Just answer the question, Mr. Rumsfeld
Published December 12, 2004
WASHINGTON -- If you don't like the message, knock the messenger, as
an old spin doctor's motto goes. That's how some people are reacting
to a soldier's question that knocked Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld off his game during a town hall session in Kuwait last week.
Spec. Thomas Wilson, a scout with a Tennessee National Guard unit,
asked Rumsfeld why soldiers still have to fortify their canvas-
covered Humvees with "hillbilly armor," scrap metal and ballistic-
resistant glass that they dig out of landfills for protection. After
a brief moment of stony silence, the comment brought a spontaneous
eruption of "hooahs" and applause from other troops.
It also brought a remarkably condescending response from Rumsfeld,
who may have become too accustomed to treating reporters like
annoyingly curious children to quickly shift to a tone appropriate
for the combat men and women under his command.
"You go to war with the Army you have," he said, "not the one you
might want or the one you might wish to have at a later time."
That was a curious comment, considering how much time President
Bush's Defense Department has had to build up to "the Army we might
want."
Rumsfeld deliberately held down the manpower and support for Iraq
against the strong advice of former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric
Shinseki and other generals who said more troops and equipment would
be needed. The Army we have is what Rumsfeld wanted, not what the
generals said we needed.
Now, Rumsfeld assured the troops, the Pentagon is pushing its
suppliers to produce armored vehicles as fast as possible. But his
claim brought swift dispute from some of the makers of armor and
Humvees. The factories have been running well below capacity,
spokesmen said, but the Pentagon had not taken them up on the offers
to produce more armored vehicles.
Meanwhile, explosive devices at Iraqi roadsides--against which our
troops could use more armor--have caused about half of America's war
casualties.
Yet Rumsfeld added what may be the world's least necessary
caveat: "You can have all the armor in the world on a tank; it can
[still] be blown up."
Gee, thank you, Mr. Secretary. And happy holidays to you.
Kinda make you look like an idiot, don't it Bobby??