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Rumsfeld got demoted today

Thread ID: 10341 | Posts: 3 | Started: 2003-10-08

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Rudel [OP]

2003-10-08 07:59 | User Profile

[I]In this day of Arnold mania few noticed an interesting development - Rummy just got demoted today! A new organization called 'Iraq Stabilization Group' that will oversee the reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afganistan has been created. It will be run not by Rummy but by Condy Rice - that is, directly by the White House. This is a significant blow for Rummy & co (The Defense Department), who were singlehandedly running the show until now both in Iraq and Afganistan. Despite denials, this is also an obvious sign of dissadisfaction and impatientience by GW with the situation in Iraq - Rummy's 'reconstruction' effort practically went into receivership. Everything is going as anticipated - Rummy will go first (even if he lasts, his role will be much subdued), and his boss will be the next to go in November 2004, making room for General Wesley Clark, the patron saint of multiculturalism.[/I]

[url]http://www.msnbc.com/news/976436.asp?0sl=-13[/url]

U.S. to overhaul Iraq, Afghan efforts

National security adviser to run Iraq Stabilization Group

NEW YORK, Oct. 6 — The White House has reorganized the oversight of U.S. efforts to suppress unrest in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Bush said Monday. THE REFORM, first reported Monday by The New York Times, includes a new Iraq Stabilization Group, to be run by national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. The creation of the group appears to place more responsibility and control with Rice and the White House as U.S. soldiers remain under attack in Iraq and the Taliban militia that formerly ruled Afghanistan appear to be reorganizing, the newspaper said. “Condi’s job and Condi’s team is going to make sure that the efforts are continued to be coordinated so that we continue to make progress,” Bush said at an East Room news conference with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki. “And listen, we’re making good progress in Iraq,” Bush said. “Sometimes, it’s hard to tell it when you listen to the filter [of critics]. We’re making good progress.” Rice described the reorganization in a confidential memorandum sent Thursday to Secretary of State Colin Powell, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and CIA Director George Tenet, according to the Times. She told the Times newspaper that she wrote the note with Powell, Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney after she held talks with Bush in August. The memo, which outlines working groups to coordinate anti-terrorism efforts, economic development, political affairs in Iraq and the creation of clearer messages to the media, is “a recognition by everyone that we are in a different phase now,” Rice told the Times in an interview Sunday.

STABILIZING POSTWAR REGIONS In particular, the move gives the White House more control over how the United States spends tens of billions of dollars in the rebuilding process. Bush has asked Congress for $87 billion for reconstruction and military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We’re going to have a lot more resources when that passes,” White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Monday. “We want to, here in Washington, help assist the Pentagon and the Coalition Provisional Authority to put those resources to the best possible use.” Frances Townsend, the deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism, will run the counterterrorism group, while economic issues — including oil, electricity and the distribution of a new currency — will be overseen by by Gary Edson, the deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs, according to the Times. Robert Blackwill, a former ambassador to India, will run a group supervising the creation of political institutions in Iraq, as well as managing the stabilization of Afghanistan, the newspaper said. Rice’s communications director, Anna Perez, will focus on coordinating messages to the media, to address worries about reports of attacks on U.S. troops and unrest in the cities.

SLUMPING SUPPORT The new step comes as polls show that doubts are growing about Bush’s ability to deal with international crises. A CBS-New York Times poll last week found that 45 percent said they had confidence in Bush’s ability on international crises and 50 percent said they did not. McClellan said creation of the group was not an indication of dissatisfaction with the progress of Iraq’s reconstruction. Many Democrats and some Republicans say the administration underestimated the postwar violence and impediments to rebuilding. “This is just a way to strengthen our assistance to the Coalition Provisional Authority and its efforts,” McClellan said. He said that Bremer would still report to the Pentagon and that the Pentagon would still be the lead agency. Rumsfeld’s spokesman, Lawrence Di Rita, told the Times that Rumsfeld was “aware of the new approach.” The spokesman also told the Times that Rumsfeld’s relationship with Paul Bremer, the head of the allied authority, “remains unchanged.” “It’s a new phase, a different phase we’re entering now ... to make sure we’re putting those resources to the best use,” McClellan said.

Sertorius

2003-10-08 13:03 | User Profile

Leland,

I see the U.S. political "leaders" as mercenaries. While I'll admit that some of the folks are in the U.S. Armed Forces are in solely for economic reasons, most are in for reasons that I and most others would consider noble.

Most of those people aren't mercenaries and they really didn't have much choice in the decision to send them into that mess, now didn't they? Unless you think they should have gone A.W.O.L. instead which isn't a choice at all.

As for getting the armed forces out of Germany I concur totally. I have been raising hell with my representatives to remove our military presence since the end of the Cold War.

arjurg

2003-10-08 19:07 | User Profile

Rudel: Donald Rumsfeld said on Tuesday that he had not been told by Pres. George W. Bush or the Nat'l Security Council that the White House was to 'restructure' the handling of postwar Iraq before the media were briefed on the plan by NSC officials.

Was Condi 'embellishing' the truth when she told the NY Times that she devised the new structure with Mr. Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and Dick Cheney?

Condi Rice and 4 of her deputies are going to run coordinating committees - on counterterrorism efforts, economic development, political affairs in Iraq and the CREATION OF CLEAR MESSAGES TO THE MEDIA HERE AND IN BAGHDAD...read this last as gussied up propaganda.

Apparently Rummy, Powell and L. Paul Bremer III are being relegated to the hustings OUTSIDE of the cozy war-room of the White House...the doors will be locked.