Korean Job Discussion Forums

[blaseblasphemener]

At the end of the second of two interviews, I quoted former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara: �Any military commander who is honest with you will say he�s made mistakes that have cost lives.�

�Um hmm,� Rumsfeld said.

�Is that correct?�

�I don�t know. I suppose that a military commander ...�

�Which you are,� I interrupted.

�No I�m not,� the secretary of defense said.

�Yes, sir,� I said.

�No, no. Well � �

�Yes. Yes,� I said, raising my hand in the air and ticking off the hierarchy. �It�s commander in chief, secretary of defense, combatant commander.�

�I can see a military commander in a uniform who is engaged in a conflict having to make decisions that result in people living or dying and that that would be a truth. And certainly if you go up the chain to the civilian side to the president and to me, you could by indirection, two or three steps removed, make the case.�

Indirection? Two or three steps removed? It was inexplicable. Rumsfeld had spent so much time insisting on the chain of command. He was in control�not the Joint Chiefs, not the uniformed military, not the National Security Council or the NSC staff, not the critics or the opiners. How could he not see his role and responsibility?

(Excerpt from State of Denial, Bob Woodward)

Yes. The Emperor has no clothes.

[Pligganease]

Of course he's not a military commander.

Military commanders knew what they needed to get the job done.

[blaseblasphemener]

[Porter_Goss]

We're all trying to distance ourselves in a futile attempt to trick history. The Administration is like a slowly sinking ship and all us smart rats have already jumped overboard... the fools are still clinging-on for dear life.

[canuckistan]

As part of the civilian government, the Secretary of Defense has always been a civilian.

"Competent" is another matter all together.

[Qinella]

Just like a sneakyass politician to weasel around in semantics instead of just answering a damn question. Why is it so impossible for these people to admit they made mistakes? Seems like no one ever apologizes for a misdeed unless they're convicted in court. Then suddenly they're sullen Sollys.