I credit Rumsfeld with one positive accomplishment

[Alhena]

and that is forcing a large number of Americans to re-evaluate their blind faith in our government and in our military.

I recall almost crying in my beer at a bar at the start of the war when we were bombing Baghdad with cruise missiles to the enthusiastic response of most of those in the bar. One guy even stood up and bellowed "shock and awe, baby, shock and AWE!" and it was all I could do not to punch him. I thought that if such a large percentage of Americans were such neanderthals then there was no hope for this country. Unfortunately, it looks like there will always be a solid 1/3 or so of the population (especially down South) that fits this description, but I have been gratified to see that a lot of people around me have slowely realized that the world is a bit more complicated than a John Wayne movie and that the good old USA isn't always right when it starts wars.

Given human nature, it was perhaps inevitable that the world's sole superpower would have to learn this lesson the hard way, but the elections yesterday give me hope that a majority of Americans at least have learned it. And for that I have to give some credit to Donald Rumsfeld, whose incompetence and malice became so clear that even many red staters could see it.

[FuzzyDicePHL]

1. Good, thoughtful post.

Thanks for sharing this idea. You may have given me the sole reason to appreciate him for something.

Welcome to DU! :)

[knowbody0]

2. AmeriKans so desensitized

they cannot comprehend the deaths of innocence with each bomb.

All this is the down side of being the super power of the world. Hopefully, the worm has turned, and enlightenment will spread.

[JeffR]

3. Well said

Welcome to DU!

[lcordero2]

4. actually three

2. He proved that Corporate CEO type thinking is not suitable for running an organization like the DoD.

3. We are one EMP away from being a totally ineffective military since we are too gadget-dependent.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. All those lives & misery is a hell of a price to pay for that education

In fact, I don't think that too many people really get it anyway.