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Ear to the Ground

Rumsfeld: The Power and the Glory

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Posted on Feb 16, 2007
Rummy and Ford
White House photograph courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library / David Hume Kennerly

President Ford meets with his chief of staff, Donald Rumsfeld, in 1974.

Roger Morris, a historian and investigative journalist who served on the National Security Council under Presidents Johnson and Nixon, brings his wisdom to bear on the rise and fall of Donald Rumsfeld.


TomDispatch:

As it was, despite his business conquests, Rumsfeld missed an even greater prize. He had been on a short list to become Ronald Reagan’s running mate in the 1980 presidential campaign when the candidate unexpectedly reached for his defeated primary rival (and Rumsfeld nemesis) George H.W. Bush. While, over the next 12 years, Bush went on to the vice-presidency and presidency, and Jim Baker—equally detested by Rumsfeld—went along with his patron to White House staff and cabinet power, Rumsfeld would build his Searle fortune and bide his time.

The one exception to his involuntary Reagan-era exile from government would be a stint in 1983-1984 as special presidential envoy to the Middle East. He would be sent to arrange U.S. support for Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in its war with the hated Iranians of Ayatollah Khomeini, a role little noticed at the time which nonetheless produced the notorious photo of Rumsfeld shaking hands with the Iraqi dictator. The deeper story was far more embarrassing than any simple handshake.

Most of the relevant records on Rumsfeld’s several-month assignment are still classified, though it is clear that, as at the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO), he took on his mission with a passion. He worked to shower on Saddam (in a manner as unnoticed as possible) an infamous flow of intelligence, financial credits, and sensitive materials and technology that would come to underpin Iraqi chemical and bacteriological warfare programs, leading to hideous gas attacks on Shia dissidents and Kurds as well as the Iranian forces. In general, Rumsfeld put his shoulder to the wheel to shore up the war-worn Ba’athist regime that had attacked Iran in 1980.

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By Rodney, February 18, 2007 at 8:47 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Rumsfeld hasn’t fallen enough. When he is put in prison for war crimes along with Bush,Cheney,Gonzales,and Rice,then justice will be served.

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By Bert, February 18, 2007 at 8:50 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Just end the war, already. Rumsfeld’s gone, and you can’t polish a turd. Pick a day, declare victory, and pack up the tents and end it…

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By GAnderson, February 17, 2007 at 11:28 pm Link to this comment
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This is a bit premature, don’t you think?

Rummy’s not gone, he’s just hiding out in a room at the pentagon, pulling strings on Gates, he’s still in charge….full speed ahead to Iran..

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By Quy Tran, February 17, 2007 at 10:49 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Those who used Rumsfeld, then and now, were at the same scale of stupid !

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By Steve Hammons, February 17, 2007 at 8:41 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

It can be debated whether Rumsfeld falls into the category of a “chicken hawk.” He was a Navy pilot, but in peacetime.

He has shown disrespect for others, including those who have been in combat and seen their brothers in arms killed and wounded.

He is widely reported to be a bully.

Like many others in and associated with the Bush administration, Rumsfeld seems to have serious psychological pathologies that are related to the chicken hawk psychological profile.

For more on this, see:

Chicken hawks are real and dangerous

By Steve Hammons
Columnist, PopulistAmerica.com
Populist Party of America
November 26, 2006

http://www.populistamerica.com/chicken_hawks_are_real_and_dangerous

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