Monday, September 25, 2006
Officials Blast Secretary of Defense, McConnell Counters
Retired military officers today bluntly accused Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld of bungling the war in Iraq, saying U.S. troops were sent to fight without the best equipment and that critical facts were hidden from the public.
During remarks prepared for a forum conducted by Senate Democrats, retired Maj. Gen. John R. S. Batiste said "I believe that Secretary Rumsfeld and others in the administration did not tell the American people the truth for fear of losing support for the war in Iraq,”
A second military leader retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, assessed Rumsfeld as "incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically ...."
However a senator from the bluegrass, had a different assessment of Rumsfelds performance
"Today's stunt may rile up the liberal base, but it won't kill a single terrorist or prevent a single attack," according to a statement by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in which he also referred to Rumsfeld as an "excellent secretary of defense."
The conflict, now in its fourth year, has claimed the lives of more than 2,600 American troops and cost more than $300 billion.
During remarks prepared for a forum conducted by Senate Democrats, retired Maj. Gen. John R. S. Batiste said "I believe that Secretary Rumsfeld and others in the administration did not tell the American people the truth for fear of losing support for the war in Iraq,”
A second military leader retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, assessed Rumsfeld as "incompetent strategically, operationally and tactically ...."
However a senator from the bluegrass, had a different assessment of Rumsfelds performance
"Today's stunt may rile up the liberal base, but it won't kill a single terrorist or prevent a single attack," according to a statement by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in which he also referred to Rumsfeld as an "excellent secretary of defense."
The conflict, now in its fourth year, has claimed the lives of more than 2,600 American troops and cost more than $300 billion.
# posted by Justin Mullins @ 4:41 PM 
