Republicans Finally Getting Unhappy With Rumsfeld Over Iraq

Posted on December 16, 2004

Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is joining in the Greek chorus of high-powered Republicans who are increasingly unhappy with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's handling of the Iraq War. Collins put pen to paper and blasted Rummy about his pathetic performance at the town hall meeting with soldiers. Collins said that Rummy's responses to soldiers' complaints that they have to dumpster dive to find armor for their Humvees was "troubling."

"I am very concerned that it appears the Pentagon failed to do everything in its power to increase production of the vehicles," Collins wrote. "The Department of Defense still has been unable to ensure that our troops have the equipment they need to perform their mission as safely as possible." Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) said of Rummy's comments that "you go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have," that troops in Iraq "deserved a far better answer than that flippant response." Rummy told the troops that it was a matter of "physics" and blamed the manufacturers for being so slow. Too bad that the two companies producing armor plating flat out contradicted that statement and said they could produce as many as double the number of armor kits in a month, but hadn't heard from the Pentagon.

This is outrageous. We need to supply our troops with the proper equipment. Armor plating is essential in a country where convoys are routinely attacked with RPG's, mines and weapons fire. Senator John McCain looked like he was going to be sick when interviewed on CNN about the fact that Rummy has re-upped to head up the Pentagon for another four years. Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware) and Senator Jon Corzine (D-New Jersey) have called for Rummy's resignation. Does any of this bother Rummy? Not so's you'd notice. But if our troops not having equipment to fight a war doesn't bother him, why should anything else?