Situation Called Dire in Western Iraq

There are two kinds of people: those who learn from their mistakes and those who are only concerned with hiding theirs. I suspect Donald Rumsfeld is the latter. More concerned with covering his ass than learning from his failures Rummy continues making the same mistakes over and over.

As bad as a person like this is in an office or a factory at the Department of Defense people die because of such incompetence.

Convinced the invasion of Iraq would prove his theory that smaller, quicker, faster forces were more effective than the slow, lumbering armored units of past conflicts, Rumsfeld ignored the advice of his professional military advisors and plunged ahead. The result was an occupying force without sufficient numbers or sufficient equipment. Rather than learn from his errors Rumsfeld insisted on staying the course.

Three years later our troops still aren't in Iraq in sufficient numbers or with sufficient equipment. The Secretary of Defense continues to insist his generals on the ground aren't asking for more troops. He says if they ever did he'd provide them (from where?). I've suspected all along this was nothing more than a huge deception.

I'll guarantee someday the truth will emerge: that Rumsfeld ordered his generals not to ask for additional troops. That way he and Bush could justify their failed plans and policies by blaming the generals. I cannot comprehend the anger and frustration these generals must face knowing they are losing soldiers but are under orders not to say anything. Perhaps the fact general after general has called for Rumsfeld's resignation after retiring underscores this theory.