Carlson: "Iraq policy" not "Rumsfeld's fault" because he was just "executing policy that was dreamed up by other people"
On MSNBC's Scarborough Country, Tucker Carlson said problems with "Iraq policy" are not Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's "fault" because Rumsfeld was "executing policy that was dreamed up by other people."
On the May 4 edition of MSNBC's Scarborough Country, Tucker Carlson, host of MSNBC's The Situation, said problems with "Iraq policy" are not Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's "fault" because Rumsfeld was "executing policy that was dreamed up by other people."
Carlson was discussing with host Joe Scarborough the stormy reception Rumsfeld received during a May 4 speech in Atlanta, where he was questioned by opponents of the Iraq war. When Scarborough asked Carlson if Rumsfeld should be "fired," Carlson responded that Iraq policy is "not Rumsfeld's fault, in the end. He didn't dream up the invasion of Iraq." Acknowledging only that Rumsfeld "showed bad judgment ... when he made these sort of light-hearted statements about the looting in Baghdad," Carlson reiterated that, "from a macro point of view," Iraq policy problems are "not his fault. He was executing policy that was dreamed up by other people."
The functions of the Secretary of Defense, according to the Department of Defense's Organization and Functions Guidebook:
The Secretary of Defense is the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense policy and policy related to all matters of direct and primary concern to the DoD, and for the execution of approved policy. Under the direction of the President, the Secretary exercises authority, direction, and control over the Department of Defense.
From the May 4 edition of MSNBC's Scarborough Country:
SCARBOROUGH: Tucker Carlson, should Donald Rumsfeld be fired?
CARLSON: I think a lot of the hostility here is misplaced. You know, people are angry about our Iraq policy; I'm one of them; I'm angry about our Iraq policy. But that's not Rumsfeld's fault, in the end.
He didn't dream up the invasion of Iraq. He doesn't have the power to execute it. That's something the president did. That's also something members of Congress endorsed by their vote in the run-up to war. Those are the people you ought to be angry at.
I do think General [Barry] McCaffrey is absolutely right: He showed bad judgment, really, from day one, when he made these sort of light-hearted statements about the looting in Baghdad, the disorder that broke out, that we've never really gotten under control since then. He clearly has some judgment problems, but, from a macro point of view, this is not his fault. He was executing policy that was dreamed up by other people.
The only phrase that could describe the preparation and implementation of the Iraq War is "Dreamed Up". "Conjured up" would also fit. And the only word i can think of to descibe the present situation that resulted from the dream is NIGHTMARE?
Rumsfeld is the Secretary of Defense. He and GWB are the ones who OK'd this fiasco and must accept responsibility for the outcome of their "Dreams".
these " other people " ????
I agree with Tucker on this one. I would rank the blame for this war on GWB first, then intelligence community second, then Congress third, then everyone else. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. Maybe Rumsfeld was pushing for this war but I don't recall reading that anywhere.
Rumsfeld and his cronies have been pushing for a new war in Iraq for years before Bush JR was appointed president.
Just read PNAC's literature www.newamericancentury.org
I don't have a full list, but PNAC members include dan quayle, rummy, wolfowitz, cheney, jeb bush, and a host of other people who, not suprizingly, are in power now.
Ultimately, the responsibility must lie with the President. Even though others dreamed up the Bay of Pigs, Pres. Kennedy accepted responsibility for that mess since it was by his authority that the plan went forward. By the same logic, one must conclude that Bush must ultimately be responsible for the failure of Iraq.
On the other hand, I do not think that removes all culpability from the other players. I'm not sure we have enough information to say exactly who was where with respect to the Iraq invasion. However, I have my own reasons for suspecting that Rumsfeld wasn't just following orders:
(1) [link to www.newamericancentury.org] lays out the principles on which the Iraq invasion rested. Notable signatories include Rumsfeld and Cheney. Missing from that list? Pres. Bush.
(2) Powell clearly has misgivings regarding the invasion. He's out. Rumsfeld is still there. Is he just that good at keeping his opinions to himself? I doubt it. I've never noticed Rumsfeld to be guarded with his opinions.
(3) Troop strengths clearly had Rumsfeld's fingerprint on them. His involvement would seem more than casual.
(4) Advising the President on the merits of an Iraq invasion would fall within the scope of the Secretary's responsibilities. The military may only be responsible for providing data which is used in forming the policy. But one would expect the Secretary to be more actively involved in forming the policy.
That's what comes to mind right at the moment. Is an of this definitive? Of course, not. However, I have a hard time believing Rumsfeld was just doing what other dreamed up.
Now, Powell I could more likely believed was deluded and following orders, though still somewhat culpable. But Rumsfeld just following orders? I doubt it.
I agree mostly with you and Carlson. Rummy claimed they never asked him what he thought about Iraq and I don't know if that is false or not. My ranking of blame is more like this:
1. PNAC Members - This was all their idea. They were the ones pushing behind the scenes.
2. GWB - The gullible CEO who trusted his dream-team to be infallible and for not seeking out reasonable opposition.
3. Condodeezza Rice - For not asking tough questions EVER.
4. Congress - For blindly trusting the executive branch and relishing the opportunity for fanatical patriotism/jingoism.
5. Colin Powell - For putting his seal of approval on the fraud.
6. The Corporate Media - For wanting to be too much like FoxNews.
7. The American People - For largely blindly trusting this administration despite the existence of reasonable questions.
I didn't put the intelligence communities on this list, because I am not convinced they really screwed up. Much of the mitigating information they provided appears to have been discounted or ignored. I also believe a large amount of political pressure was put on the intelligence analysts to support foregone political conclusions.
Rumsfeld is more guilty IMO through his previous membership in PNAC than as Sec. of Defense. I don't think Rummy was all that active in pushing the war as other members of the Cabinet were.
For the incompetent way it was run...well he is the secratary of defense. I mean in this administration exactly where DOES the buck stop?
In Rummy's defense, he was more often ordered what to do by the Whitehouse than he was solicited for his opinion.
The war was actually brilliantly planned and executed, the problem was the occupation. I don't know what advice Rumsfeld gave on the occupation or whether that advice was ever followed. Much of his public comments around the time seem to have centrally controlled themes. I can't tell how much of what he is saying are his own thoughts or are merely talking points pushed by the administration.
The buck stops at the President on this one. If Rummy should resign, the President and VP should first.
In the past few weeks both T.Carlson and Rummy have been caught in the public eye not knowing all the facts.
It's pretty obvious these two have spun so many lies & half truths the only people listening to them now are family/closefriends/supporters.
Anybody who doesn't know these guys personally just thinks they're full of it.
Does " Cheney " ring a bell ????? It was no secret the bum wanted to finish Senior Bush's war. GW was just a pawn in the game. GW proved his father was actually a brilliant strategist by not going in and taking out Sadamm Hussein and risking a civil war. We now have a situation we can't get out of . And never forget what Wolfowitz has control of now ( hint-World bank ).
Most of the bogus intel on Iraq came from the neocons in the Defense Department. Wurmser, Wolfwowitz, Feith, the Office os Spwcial Plans - all were in the DoD.
Who came up with the lean and mean fighting machine, the military that could overthrow the Iraqi government in a few weeks but did not have enough boots on the ground to prevent post Saddam chaos? That was all Rumsfeld's little experiment.
Tucker's cheesy little boy prodigy persona has completely worn off long time ago.
The man has not got anything right about policy matters domestic, or foreign ever, he has no standing in reality.
He is no more than an exercise in rhetoric, and propaganda. The record of his assessments, predictions, and evaluations have been completely wrong all of the time, meaning he is an example of the wrong side of any issue.
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
If I rob a bank, but it wasn't my idea to rob the bank then it really isn't my fault--because, after all, it wasn't my plan. I was merely executing a plan dreamed up by others. They should be blamed. I shouldn't be. I understand completely. No one is ever responsible for anything. You can always pass the buck (and often).
By the way, what exactly does this Carlson actually do? I mean he isn't a journalist. He doesn't seem to have held any important jobs in his life. What exactly are his qualifications? And what does he do? (Other than mislead and offer apologies for right-wingers.)
anyone not of our liking. It isn't my plan, I'm just resurfacing Hitler's plan. It's his fault, not mine. Nope, I'm just an innocent pup following orders. No fault whatsoever. None. Nada.
"It all happened bc nobody trusted me, nobody believed in me, and the generals let me down." -A Hitler, Fuhrerbunker, Late April 1945
I expect it will be relevant to many other BushCult quotes in the coming months. And Godwin be damned.
Folks, you all need to get a copy of "Cobra II" by Michael Gordon and Gen. Bernard Trainor (Ret.). In the first chapters you will see how Rumsfeld's "interference" with the Iraq war planning prevented the military planners from using a plan that would work. Original plans called for 350,000+ troops, addressed the probablity of looting and insurgency, and were just as concerned with the post-conflict period as with the actual fighting. But Rummy, in his haste to "remodel" the entire military, used the Iraq war as a "test bed" to try out his theories on a "leaner, meaner, fighting machine". At the cost of thousands dead and wounded...
Rumsfeld was not, as many apologists claim, just "enacting a failed policy". It was his policy that failed; he helped craft it, by insisting that the military change their assessments of force requirements and logisitics to fit his ideas. He consistently badgered Franks to "trim the fat", to make a plan that could have us in Iraq within days or weeks, not months like the previous war.
I highly recommend this book to those who want to see inside the workings of how the military plans for conflicts.
Hold on..The mother ship is sending me a new message through my dental implants. Yes sir, I agree. Your wish is my command.
Newsbreak: Clinton is to blame.