White House Denies Differences with Rumsfeld on Iraq

[Nottingham]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=c003f0a02e3701f9

White House Denies Differences with Rumsfeld on Iraq
Wed October 8, 2003 09:32 PM ET





By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House Wednesday sought to paper over any differences with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who complained he was not told of a postwar Iraq reorganizational shake-up.

Rumsfeld's annoyance at the White House emerged during an interview he gave to London's Financial Times newspaper, a rare display of public pique within President Bush's famously disciplined inner circle.

And it came at a time when the White House, confronting falling poll numbers, is launching an aggressive public relations push aimed at bolstering declining support among Americans for the Iraq mission.


snip...

In the Financial Times interview, Rumsfeld sounded annoyed that Rice, who heads the National Security Council, had decided to draw attention to a memo establishing the reorganization by giving a "background" briefing to The New York Times.

more...

Sounds like Rummsfeld is going down probably because Iraq is a Mess

:nuke:

[Nottingham]

1. Rumsfeld Claims No Role in Iraq Decision

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=f4e4ffe12a3b1396

Rumsfeld Claims No Role in Iraq Decision
ROBERT BURNS
Associated Press

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday he played no role in a White House decision to tighten its control over operations in Iraq, but he dismissed the matter as less important than the Chicago Cubs reaching the major league baseball playoffs.

At a news conference during a break in a NATO meeting, Rumsfeld shrugged off suggestions that the decision by President Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, to create a new National Security Council oversight group for Iraq amounted to an expression of dissatisfaction with Rumsfeld.

Rumsfeld, who oversees the work of the American civil administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, as well as the American military commanders there, was asked whether he felt Rice had gone behind his back.

"Not at all," he said, adding that he was not bothered that the consultations had not included him.

more....

Thats not what was seen on Crossfire! And Now Bremer will report to Rice not Rummsy....OUCH! :bounce:

[bluedeminredstate]

2. Condi's lying

"Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday he played no role in a White House decision to tighten its control over operations in Iraq, but he dismissed the matter as less important than the Chicago Cubs reaching the major league baseball playoffs." ...
..."At a news conference during a break in a NATO meeting, Rumsfeld shrugged off suggestions that the decision by President Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, to create a new National Security Council oversight group for Iraq amounted to an expression of dissatisfaction with Rumsfeld."

The very group whose creation Rice, the shaking quivering lying heap of a nervous system run amok, says was discussed and concocted by Powell, Rummy and a few other muckey-mucks in a high-level meeting.

Someone's lying, and based on Rummy's major tantrum in the press - a MAJOR no-no in the Chimp WH where loyalty to the Bushes is paramount - my guess is it's Rice. Rummy got sidelined and Rice took the opportunity to publicly let him know she was now doing Rummy's job.

She gives the phrase "lying through one's teeth" a literal and figurative meaning. It's all she does at every press conference and on her frequent commercial-free appearances with Russert. Why would this be any different than her usual M.O.?

:shrug:

Oops! Meant to reply to the original post...

[TreasonousBastard]

3. What a crew!

Iraq is a mess, so Rice is the one to straighten it out. Amusing, at the very least.

One account I read said something to the effect that since the White House is taking the heat over the mess over there anyway, they are taking the responsibilities away from State and Defense and bringing it directly into the White House and the NSC will run the show.

Makes sense, except that Rice just doesn't seem up to the job. Shades of Kissinger-- yet another one trying to put academic theory and pet personal crankdom into practice without experience. Wonder if she'll kill as many as Kissinger?

Somewhere a while ago, maybe here, I read a comment by Clark that he was talking to Rice about Kosovo and was amazed at her lack of understanding about how the world actually works.

[Nottingham]

4. Kick

:kick: