| Reaction to rumsfled memo Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-10-22-rumsfeld-memo_x.htmhttp://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-10-22-rumsfeld-memo_x.htm
Reaction to Rumsfeld memo mixed By Dave Moniz and Tom Squitieri, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Reaction to a Pentagon memo highlighting Donald Rumsfeld's concerns about the war on terrorism was mixed Wednesday. Supporters applauded the Defense secretary's candor, and some Bush administration foes cited it as proof the war is floundering.
By Heesoon Yim, AP
The Oct. 16 memo, sent to four top Pentagon officials, offered an unusually candid assessment of the U.S. fight against global terrorism and raised a number of pointed questions about the government's strategies. First reported by USA TODAY, the memo said the United States has no way to measure whether it is winning or losing the war, has not made "truly bold moves" to fight terrorists and is in for "a long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Related link: View Rumsfeld's memo)
Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, the senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the Rumsfeld memo shows the administration is facing the prospect that its Iraq policy is not working.
"Rumsfeld has never admitted the facts before," Biden said. "This is the first scent of introspection that I have even whiffed out of the civilian side of the Defense Department."
Others saw the memo as a sign Rumsfeld has a firm grasp on the challenges in the war on terrorism.
"I think it is pretty impressive," said Loren Thompson, a military analyst at the Lexington Institute, a conservative think tank. "It shows he is doing what a CEO does — asking the hard, strategic questions."
In his two-page memo, Rumsfeld said it is "not possible" to change the Pentagon fast enough to "successfully" fight the war on terrorism, that the government has made little effort to craft a long-term plan for fighting terrorism and that U.S. forces have achieved only "mixed results" in destroying al-Qaeda. The memo suggested that the government might need a "new institution" to fight the war and should consider a way to counter radical Islamic schools that are churning out terrorists.
Asked about the document during an appearance Wednesday afternoon on Capitol Hill, Rumsfeld said he was glad a number of important issues cited in the memo were being debated.
"How many people are being taught to go out as suicide bombers and kill people? How does that inflow get reduced? No one can answer that," Rumsfeld said.
White House press secretary Scott McClellan, traveling with President Bush in Australia, voiced support for Rumsfeld.
"That's exactly what a strong and capable secretary of Defense like Secretary Rumsfeld should be doing," McClellan said. "The president has always said it will require thinking differently. It's a different type of war."
James Dobbins, a former U.S. ambassador and now director of international security and defense for the Rand think tank, said Rumsfeld's call for a critical review of the war effort is well founded. Dobbins said the efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq could "stand some significant re-evaluation." Dobbins said solving the problem may call for "restructuring institutions."
Many members of Congress said it was critical the questions Rumsfeld raised be addressed.
"This is a far-reaching call for his advisers to think outside the box," said Rep. Jim Turner, D-Texas, who met with Rumsfeld Wednesday.
"Are we winning or losing the global war on terrorism? Those questions need to be answered," said Missouri Rep. Ike Skelton, the senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.
Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., was more critical. He said the memo showed the administration has exaggerated its success in the war on terrorism.
A former Pentagon official said there were few new ideas in the memo. Robert Andrews, former head of the Pentagon's Office for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, said Rumsfeld has been pushing his subordinates for two years to craft new and innovative ways to fight terrorists.
"These are the questions he has been asking since Sept. 11," Andrews said. "The fact that he is still asking them said something."
Contributing: Bill Nichols
|
|