Rumsfeld - This is really disgusting!

[LadyEagle]

Rumsfeld to personally sign all condolence letters


By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, December 17, 2004


(See Secretary Rumsfeld's statement at end of story)

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will begin personally signing condolence letters sent to families of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, after receiving criticism over his use of mechanical signatures.

In a statement provided to Stars and Stripes on Thursday, Rumsfeld tacitly admitted that in the past he has not personally signed the letters, but said he was responsible for writing and approving each of the 1,000-plus messages sent to the fallen soldiers’ families.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26085

It really makes me angry that over 1000 of our young men and women have died and this man (excuse me, jerk) didn't have enough class to personally sign the condolence letters from the DOD. Disgusting. Just goes to show that being wealthy doesn't automatically mean you have class. It's so easy to dehumanize the loss of human life in our military if you aren't forced to look at the names - there was no excuse for this! None!

 

[KenH]

How was this handled during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War by the Secretary of Defense or the equivalent position?

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Just getting worked up over nothing.

I guess we gotta find something to lynch him for.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[dianetavegia]

Agree with Joseph. I don't think this matters.

I'd rather they be electronically signed than have someone else sign for him.

 

[LadyEagle]

But several families of troops killed overseas said they were sure the notes they received had not been signed by hand, and said they were angry that Rumsfeld was not paying attention to their loss.

“To me it’s an insult, not only as someone who lost a loved one but also as someone who served in Iraq,” Army Spc. Ivan Medina told Stripes.

“This doesn’t show our families the respect they deserve,” said Medina, a New York resident whose twin brother, Irving, was killed in a roadside bombing in Iraq this summer.

 

[KenH]

I've heard it speculated that Mr. Rumsfeld will resign after the Iraqi elections take place.

 

[The Galatian]

This wouldn't be that big a deal, except for this discovery by David Hackworth:

"After checking with various families of the dead, Hackworth wrote that "one father bitterly commented that he thought it was a shame that the SecDef could keep his squash schedule but not find the time to sign his dead son's letter."

Hackworth wrote that a Pentagon spokesman, Jim Turner, dutifully told him that "Rumsfeld signs the letters himself." Now, that assertion turns out to be inoperative."

It's not so much that he didn't bother to sign the letters personally; it's lying about it that has people riled.

Following on his false statement that he didn't provide adequate armor for Humvees because the contractor couldn't handle it in a timely manner, this shows a continuing pattern of dishonesty and disrespect for the men and women fighting this war.

It's time for him to go.

 

[KenH]

Originally posted by The Galatian:
It's time for him to go.

In about 2-4 months, he probably will be. Although, he appears to be President Bush's favorite cabinet officer so if the President really, really tries to persuade him, he might just stay on.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

I think he is doing a good job and should stay.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[KenH]

Joseph, since the anti-war folks failed to get the top man on November, they are going after his chief lieutenant. I wouldn't be surprised to see them fail again.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

IMO, the people who need to go are all the Clinton holdovers in the state department who want to basically let things rock along until another 9-11 happens again.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[liebeskind]

Originally posted by Joseph_Botwinick:
I think he is doing a good job and should stay.

Joseph Botwinick

You would wouldn't you.

He is not going anywhere not because he is doing a good job, BUT, because the NEOCON's need a "billy the Kid" hitman, shooting from the hip. Someone has to do it to make the President look good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regardless of the smoke screen laid by Bill Cristol (Mr. NEOCON), in scolding Rumsfeld, they will never recommend him to step down! Like Carl Levin said today on "Meet the Press", it all comes froom the TOP (meaning BUSH), and he can't run-off at the mouth like that (ALL THE TIME) and then pass the buck, without the go ahead from Bush!

Get real!

Ron

 

[KenH]

Hey, Ron, do you take medicine for high blood pressure? You appear to write like your blood pressure is always sky high.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

 

[The Galatian]

Comes down to what matters to Bush. The troops come second to his friend's career.

So some of our people died because Rumsfeld messed up. So what?

So he lied to them about why they didn't have adequate equipment. He was just doing a little CYA, and it didn't matter anyway.

Even the lie about him personally signing each letter to next of kin. So what? Who cares?

Troops are fungible, aren't they?

It's time for him to go.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Rumsfeld has done a good job.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[OldRegular]

I wonder how much of the criticism of Bush and Rumsfield is coming from people who supported that man whose mind never got above his belt. Fess up now!

 

[Pennsylvania Jim]

I think that for guys at Rumsfeld's level in business as well as politics and government, mechanical signatures are so commonplace that it was probably not even thought about.

OTOH, maybe it WOULD be a good idea if either Bush or Rumsfled were required to personally hand write every letter. Such an inconvenience might be a deterrent to wars based on untruths.

 

[LadyEagle]

Originally posted by OldRegular:
I wonder how much of the criticism of Bush and Rumsfield is coming from people who supported that man whose mind never got above his belt. Fess up now!

Not me. I supported and voted for Bush in 2000. After 09/11, I started asking questions and researching because some of the things he did or did not do, clearly weren't in the best interest of the Nation. Like his failure to protect and defend our borders, as mandated by the US Constitution, for one. But I have a long list. That's why I voted for the CP candidate in 2004.

 

[blackbird]

Are we not thankful we live in a country where we are free to rant about our President???

There's a lot of countries out there still today where Presidental ranters are usually on the "Receivein'" end of a machine gun!!!