The Rumsfeld memo

[Ghoulish Delight]

Ugh, I have too many thoughts on this to produce anything coherent. But I think the overriding thing that disturbs me most is that this is yet another example of Bush and those who are close to him privately thinking/acting one way, and publicly saying something completely different. It goes right along there with Bush's "I'm sticking with Rumsfeld until the end of my term" (which begs the question, does that mean Bush's term is now over?) crap.

What's with that? What's the goal? Is it purely face-saving? Is it partisan political? Is it fear that we'll all find out that you really have no idea what you're doing (this latest memo really makes Rumsfeld sound like he had zero clear picture of where to go next)?

I think I lean towards the last one. It seems that the strategy is, "If something's not working, don't you dare admit it isn't until you have an alternate plan." Nevermind if part of what's holding you back from coming up with a viable alternate is the fact that you refuse to publicly admit that the current choices aren't working.

And what really irks is that he writes this memo as if he's come up with something brilliant. "In my view it is time for a major adjustment. Clearly, what U.S. forces are currently doing in Iraq is not working well enough or fast enough." Really? Your view? My gosh, how did you ever come to such a conclusion? Good thing no one figured that out a year ago and told you!

It leaves me wondering again, pure obstinance/arrogance? Or does the public denial begin to actually make one blind to what's going on around you?