[UPDATE] 11/10/06- Left Wing Lunatics Calling Our Military Baby Killers is up and has comments taken from emails from our wonderful FireDrew. A must see for those that wish to see exactly what the far left REALLY thinks of our Military.
Open trackback here all day.
Thought for the Day.... what if?
What IF President Bush gave the Democrats exactly what they wanted?
What IF President Bush gave the American Public exactly what it deserves?
What IF President Bush gave the Democrats the "opportunity" to show us exactly what bright ideas they have?
What IF President Bush and Vice President Cheney decided to join Rumsfeld on the beach with a little umbrella drink in hand, laughing their asses off, and let the Democrats see if THEY can do any better in Iraq without "cutting and running?"
What IF the President handed the whole ball of wax over and said "Welcome to Hell" President Pelosi?
What IF the President and Vice President just threw everything in the Democrats lap and said "You wanted it, You GOT it!!!!?"
Bet by the Presidential Election of 2008, not a damn thing would be accomplished in Iraq and the Democrats would be down the drain once and for all.
It is not like the president NEEDS the job OR the headaches. He has nothing to gain personally and has gotten nothing but criticism for trying to keep our country safer.
Donald Rumsfeld is stepping down as Secretary of Defense and Bob Gates will be nominated to succeed him.
A tribute to Donald Rumsfeld from a soldier:
From Mario Loyola in the Corner:
"The transformation of a nation's military is the rarest of historical accomplishments — vested interests almost always win, leading the nation into the great danger of increasing vulnerability. As Rumsfeld likes to say, "weakness is provocative," and as the Russians learned in World War I and the French in World War II, an untransformed military can look good on paper and prove worthless on the field of battle. In this case, the vested interests are angry at Rumsfeld because they have lost so many battles in their effort to cling to a military capable of defeating a Soviet Union that no longer exists. Rumsfeld understands what his critics don't—as Charles de Gaulle said, no institution lasts unless it is constantly renewed.
People howl that the military is now overstretched because he failed to plan the postwar peace. But by my count, there are at least 10 combat brigades (in addition to those already deployed around the world) ready to roll at any given time — on the order of 100,000 troops — enough for a campaign of massive proportions in addition to what we are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many experts then wail that these units are "not ready" because many or most are reporting at the C-3 and C-4 levels of readiness (the lowest ones) because of the Iraq war's drain on resources. What people need to understand about the readiness targets is that they are the Rumsfeld's military's futuristic assessment of what would ideally be needed for any of the 39 combat brigades of the U.S. military to enter any of the currently conceivable combat scenarios with their entire wish list — which means all the uparmored Humvees they would need in a theaterwide counterinsurgency environment AND all the artillery they would need in a big mass-on-mass engagement with another army AND all the maneuver forces it would need for massive mobility under fire. The units reporting at C-3 and C-4 many not have the latest and most high-tech equipment in the numbers they want—there might be more casualties and more collateral damage—but they have all the equipment they need to go into combat today and fight and win with overwhelming power.
What Rumsfeld has created is a fully modular, rotational "total force" that achieves division-size effects with brigade-size formations, is vastly more lethal, agile, and integrated than what we had before, and has spread its capabilities across a spectrum of possible challenges. That's how Rumsfeld has helped the country prepare for a future of unknown unknowns. We saw the results in the rapidity with which the U.S. military responded to the Indian Ocean tsunami, orchestrating almost over night one of the largest humanitarian relief operations in history. This saved countless tens of thousands from thirst, disease, and starvation in the critical early weeks after the disaster. It was totally unexpected — but we were ready.
In my opinion, we will have reasons to thank Rumsfeld many decades into the future. And as invariably happens in history, people will quite forget what folks thought of Rumsfeld in his own time—especially those who did not understand what they were looking at and had essentially had nothing to say.
Donald Rumsfeld has a very distinguished history and many have used him as scapegoat in the November elections, but as Mr. Loyala pointed out, Rumsfeld has accomplished great things. I hope he enjoys long days on a beach with a little umbrella drink in his hand. He has earned it!!!!
A few words about Bob Gates:
Dr. Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) could become the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense, succeeding Donald Rumsfeld. President Bush announced on November 8th, 2006 his intention to nominate Gates for the position which requires Senate confirmation. Previous to that office, he served as Director of Central Intelligence from November 6, 1991 until January 20, 1993, capping a 26-year career in the CIA and the National Security Council. Immediately before being nominated to the post of Secretary of Defense, he was the President of Texas A&M University and the National President of the National Eagle Scout Association. He and his wife Becky have two children.
Good luck Mr. Gates.
Sister Toldjah finds a hidden jewel in this Wapo piece.
The complexion of the Democratic presence in Congress will change as well. Party politics will be shaped by the resurgence of “Blue Dog” Democrats, who come mainly from the South and from rural districts in the Midwest and often vote like Republicans. Top Democrats such as Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) see these middle-of-the-road lawmakers as the future of the party in a nation that leans slightly right of center.Sister Toldjah ALSO points out how the Left Blogosphere is already pitching a fit over Emanuel’s and other top Democrats’ plans to suppress their more liberal wing.
In private talks before the election, Emanuel and other top Democrats told their members they cannot allow the party’s liberal wing to dominate the agenda next year. Democrats will hold 30 or 35 seats that went for Bush in the past, meaning that Democratic candidates such as Brad Ellsworth in rural Indiana are likely to face competitive races again in 2008. Still, their interests are likely to collide with those of veteran liberals such as Reps. Henry A. Waxman (Calif.) and John Conyers Jr., (Mich.), who will chair committees.
Partisan standoffs are likely over the war and any Democratic efforts to repeal Bush’s tax cuts for upper-income America. In both cases, Democratic divisions could complicate Pelosi’s plans. Democrats largely avoided detailed positions on a new Iraq strategy, but votes over spending for the military and the Iraq operation will force them to take a position.
Others posting on Rumsfeld:
Pardon My English.
Blue Crab Boulevard.
Right Voices.
Outside the Beltway.
Texas Fred.
Pajamas Media.
Iowa Voice.
Stop the ACLU.
Hot Air.
Bullwinkle Blog.
Atlas Shrugs.
Y.A.C.R.W.B.
Reformed Chicks Babbling.
Captain's Quarters.
Right Thoughts.
California Conservative.
Fmragtops Spews.
OPEN TRACKBACK HERE at Wake up America ALL DAY!!!!!
Other open tracks today: More at Linkfest Haven.
Moosetracks open trackbacks.
Conservative Cat.
Third World County.
The Clash of Civilizations.
Stuck on Stupid.
A few things to read:
Amy Proctor with "Nancy Pelosi is Not My Speaker."
Combs Spouts Off has "Kurdish Leader Blasts Media."
Mary Katharine Ham with "A Mandate...For Comprhensive Immigration Reform?"
Macsmind with "Sacrificial Offering"
Fmragtops Spews with a few predictions (MUST read)
Right Wing Nation "Contrast"
Townhall and Redstate with Haster Out.
Malkin with a laugh.
Don Surbers talks about the Voters putting the crooks back in power.
Tracked by:
Rumsfeld Resigns, Robert Gates Nominated from Hyscience...
No Unhinged Meltdowns PleasE from Woman Honor Thyself...
Useful Idiots and the Elections of 2006 from Planck's Constant...
Britney Spears and that Snake from Planck's Constant...
Defending Rumsfeld from Freedomland - Il blog di Simone Bressan -...
It is almost award time from The Florida Masochist...
Drumbeats from The Florida Masochist...