Retirement Hasn't Improved Rumsfeld-it's everyone's fault but his

[babylonsister]

Posted in its entirety with permission from the author.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_02/028094.php

RETIREMENT HASN'T IMPROVED RUMSFELD.... When Donald Rumsfeld was forced from the Pentagon four years ago, he departed the stage as a humiliated and widely-loathed figure. After a series of catastrophic failures, no one, not even Republicans, found ol' Rummy remotely credible. He left a beaten man.

Four years later, Rumsfeld has published a truly ridiculous book, which offers him an opportunity to go on national television and bash the president.

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld disputes the notion that President Barack Obama has made America more popular around the globe than it was under his former boss, President George W. Bush.

Asked on CNN's "State of the Union" by host Candy Crowley whether the U.S. is looked at differently than under his tenure, Rumsfeld replied, "I don't think there's data that supports that."

"He has made a practice of trying to apologize for America," Rumsfeld said of Obama. "I personally am proud of America."

Let's unpack this a bit. On the first point, there's all kinds of data to support the notion that the standing of the United States has improved around the globe since President Obama took office, replacing George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld. This was evident six months into the Obama presidency, and it continues. Obama ran in 2008 vowing to win back the international respect the United States had lost, and he's been widely successful in doing just that.

Rumsfeld may not like the "data," but reality doesn't much care what he prefers.

On the second point, I realize Republicans are pretty invested in this notion that the president has "apologized for America," but in Grown-Up Land, this is simply imaginary. You'll notice, of course, that conservatives bring this ridiculous talking point up quite a bit, without actually pointing to any examples. There's a reason for this.

If, however, Rumsfeld wants to argue that President Obama has made an effort to restore frayed international alliances, and has felt compelled to acknowledge U.S. missteps in the past, that's certainly true. Of course, those efforts were made necessary by none other than Donald "Old Europe" Rumsfeld, who was directly responsible for dragging the name of the United States through the mud, undermining our reputation in the process.

To accuse President Obama of "apologizing for America," is idiotic. But if Rumsfeld wants to apologize for embarrassing America, I'm all ears.

—Steve Benen

[villager]

1. No one in the party of "personal responsibility" can take responsiblity for anything. No one.

n/t

[Ikonoklast]

2. Field Marshall Von Rumsfeld isn't near as smart as he thinks he is.

And now, he showing the rest of us the truth we've known all along, he's truly an idiot.

This Republican habit of just, well, call it what it is, "Making Shit Up" is starting to wear thin, and I think more and more Americans are finally getting wise to what it is that they are doing.

Bush is still universally despised around the world, except by right-wing regimes who kissed his ass for economic and military favors.

[lunatica]

3. Patriotism, Refuge, Scoundrel

rinse and repeat ad nauseum.