The Rumsfeld memo

[Alex]

Is the full memo somewhere? I've only heard paraphrases on the radio.

That said, internally I am part of teams all the time where various options are discussed and evaluated and then when a final decision is made it is a group decision and everybody supports it, even if it isn't what they supported in the earlier conversations.

So, I would need more of the context on this particular memo. But, in general, if a bureaucrat says "I support policy A" to the president and the president says "that's fine, but B will be our policy" I then expect the bureaucrat to go out and talk about how great Policy B is. Again, that's in general and there are obvious and myriad exceptions and I don't have enough detail yet.

Stupid actual job and not keeping current on the news.

[wendybeth]

I think it's probably a bit of everything you addressed, GD. Obstinance, denial and blindness. I really think there are those who thought that the Vietnam War would have been won if only we'd shown more resolve and unity, never minding the reasons why they broke down to begin with. I wasn't at all surprised to hear Rummy break away from Bush on this one, and I look forward to all the tell-all books about Bush that are sure to start creeping out of the sewers.

[wendybeth]

Thanks for the link, GD- I had to laugh at this, though:

"¶Stop rewarding bad behavior, as was done in Fallujah when they pushed in reconstruction funds, and start rewarding good behavior. Put our reconstruction efforts in those parts of Iraq that are behaving, and invest and create havens of opportunity to reward them for their good behavior. As the old saying goes, “If you want more of something, reward it; if you want less of something, penalize it.” No more reconstruction assistance in areas where there is violence."


Next, it's time-outs and the naughty chair!

(I agree with withholding funds in dodgy areas, but am wondering why they are getting them now....)

[Alex]

Oh, perhaps because of the obvious backlash response if the U.S. stopped building hospitals and schools in an area because an insurgent blew up a car there? Also, at it implies they were probably trying to bribe areas into behaving well (you get $5 if you bring your grades up from a C to an A, but the kid who always gets A's gets nothing).

Having read the memo it sounds to me like Rumsfeld was trying to get out in front of Mr. James Baker and his report later this week.

[wendybeth]

Rummy's note is filled with allusions to the bribery scenario; indeed, it seems his primary solution. It's shocking how little vision he seems to have, although he does make reference to cultural sensitivity or awareness. Kind of shutting the ol' barn door, etc, but better late than never. I'm not going to pretend to have any answers myself, but his memo is just dismayingly elementary and hardly offers up any real and viable ideas.

[Alex]

Yeah, that's why it implies to me he was just trying to say what would be coming in the Baker report before it became official. So far, all the leaked stuff from that seems to be similarly high level empty platitudes.

Both that and this memo ultimately have the detail of "Our plan to make things better is to cause better things to be."

Of course, quite a few things in that list are things that seem amazingly obvious if they aren't already being (embedding Iraqis in American units, etc.).