Rumsfeld agonises over US failures in 'war on terror'

Rumsfeld agonises over US failures in 'war on terror'
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
23 October 2003


Donald Rumsfeld has expressed doubts about America's progress in the so-called war on terror, saying the country is in for a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In an internal memo to senior Pentagon officials, the Defence Secretary cited "mixed results" in the fight against al-Qa'ida and said the US had failed to make any "truly bold moves". He went on to say attempts to transform the Pentagon quickly enough to become efficient at dealing with terrorists rather than a more conventional enemy had proved impossible.

"My impression is that we have not yet made truly bold moves, although we have made many sensible, logical moves in the right direction, but are they enough?" he wrote in the memo, dated 16 October. "It is pretty clear that the coalition can win in Afghanistan and Iraq in one way or another, but it will be a long, hard slog."

Mr Rumsfeld's comments present a far more stark assessment of American pro-gress in Iraq and in dealing with al-Qa'ida than he makes in public. They are also at odds with the "positive news" campaign President George Bush and his officials has been pursuing in recent weeks to try to persuade the public that progress is being made in Iraq. (snip/...)

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=456213


Gee, when they learn Rumsfeld's "internal memo" has been leaked, they'll be mortified, don't you think?

"Today, we lack metrics to know if we are winning or losing the global war on terror," he wrote. "Are we capturing, killing or deterring and dissuading more terrorists every day than the madrassas and the radical clerics are recruiting, training and deploying against us?" He added: "Is our current situation such that the harder we work the behinder we get?"

Isn't that what the Dems and the rest of us were telling him before the war?

edit for spelling

Do I phrase everything in the form of a self-answering question? No, not always. Can I say "quagmire?" Not at this time. Do I look like I need more fiber in my diet? Yes, I do. Thanks for asking.

-Donald Rumsfeld

Please continue discussion in the original, earliest LBN topic on the subject of Rumsfeld's memo, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=178103

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator