[Moonliner]

However I do think that Rumsfeld leaving is a direct result of the election.

Once the Democratic congress gets fired up with their investigations of the Iraq war (and you know they will) It will be Gates answering questions like:

Congress: "Why did you disband Iraq's military and put thousands of trained military out of work and into the hands of the insurgency?".

Gates: "I was not present when that decision was made"

And so it goes....