Rumsfeld makes excuses for administration's incompetence

Donald — 12/9/2004 1:54:40 AM (archived)

U.S. GIs Hit Rumsfeld With Hard Questions

By ROBERT BURNS
AP Military Writer

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait (AP) -- In a rare public airing of grievances, disgruntled soldiers complained to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Wednesday about long deployments and a lack of armored vehicles and other equipment.

"You go to war with the Army you have," Rumsfeld replied, "not the Army you might want or wish to have."

Spc. Thomas Wilson had asked the defense secretary, "Why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up-armor our vehicles?" Shouts of approval and applause arose from the estimated 2,300 soldiers who had assembled to see Rumsfeld.

Rumsfeld hesitated and asked Wilson to repeat his question.

"We do not have proper armored vehicles to carry with us north," Wilson, 31, of Nashville, Tenn., concluded after asking again.

More...

Can you blame them for asking? The seeds of a mutiny is in the making.

The whole thread (59 posts)

Rumsfeld makes excuses for administration's incompetence - Donald - 12/9/2004 1:54:40 AM
- Rumsfeld makes invalid excuses for administration's incompetence - Publius - 12/10/2004 3:12:22 PM
- So is the armour adequate or not? - LJ - 12/9/2004 2:37:35 PM
  - re: Maybe, Maybe not. - Scott Evil - 12/9/2004 3:25:57 PM
    - If he was lying.......why the huge cheer? (n/t) - Tony - 12/9/2004 4:52:13 PM
      - It's been a real issue. - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 5:44:19 PM
        
        Not trying to pick a fight (for once today), genuinely curious. - Tony - 12/9/2004 8:24:53 PM
        
        You know, now that you mention it... - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 9:13:55 PM
        
        Britain's civil war was about.... - Tony - 12/9/2004 9:42:40 PM
        
        "Breeding terrorists" myth - Tom Brosz - 12/10/2004 12:44:30 AM
        
        So sorry, thought terrorist was synonymous to insurgent to you guys... (n/t) - tony - 12/10/2004 3:58:21 AM
        
        Shouldn't be. - Tom Brosz - 12/10/2004 5:03:20 AM
        
        Plans going awry - Tom Brosz - 12/10/2004 12:33:03 AM
        
        That may be, but all things considered, Turkey probably best left out of it. (n/t) - tony - 12/10/2004 3:56:47 AM
        
        And Jordan, And Egypt, And Syria..... (n/t) - Publius - 12/10/2004 10:41:29 PM
        
        You could make a good case for that. - Tom Brosz - 12/10/2004 5:06:21 AM
        
        Sullivan says it better than me - Tony - 12/9/2004 6:29:22 PM
        
        Some articles on this. - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 7:34:07 PM
        
        BTW - Tony - 12/9/2004 8:00:25 PM
        
        re: BTW - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 8:31:31 PM
        
        Rumsfeld's actual quote - Tony - 12/9/2004 8:42:56 PM
        
        "the army of desire" Good SF title. (n/t) - alcaray - 12/9/2004 9:58:06 PM
        
        Sounds more like Gore Vidal to me - but it's a great title (n/t) - Fox - 12/11/2004 12:28:16 AM
        
        That's the part that wins the hearts and minds - Tony - 12/9/2004 9:59:47 PM
        
        Gee, Tony, Don't you think poor ol' toms backside has had enough yet? - Davin L. - 12/9/2004 8:05:52 PM
        
        Not one bit - Tony - 12/9/2004 8:09:48 PM
        
        One last hint - Tony - 12/9/2004 7:50:57 PM
        
        "Arf" indeed. - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 7:02:47 PM
        
        Arf Arf Arf. - Tony - 12/9/2004 7:35:55 PM
        
        Arf - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 7:56:53 PM
        
        Personally - Tony - 12/9/2004 8:07:32 PM
        
        re: Personally - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 8:27:02 PM
        
        The brilliant press - Tony - 12/9/2004 8:37:36 PM
        
        Actually... - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 9:24:08 PM
        
        Like I said - Tony - 12/9/2004 9:56:16 PM
        
        "inaccurate"? After you finished twisting what he said, parts of it do sound inaccurate. (n/t) - alcaray - 12/9/2004 7:17:30 PM
- Once again you prove your ignorance of military history - Larry J - 12/9/2004 2:28:16 PM
  - Hey, when you start the war you have only yourself to blame if you are not prepared. (n/t) - Publius - 12/10/2004 3:48:04 PM
    - Yeah, if the enemy would be so kind as to stick to our plans - Larry J - 12/10/2004 5:57:51 PM
  - Once again Larry uses his favorite line (n/t) - alcaray - 12/9/2004 4:52:38 PM
    - Too bad it's so true so often (n/t) - Larry J - 12/9/2004 7:28:15 PM
  - Exactly on point. - ebnelson - 12/9/2004 3:34:02 PM
  - But, but, but.... - Donald - 12/9/2004 3:03:16 PM
    - Once again... - Larry J - 12/9/2004 7:35:33 PM
    - re: But, but, but.... - ebnelson - 12/9/2004 3:28:21 PM
  - re: Once again you prove your ignorance of military history - LJ - 12/9/2004 2:39:39 PM
    - You improvise, you adapt, you overcome - Larry J - 12/9/2004 3:09:38 PM
      - IEDs - Tony - 12/9/2004 8:28:56 PM
        
        re: IEDs - Larry J - 12/9/2004 10:15:20 PM
        
        10, 5, 2, 1 - tony - 12/10/2004 1:51:41 AM
        
        Basic physics - Larry J - 12/10/2004 2:46:41 PM
      - Thanks for all the info - Tom Brosz - 12/9/2004 4:39:41 PM
    - Didn't you know? - Tony - 12/9/2004 3:04:10 PM
- Looking like another MSM soundbite attack. - ebnelson - 12/9/2004 1:04:51 PM
- Meanwhile: 1,276 - Donald - 12/9/2004 1:57:56 AM
  - And: Iraqis May Extend Election Amid Violence - Donald - 12/9/2004 2:10:15 AM
    - So eventually they get to vote.......... - Lindy - 12/9/2004 5:15:52 AM
      - re: They will never stop - Scott Evil - 12/9/2004 4:07:53 PM
        
        Solution to Silliness - Lindy - 12/9/2004 5:23:52 PM

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