General Agreement: Rumsfeld Fails the Aspin Test
As the firestorm between the growing ranks of retired generals and the White House over Donald Rumsfeld continues to heat up, the Republican leadership in Congress remains largely - and predictably - silent.
As I wrote back in December 2004, the Republican Party and its amen corner have decided that its 1993 "Les Aspin Standard" does not apply to Defense Secretary Rumseld and the Bush administration. That is, decisions that needlessly cost American lives in battle cost defense secretaries their jobs, but apparently only if Bill Clinton is president.
From my 2004 piece:
John McCain, who sold his soul to George Bush in order to boost his own 2008 presidential bid, has in essence called for Rumsfeld's ouster. Asked about his confidence in the secretary's leadership, McCain snapped:
"I said no. My answer is still no. No confidence. I have strenuously argued for larger troop numbers in Iraq...There are very strong differences of opinion between myself and Secretary Rumsfeld on that issue."
Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel added his voice to the chorus of reason, noting:
"That soldier and those men and women [in uniform] deserved a far better answer from their secretary of defense than a flippant comment. I wonder what the parents of the men and women over there, sons and daughters who are fighting, I do not think that they appreciated that answer."
There should, of course, be no doubt about the need Rumsfeld's departure. His arrogant, flippant responses to the troops ("you go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time") are just the tip of the iceberg. His Pentagon mangled the Iraq reconstruction, turning its back on the State Department (which happened to have the only plan in town) and turning instead to Ahmed Chalabi. The Abu Ghraib scandal and Rumsfeld's complicity in setting interrogation practices stained America around the world. Worse still, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz refused Army requests for more troops prior to the Iraq invasion, ridiculing as "far off the mark" General Eric Shinseki's February 2003 Congressional testimony about the occupation's need for "several hundreds of thousands" of troops.
18 months and 1,200 American dead later, troops still lack body armor and hardened vehicles, units are being rotated back to Iraq, and stop-loss orders and the call-up of retired servicemen show an American military stretched beyond the breaking point. Flawed strategy, a lack of planning and a refusal to provide needed equipment to save the lives of U.S. troops on the ground should be more than sufficient for Rumsfeld's resignation or sacking.
In 1993, of course, it took much less for Republicans to drive out the Secretary of Defense. Bill Clinton's Secretary of Defense Les Aspin assumed ownership of George H.W. Bush's December 1992 Somalia intervention . But it was Aspin who came under withering assault for the disasterous Black Hawk Down episode in Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1993 that left 18 Rangers dead and 84 wounded. That September, Aspin turned down General Thomas Montgomery's request for armored reinforcements to protect U.S. troops from growing attacks by the forces of Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid. (Note that Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell reportedly also refused to provide additional AC-130 gunships.)
Aspin's refusal to provide the armor led to an all-out GOP assault. New York Senator Alphonse D'Amato led the way, stating that, "he should be fired now, he should resign now, and if he doesn't resign, then the president should remove him." Congressional Republicans called for Aspin's resignation, and Newt Gingrich called for hearings to determine if field commanders are given "the support they need."
Events moved rapidly from there. On October 7, 1993, President Clinton called for a U.S. withdrawal by March 31, 1994. In December, Les Aspin resigned. A year and a half later, Les Aspin died from a stroke.
Which brings us back to 2004. Donald Rumsfeld obviously fails the Aspin Test. Where is Alphonse D'Amato when you need him?
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This is totally out of line. Rumsfeld is tough as nails, and took out Saddam in weeks. You can't blame the insurgency on him.
Aspin was a hesitant, weak-kneed bureaucrat who refused to supply our troops in Somalia.
Posted by Jerry on April 16, 2006 8:13 AMAspin was a hesitant, weak-kneed bureaucrat who refused to supply our troops in Somalia.
Rumsfeld is a assertive, stubborn wrong-headed civilian who refuses to face the military reality that was predicted by experts prior to the invasion. His failure to recognize reality, even after the military is being hit hard by that reality every day for several years, has cost our nation immeasurably.
Stubbornness in pursuit of failed policy is no virtue.
Posted by tubino on April 16, 2006 10:02 AMRumsfeld has got to go.
Posted by George on April 17, 2006 4:39 PMRumsfeld is an arrogant, dangerous, paranoid. Like the rest of his gang (the PNAC), he sees his as a mission from God. HIS GOD, not ANYBODY else's goddamned god, thank you!
I hope the gates of hell open and drop murderin' Don Rumsfeld and his crew neck deep in dog shit.
Gosh, I hope I don't sound angry....
Posted by Mr. Natural on April 20, 2006 4:14 PMActually Jerry if you do a lil bit of snooping around you will find out that Rummy made himself pretty much the Sole Advisor for the war dept. The WHIG [White House Iraq Group] Yet another mystery.
Not to mention 8 billion gone missing in Iraq, Cash, and While Rummy has complained about money to congress, come to find out he didn't spend it, or lose it....yet.
Posted by Whigs on May 17, 2006 10:28 PMGreat Article!!!
Brad Aspin
Posted by Brad Aspin on March 12, 2007 11:06 PMGeneral Agreement: Rumsfeld Fails the Aspin Test
As the firestorm between the growing ranks of retired generals and the White House over Donald Rumsfeld continues to heat up, the Republican leadership in Congress remains largely - and predictably - silent.
As I wrote back in December 2004, the Republican Party and its amen corner have decided that its 1993 "Les Aspin Standard" does not apply to Defense Secretary Rumseld and the Bush administration. That is, decisions that needlessly cost American lives in battle cost defense secretaries their jobs, but apparently only if Bill Clinton is president.
From my 2004 piece:
John McCain, who sold his soul to George Bush in order to boost his own 2008 presidential bid, has in essence called for Rumsfeld's ouster. Asked about his confidence in the secretary's leadership, McCain snapped:
"I said no. My answer is still no. No confidence. I have strenuously argued for larger troop numbers in Iraq...There are very strong differences of opinion between myself and Secretary Rumsfeld on that issue."
Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel added his voice to the chorus of reason, noting:
"That soldier and those men and women [in uniform] deserved a far better answer from their secretary of defense than a flippant comment. I wonder what the parents of the men and women over there, sons and daughters who are fighting, I do not think that they appreciated that answer."
There should, of course, be no doubt about the need Rumsfeld's departure. His arrogant, flippant responses to the troops ("you go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time") are just the tip of the iceberg. His Pentagon mangled the Iraq reconstruction, turning its back on the State Department (which happened to have the only plan in town) and turning instead to Ahmed Chalabi. The Abu Ghraib scandal and Rumsfeld's complicity in setting interrogation practices stained America around the world. Worse still, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz refused Army requests for more troops prior to the Iraq invasion, ridiculing as "far off the mark" General Eric Shinseki's February 2003 Congressional testimony about the occupation's need for "several hundreds of thousands" of troops.
18 months and 1,200 American dead later, troops still lack body armor and hardened vehicles, units are being rotated back to Iraq, and stop-loss orders and the call-up of retired servicemen show an American military stretched beyond the breaking point. Flawed strategy, a lack of planning and a refusal to provide needed equipment to save the lives of U.S. troops on the ground should be more than sufficient for Rumsfeld's resignation or sacking.
In 1993, of course, it took much less for Republicans to drive out the Secretary of Defense. Bill Clinton's Secretary of Defense Les Aspin assumed ownership of George H.W. Bush's December 1992 Somalia intervention . But it was Aspin who came under withering assault for the disasterous Black Hawk Down episode in Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1993 that left 18 Rangers dead and 84 wounded. That September, Aspin turned down General Thomas Montgomery's request for armored reinforcements to protect U.S. troops from growing attacks by the forces of Somali warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid. (Note that Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell reportedly also refused to provide additional AC-130 gunships.)
Aspin's refusal to provide the armor led to an all-out GOP assault. New York Senator Alphonse D'Amato led the way, stating that, "he should be fired now, he should resign now, and if he doesn't resign, then the president should remove him." Congressional Republicans called for Aspin's resignation, and Newt Gingrich called for hearings to determine if field commanders are given "the support they need."
Events moved rapidly from there. On October 7, 1993, President Clinton called for a U.S. withdrawal by March 31, 1994. In December, Les Aspin resigned. A year and a half later, Les Aspin died from a stroke.
Which brings us back to 2004. Donald Rumsfeld obviously fails the Aspin Test. Where is Alphonse D'Amato when you need him?
�Perrspective 05:45 PM Permalink Comments
This is totally out of line. Rumsfeld is tough as nails, and took out Saddam in weeks. You can't blame the insurgency on him.
Aspin was a hesitant, weak-kneed bureaucrat who refused to supply our troops in Somalia.
Posted by Jerry at April 16, 2006 08:13 AM
Jerry... Know what you are talking about before you even open your mouth.. It was Hillary who kept the troops back in Somalia, and if you really think Bill was running the show at the White house there is a Bridge I can sell you!!
A
Les just took the fall!! Know your facts JERRY!!
Brad Aspin
Posted by Brad Aspin on March 17, 2007 2:07 PM