November 30, 2005

Gen. Peter Pace (Gryffindor), Secretary Rumsfeld (Heartless, Inept and Dangerous Bureaucrat)

Larry Johnson reports on a remarkable disagreement (that happened in front of the press!) between the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense. When questioned about the responsibilities of American troops when they found evidence of "excesses" by the Iraqi Interior Ministry or Defense Ministry, this is what they had to say:

PACE: It is absolutely responsibility of every U.S. service member if they see inhumane treatment being conducted, to intervene, to stop it. . . .

RUMSFELD: I don't think you mean they have an obligation to physically stop it, it's to report it.

PACE: If they are physically present when inhumane treatment is taking place, sir, they have an obligation to try to stop it."

Between this and my post earlier today on the language of the fight in Iraq I am quickly developing a highly favorable opinion of the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And (who'd have thought it possible) my opinion of the Secretary of Defense continues to plummet. That the president hasn't fired him yet reflects extremely poorly on Mr. Bush.

Posted by armand at November 30, 2005 12:24 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Politics


Comments

This is exactly what I was talking about in my post about the Salvador strategy. The Genreal is right. We have to be on top of the situation, and not just give some half-hearted report.

Posted by: binky at November 30, 2005 05:50 PM | PERMALINK
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