Rummie Makes Suprise Visit To Baghdad

[Aaron]

Looks like he's taking a page out of his masters book

BAGHDAD - U.S. Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld made a dramatic, surprise visit to Baghdad on Thursday.

He didn't stay long. He was on the ground for only about eight hours. But in his plane on the way over and in remarks he made in Baghdad, Rumsfeld used a mix of humour, emotion and anger to strike back at his critics.

For the past several weeks, Rumsfeld has been at the centre of a scandal over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

For now, President George W. Bush is standing by his embattled defence secretary. But Rumsfeld's bold trip was clearly part of a broader effort to rehabilitate his image and quell the prisoner abuse scandal.

Rumsfeld has been getting roughed up for weeks by the media, the Congress and by a tempest of worldwide revulsion over the perverse and degrading treatment of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of the U.S. military.

His day-trip to Baghdad gave him a fresh backdrop, as well as an instant cast of hundreds of cheering soldiers.

Rumsfeld, knowing that troop morale has plunged in recent months and especially in recent days, dutifully thanked the troops. "The right thing for us to do is to come out here and look you folks in the eye and tell you that we think you're terrific, we admire your service," he said.

Aboard his plane on the way over, Rumsfeld defended the Pentagon's handling of the abuse scandal. He said media reports of a coverup were unfair, inaccurate and wrong.

Later, inside the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, Rumsfeld snubbed the media and his critics, saying, "I don't think it will come as any surprise that I've stopped reading newspapers."

Rumsfeld also seems to have decided to keep as classified the hundreds of photos and video stills of prisoner abuse that were shown in private to members of Congress.

They will remain under wraps because Pentagon lawyers are worried that releasing them would violate the right of prisoners under the Geneva Conventions to have their privacy protected.

But Rumsfeld didn't shy away from addressing the damage that's already been done. "In recent days there's been a focus on a few who have betrayed our values and sullied the reputation of our country. Like each of you, I'm sure I was stunned. It was a body blow," he said.

But Rumsfeld also acknowledged that the scandal is far from over when he described himself as a "survivor."

[Uraniun235]

That shithead had the audacity to state, with a hint of pride, that he didn't read the newspapers anymore. The news anchor said it was part of a joke in reaction to the blistering editorials being written about him.

I hope that one senator was telling the truth about an article of impeachment being drawn up for Rumsfeld and I hope his ass is kicked out in the most unceremonious fashion.

[HemlockGrey]

Fuck waiting for November, can we launch the revolution yet?

[Patrick Degan]

Probably just a bit nostalgic about the town. After all, Rummy had such a good time on his last visit:



You know how tourists are...

[Chardok]

We really need to decide on a nickname for Donald Rumsfeld. Something degrading like Shrub(by) Donnie, Rummy, Rummie, ASSistant to Shrub, something.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

They will remain under wraps because Pentagon lawyers are worried that releasing them would violate the right of prisoners under the Geneva Conventions to have their privacy protected.

Has the United States suddenly lost the ability to blur/black out faces?

[Chardok]

They will remain under wraps because Pentagon lawyers are worried that releasing them would violate the right of prisoners under the Geneva Conventions to have their privacy protected.

Has the United States suddenly lost the ability to blur/black out faces?[/quote]

NOW we're worried about their rights.....Fucking classic.

[Stofsk]

We really need to decide on a nickname for Donald Rumsfeld. Something degrading like Shrub(by) Donnie, Rummy, Rummie, ASSistant to Shrub, something.

Rumbag, Rumhead, Rummy, Rumsfled...

I like Rumbag. It makes you think of "scumbag" while also making you think he's an alcoholic (rum, geddit?). Rummy fits better, though.

What about "arsehole"? No finesse, just straight and blunt.

[BoredShirtless]

Donnie, Rummy, Rummie, ASSistant to Shrub, something.

Rumbag

Gold.

[Col. Crackpot]

Donnie, Rummy, Rummie, ASSistant to Shrub, something.

Rumbag

Gold.

Reichsmarshall Rumsfeld

[Admiral Valdemar]

Ronald Dumsfeld.

[Spyder]

Donald Saeed al-Rumsfeld

[jegs2]

From this:

The Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal is exposing a Pentagon increasingly at war with itself, leading to a crisis of leadership even as tens of thousands of US troops risk their lives battling insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For months, discord has been growing in Pentagon corridors over the Iraq war, as senior US military officers criticize what they see as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's risky war plan and the lack of a clear political end game.

Mr. Rumsfeld, in turn, has often chastised what he sees as hidebound, overly conservative military thinking.

Now, the clash between Rumsfeld's push-the-envelope approach and inherent military conservatism is again in full display over allegations that Pentagon policymakers blurred the traditional military chain of command in order to better gather intelligence.

[Durandal]

We really need to decide on a nickname for Donald Rumsfeld. Something degrading like Shrub(by) Donnie, Rummy, Rummie, ASSistant to Shrub, something.

Rumbag, Rumhead, Rummy, Rumsfled...

I like Rumbag. It makes you think of "scumbag" while also making you think he's an alcoholic (rum, geddit?). Rummy fits better, though.

What about "arsehole"? No finesse, just straight and blunt.

Rumbag is perfect.

[Vympel]

What a lame political stunt.