Traitors... the whole government....

[SKKY]

5. I spoke with someone who worked in Rumsfeld's office about this...

...and she told me that he was probably more pissed off that his notes were typed in 12 pitch font and not 10. I don't see why everyone is so pissed about this. What did we expect him to say, "You know what? I'm going to take care of this for you right now- that's why I'm here. I'm not leaving until I make sure you and your fellow soldiers have exactly what you need to do the nearly impossible job I'm asking you to do." IT'S RUMSFELD FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!!!!!

[Corgigal]

7. Because what the soldier asked

is possible. They are not asking too much, they are requesting armor under the vehicles due to the high rate of roadside bombs.

Rumsfeld only talks like that because it's not his precious ass or any of his loved one inside those Hum-vee's.

[SKKY]

11. You're absolutely right...

...it is possible. But, do you really think he cares for a minute that these guys are digging around in land fills to repair their vehicles? He's doing unbelievable damage to our military, but does he care? The response to his comments suggests people are surprised, and I simply don't understand why anyone would be surprise by his comments.

[Ms_Mary]

56. And Bush, personally, asked Rummy to stay on board.

NPR mentioned it again this AM when talking about the cabinet changes.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

61. NPR this AM

Did you catch their story on the mortuary unit sorting thru the personal belongings that they have to send back to the families? I was in tears. I'm feeling it more this week after conversations with 2 friends whose kids are there. One of them voted for Bush - I want to help him see things from "our" perspective, but have to tread lightly.

[Ms_Mary]

76. I missed it. I listen on the way to my son's school/work

Since the antenna broke of my radio at work, I can't pick up the signal anymore.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

84. Link to NPR story on mortuary unit

http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=4210341

[cliss]

16. Not only that, but Rumsfeld......

makes money off of this war.....personally. He's got plenty of stock in war procurement companies. Should we say.....conflict of interest?

...or maybe Motivation is a better term.

From what I heard of the Randi Rhodes show, she said there's no money in that particular item (armor for the vehicles).

[Just Me]

55. Such blatant practices should be treated as MISAPPROPRIATION

of federal funds,...yet another criminal conspiracy these neoCONfascists have committed.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

60. Why everyone is so pissed...

I'm still pissed because 55 million Americans gave * and Rummy their stamp of approval. Because they probably won't see the irony in his response - "you go to war with what you have" - when you are making a preemptive strike??? huh??? I'm pissed because my friends kids are there and in danger while * and Cheney are profiting from this aggression.

[IceOwl]

90. You know what?

I would expect him to say exactly that. It's his duty and responsibility as secretary of war. Not doing so just underlines how lazy and irresponsible he's been about the whole affair.

[bobthedrummer]

6. "The Shadow Pentagon" by Dan Guttman

Private contracors play a huge role in basic government work-mostly out of public view.
http://www.public-i.org/pns/report.aspx?aid=386&sid=200

[stella2cat]

17. yep, and it fell under the guise of 'down-sizing'

now they can claim the government is smaller, but they've just farmed it out to contractors at 10 times the price, AND the accountability is pretty much gone

[bobthedrummer]

47. Welcome to DU, stella2cat!

:hi:

[cosmicdot]

8. the soldier meeting was in Kuwait?

we have troops stationed in Kuwait or were they shipped in from Iraq for Rumsfeld's convenience?

[democrat in Tallahassee]

12. they are on their way to Iraq; I know someone in that unit.

good kerry-voting democrat who was supposed to get out of the guard in feb before the war started. Now he's in kuwait heading north

[Ms_Mary]

57. DH has a close friend in Kuwait waiting to cross into Iraq.

I'm wondering if he might have been there at the meeting. He's on an 18 month national gaurd deployment.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

64. Troops in Kuwait

Yes they are stationed there.

[NVMojo]

9. fire the arrogant jerk!!

[Voltaire99]

10. What's "unacceptable" is this unholy occupation

I'm not interested in hearing otherwise timid Democrats in Washington try to score points about body armor. Get the troops the fuck out of Iraq.

[Erika]

15. Amen.

That Guardsman who spoke up had the backbone our Congress should have had when no WMD's were found.

[Maat]

20. I appreciate Dodd writing the letter ...

and him making public comment. It needs to be said publicly again and again.

I, for one, will never understand why the American people tolerate that smiling, smirking .. uh.. individual sitting there babbling after having sent our young adults in the most dangerous situation imaginable for no good reason (and I don't think of his personal profitting as a good reason)..

How could anyone vote for this administration? How? How? How?

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

67. I appreciate Dodd speaking out too

Lets all tell him so!

http://dodd.senate.gov/webmail/#website

[eyepaddle]

21. I don't disagree with you

But at this nadir in history I'll take almost any opening I can get. Shuck and Jive, stick and weave, we have to look for any (god, I'm trying hard not to say "chink in their armor" but don't know if I can dig myself out of this literary hole) help anybody.....

[Paleocon]

69. Good point.....

Backbone would be saying "Bring the troops home now."

[kedrys]

18. I didn't see Rummy...

...because I was away from the TV all day, but I did hear his sphincter slamming shut :) It's about time somebody got in his face

[itzamirakul]

19. From the sound of the soldier's voice

he didn't sound like a kid. He sounded more mature and I think as they force more and more older guys to return to service, the top brass is going to be questioned to an even greater degree.

[southlandshari]

37. More good info here (WaPo article)

According to this Washington Post article, he is an airplane mechanic with the Tennessee National Guard. I saw him on Aaron Brown, and I'd guess he was in his early to mid-30's.

Good article, front page of tomorrow's WaPo:

Rumsfeld Gets Earful From Troops
Complaints Cite Equipment Woes, Extended Tours and Pay Delays

By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 9, 2004; Page A01

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46508-2004Dec8.html

[RaleighNCDUer]

62. True. Not only will there be more and more serving who were in

GWI, who remember how they were treated after that, but there will be those who were in Vietnam. I don't think you will find many 50 - 55 year old guard or revervists who aren't Vietnam vets.

They've been through this before, and Rummy & gang have opened a real nasty can of worms calling them up with their back-door draft.

[lakeguy]

22. put rumsfeld in one of those Humvees

and i guarantee they would be armored like they should be. too bad it'll never happen!

[donheld]

23. Thank you Mr Dodd

I'm hoping he will keep after Rummy and make them accountable.

[Dr Fate]

24. Go on TV and raise hell about it, or shut the fuck up.

OHHH- a "letter"-that will get them shaking in their boots-

"Oh no-Dodd wrote us a letter- I guess we are trouble now!-(snicker)"


Get some prominent DEMS on TV every night calling for his resignation and turn this into a household talking-point.

Thats what the Repubs do.

When are DEMS going to learn that "if its not on TV, it didnt happen"

If a tree falls in the forest...you know the rest.

DEMS can bitch & complain all they want- but if they cant go "on the TV" with a unified message and call these guys out, then it is useless.

[Disturbed]

28. Dodd should as the Congress why..

Rumsfailed hasn't been charged with War Crimes since Rumsfailed admitted that he has a committed at least three War Crimes.


Rumsfailed Admitted to Violating Geneva Convention

Rumsfailed admitted in public on TV that when CIA Director Tenet requested that an Iraqi prisoner be sent to a secret Afghan/US Prison that Rumsfailed did so. After four months a DOD Attorney stated that this was an illegal act. Rumsfailed then ordered that this prisoner be sent back to Abu Graihib but the prisoner was purposefully not listed at that location, also an illegal act. Rumsfeld also admitted to signing orders for tougher interogation methods which violated the Geneva Conventions.

Rumfailed has commited at least three violations of the Geneva Convention thereby also violations of The Constitution of the USA. Recently it has been found out that even more detainees were "ghost detainees". The fact that Rumsfailed and Tenet have not been charged speaks volumes. If Congress wishes to garner any respect they should move forward with Rep. Rangle's Impeachment Declaration of Rumsfailed and also proscecute Ex. CIA Tenet.

=========================
Q: Senator Jack Reed (Dem, RI): "If you were shown
a video of a United States Marine or an American
citizen in control of a foreign power, in a cell block,
naked with a bag over their head, squatting with their
arms uplifted for 45 minutes, would you describe that
as a good interrogation technique or a violation of
the Geneva Convention?"

A: Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff: "I would describe it as a violation."

A: Paul D. Wolfowitz, the deputy secretary of defense: "What
you've described to me sounds to me like a violation of the
Geneva Convention."

Thursday, May 13, 2004, Senate Armed Services Committee hearings

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25737-20...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25737-2004May13.htm






Does the US, Govt., Congress, and the Justice Dept no longer abide by the Geneva Convention or the Constitution of the USA?

[Dr Fate]

32. Nahh- writing letters is much more "nuanced"...

...and if all you do is write a letter, you can pretend you are "fighting back" w/o having to worry about Karl Rove or the press being "mean to you."

Brave, brave Senator Dodd- our savior.

[whalerider55]

29. couldn't have said it better myself. n/t

[Divernan]

38. Repugs get on TV because they control the news shows

and are "invited " on. What is Dodds supposed to do, come up with vast amounts of money to buy time? He may well be invited onto a news show over the weekend. Things take some time to develop. Doubtless he called a press conference about the letter. The ball is in the court of our gutless news media now.

[whalerider55]

44. look at Kos's list of sunday talking head shows

dodd could get on anytime he wants; he could've gotten on any time he wanted.

it's all in the name of balance. and while i don't disagree for a minute that ther MSM has a strong and virulent anti-dem orientation, the sunday morning shows are the last that make any pretense of balance.

whalerider55

[Dr Fate]

50. Thats right- the media is biased, but that does not stop DEMS...

...form goiing on TV and making truthful, albeit politically imcorrect statements about Republicans.

They dont do it b/c the simply forgot how to fight- or they are too scared to.

[Dr Fate]

49. If Dodd called Rumsfeld "a Liar" he would be on every single show.

I'm sick of that lame excuse.

Are you actually telling me that if John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Dodd, and Ted Kennedy all demanded to be interviewed about calling for Rumfelds resignation-that they would not get the air time?

They dont do it because they are too SCARED of the backlash to go on TV and tell the truth about the republicans.

It's true that the media is Republican- but if DEMS could be a little more outrageous, the media would show it, b/c it would get ratings.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

26. It's perhaps good for the soldier that this made the news

Could youy imagine what would happen to him is it didn't?

[robre]

33. Another soldier with suicide by .223 to the back of the head. (n/t)

[southlandshari]

31. Discussion on this on CNN now (9:25 pm CDT)

On Newsnight with Aaron Brown - showed entire exchange between the soldier and Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld was awful - made the soldier repeat the question as he probably tried to come up with a decent non-answer. Just showed Dodd's quote as well.

For those who haven't tossed the tv yet!

[Catchawave]

34. Of course...

...it's going to be all Clinton's fault by the time the WH spins this appropriately ::snork::

[Erika]

40. Local Boards are trying to use Clinton as the scapegoat...

and it's not working. This is Bush's war and Congress gave him a blank check for every cent to keep our troops safe in their equipment needs.

This war was poorly planned and is being poorly executed.

[southlandshari]

39. Great look at tomorrow's headlines!

Aaron Brown is having a hard time showing much outrage, but even he seems embarrassed at Rumsfeld's abysmal performance as he holds up mock-ups of tomorrow's front page of several major U.S. newspapers, all of which have screaming headlines about the exchange with the soldiers.

[berni_mccoy]

35. They ought to strap Rummie's ass

In one of those soldier's unarmored vehcile and see how fast the armor arrives!

I can't believe he said that face-to-face to one our soldiers going into battle.

They ought to make it a requirement that if an administration goes to war that the administration sits somewhere on the battlefield. We'll see how many pre-emptive strikes come out of that policy!

[martinolich]

58. ..Did Rummy serve in any war?....If, like Bush and Cheney, he did not

..it makes his statement all the more outrageous...Someone on the DU ran a comparative list of Dems and Repugs who served...The discrepancy was appalling...almost NONE of the Repugs, especially these Neocons, served.

[atreides1]

75. He Served In the US Navy

He was an aviator and flight instructor from 1954-1957. In 1957 he transferred to the Ready Reserve, and continued his Naval in flying and administrative assignments as a drilling reservist until 1975.

He transferred to the Standby Reserve in 1975 after becoming Secretary
of Defense, and to the Retired Reserve with the rank of Captain in 1989.

So, no he did not serve in any war.

[southlandshari]

41. Lou Dobbs rerun starting at 10:00 pm CDT - lead story

Ok, I'm watching more CNN tonight than I have in the past six months, but I'm glad this story is getting play in the mainstream press.

Hmmmm...Is the Daily Show a rerun tonight?

[Barkley]

48. Isn't our defense spending more than the next 5 countries combined?

And we have soldiers complaining that they had to dig through landfills for scrap metal and other material to reinforce their vehicles.

[trekbiker]

72. our Defense spending is more..

than the entire rest of the world combined!!!!

and we cant put armor plate on Humvees!!!?!??!

but we can spend billions on a fucked up missle defense goose chase

[Candide]

52. Kudos to Dodd

REPRESENT!

[insane_cratic_gal]

54. But but..

They can't keep up with demand,

that was his excuse??

The company making is MDT a child to Arco. Based in Israel.

They might want to consider, In order to meet demand, they could employ some US citizen's laid off from the globalzation?

Sure there are plenty of steel workers looking for a job and happy for a 6 month contract to feed their families.

[DUBYASCREWEDUS]

65. DUMBSFELD

Next time Secretary Dumbsfeld goes before our troops perhaps he should take a lesson from his master - get them to sign loyalty oaths. If this does not work perhaps he should use the military that was portrayed in the "photoshop" production that Dumbya used in the final days of the campaign - you know, the picture where the same soldier showed up in every other frame. You know what Secretary Dumbsfeld, perhaps a country shouldn't go to war unless they have at the very minimum: (a) enough troops, (b) properly equipped troops, (c) the correct enemy and (d) a valid reason to go to war. Maybe if you chose any of the above we would not have 1,176 dead Americans and 9,500+ severely maimed Americans; what do you think?

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

66. DUMBSFELD

Well said!!

I just wrote to Dodd to thank him for speaking up

[pilgrimsoul]

71. That soldier is on the front page of the Tennessean today...

As far as I am concerned, he is a HERO!

http://www.tennessean.com/

[martinolich]

82. ..I think you're absolutely right...A suggestion:

..Go to msnbc.com right now and look up "opinion"...They're asking viewers if they think the army is "doing enough" to equip the soldiers in Iraq.....In addition, though, they're asking people to "send their thoughts" on the matter and they provide the message space for the email. I think you're response is PERFECT...Why not send it now?

[DUBYASCREWEDUS]

85. THANK YOU!

Thank you for the suggestion! I did go to the site; voted and also submitted an opinion. I have the unfortunate "pleasure" of living in Ohio - former "Buckeye" turned "Bigot" state; home of Kenneth "Katherine Harris" Blackwell!

[trekbiker]

70. Lets buy Humvee armor

Who builds the Humvee?? GM??

one way to humilliate the shit out of this incompetent/criminal Bush cabal would be to raise money, contact the Humvee manufacturer and contract to have armor built to spec for these Humvee's and ship it over there to individual soldiers, complete with tools and installation instructions...

and then PUBLICIZE it!!!

[One_Life_To_Give]

74. Who was the answer for?

Certainly not for the troops in front of him!

But then again Rummy doesn't get the point that our Army wasn't built for occupation. Which is why our support units didn't have armour or weapons, suitable for the occupation.

[Algorem]

78. sole supplier says it could up supply 22% with no investment,WAITING

ON ORDER FROM ARMY http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_us&refer=home&sid=aMGdbQCSwiRg

[Bouncy Ball]

80. Dodd's letter

should read as such:

Skipping the intro...

"What kind of answer is THAT? We CHOSE this war, we had a huge responsibility to make sure that soldiers weren't digging in the sand to find scrap metal to attach to their vehicles for armor. And we have the best military in the WORLD?

Where did the money go for such things? All I can conclude, from your horrific answer, is that you and your colleagues well and truly do not give one whit about the welfare of the US servicemembers sent to the Middle East to fight this war."


While Dodd's at it, he can throw in his opinion of the war. Then he can go on TV as much as they'll let him and yell it loud and clear, until he's threatened with a "small aircraft accident."

When is Congress next in session? If I don't see some Dems on the floor of the House and Senate raising bloody hell as much as the rules allow them I'm going to be sick.

[4_TN_TITANS]

81. not just unacceptable....

It's plain incorrect, as I was reading in one article. If a country has to respond/react to a surpise war, then you go with what you got. When you have time to plan for it, like Rumsnut did, then you are denying your troops of the best available equipment if they don't have it. I hope his disgusting comments will open up a few more eyes to this nightmare administration.

Kudo's to that fellow Tennessee boy that had the nads to stick it in Rumsfeld's face..... :headbang:

[Algorem]

83. Noone who uses such spectacular hand gestures could ever lie.

[DeadManInc]

86. Rumsfield

I bet that piece of shit traveled in a armored car when his sorry pathetic ass was over there. Too bad the insurgents didn't show him why they need armor.

[superconnected]

87. mmm

[Danascot]

88. The problem here

is that the soldier is "reality based", as soldiers are apt to be, while the administration is not.

[IceOwl]

91. Unacceptable and disconnected from reality.

If there are 400 HumVees rolling off production lines with new armor every week, why aren't the soldiers seeing them?

How long do you think it'll be before soldiers start defecting and joining the Iraqi people, because fighting them just isn't worth it anymore?

[LynnTheDem]

93. Maybe one day the US media will report on US troops' SHORTAGE OF BULLETS

And the FACT that Rumsfailed sent our troops to preventive strike to spread democracy WITHOUT ENOUGH RIFLES, WITHOUT ENOUGH BULLETS, and WITHOUT ENOUGH armor and body armor and vital equipment parts and night vision goggles and bloody etc...

MEANWHILE OUR TROOPS ARE STILL RIGHT NOW ALSO SHORT ON BULLETS.

Maybe a soldier will get the chance to ask Rummy the Q, and THEN the US State Media will bother reporting on it.

[nashville_brook]

105. well, if he had his way

wars would all be fought with Star Wars anyway.

soldiers are soooo outdated!

[widmn]

94. RUMSFELD DEMANDS FULL BODY ARMOR FOR NEXT MEETING WITH TROOPS

RUMSFELD DEMANDS FULL BODY ARMOR FOR NEXT MEETING WITH TROOPS Felt ‘Unprotected,’ Defense Secretary Says Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld blasted the White House today for not providing him with full body armor for his acrimonious question-and-answer session with troops in Kuwait this week, saying that the lack of body armor put him in a potentially perilous situation.

“I felt totally unprotected out there,” Secretary Rumsfeld said. “You cannot send a Secretary of Defense out on a mission like that without full body armor.”

Secretary Rumsfeld said he had spent hours scavenging around Kuwait City looking for body armor before his meeting with troops, and warned that he would “think twice” before engaging in another question-and-answer session without adequate protection.

The Secretary of Defense added that if the White House did not provide him with full body armor immediately, the next time he spoke to troops he would do it from inside a Bradley fighting vehicle.

At the White House, President George W. Bush said that a full body armor suit had in fact been ordered for Secretary Rumsfeld, but that it no longer fit because Mr. Rumsfeld ate too much at Thanksgiving.

Mr. Bush added that until a new body armor suit was ready, Mr. Rumsfeld would have to make do with a Brooks Brothers suit for future encounters with troops.

“You go to war with the Secretary of Defense you have,” he said.

Elsewhere, congressional leaders expressed hope that the just-passed intelligence reform bill would provide accurate, up-to-date intelligence reports for the president not to read.

Email this story to a friend

[grounded11]

96. Humvee makers dispute Rumsfeld remarks

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/203200_armor10.h...

More armored vehicles could readily be built, two companies say

WASHINGTON -- The manufacturer of Humvees for the U.S. military and the company that adds armor to the utility vehicles are not running near production capacity and are making all that the Pentagon has requested, spokesmen for both companies said.

"If they call and say, 'You know, we really want more,' we'll get it done," said Lee Woodward, a spokesman for AM General, the Indiana company that makes Humvees and the civilian Hummer versions.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/203200_armor10.h...

[pinniped]

99. Hey the question was planted, didn't Dodd get the message...

that it doesn't matter?

By now it should become fairly obvious to anyone with a functioning brain cell that these pieces of shit don't give a shit about our soldiers.

But in this sad country brain cells are a rarity for roughly 1/2 the populace.