The following excerpt comes from the Johnson City newspaper, the Tomahawk:“For the sake of our country and the safety of our troops, we need new leadership at the Pentagon. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has lost the confidence of his military commanders, Iraqi leadership, Congress and the thousands of American service men and women who bravely and selflessly serve this country.
“When we ask our armed forces to make the commitment and sacrifice necessary to advance our interests and defend or freedoms, our leaders must share the responsibility and accountability. There is no more sacred obligation than to give our troops a strategy and plan to win. Secretary Rumsfeld has failed this test and it is time for him to step down.
“The nation’s military and political efforts in Iraq and the Middle East would be significantly improved with the appointment of General Colin Powell as Secretary of Defense. The General possesses the institutional knowledge of the flawed pre-war planning and execution, and the expertise to know how to correct those mistakes. More importantly, he commands credibility, standing and stature in the eyes of war fighters, military leaders and allies -around the globe. The President should give General Powell veto power over every strategic and major military decision made in Iraq and Afghanistan, except for his of course.
“In addition, General Powell’s experience resolving complicated and sensitive national security challenges is needed now more than ever. He will bring a respect for our military, a willingness to listen, a capacity to admit and correct mistakes, and an attention to detail that is absent now in the top job at the Pentagon.
“I stand with Generals Zinni, Eaton, Batiste, Swannack and Riggs - all of whom served in Iraq - in the call for new leadership at the Pentagon. Ed Bryant, Bob Corker and Van Hilleary should do the same.”
Once again, I am proud that Harold Ford Jr. is standing up for the well being of our nation and our troops by standing with the generals in saying that Donald Rumsfeld must go.
Everyone knows that Rumsfeld had badly mishandeled the situation in Iraq. He went into the mission with no clear objective and no exit strategy. And that still remains the case.
The lives of the brave men and women in Iraq are nothing to take for granted and the Congressman understands that.
I still cannot for the life of me understand why his Republican opponents can't understand that?
