Donald Rumsfeld has resigned, no doubt at the urging of the President. If only it hadn't taken so long for Bush to get the message, but losing control of the House, and possibly the Senate does mean a scapegoat was needed.

Bob Gates, former Director of the CIA, has been nominated for the position. He will have to be confirmed by the Senate. Those ought to be some interesting hearings. I wonder if that will be done before the newly elected Senators take office next year.

Excellent news! :woohoo:

Rummy gone - I never thought I'd see that happen - but it's a good day for America that that incompetant useless ignorant pompous ass is out.

Everybody can RISE and eventually FALL.

What like Bread ?

More like a souffle. If all the hot air is gone, it just collapses on itself and leaves a gooey mess.

http://boingboing.net/images/Rumsfeldresignation.jpg

If only it hadn't taken so long for Bush to get the message, but losing control of the House, and possibly the Senate does mean a scapegoat was needed.

I just hope his exit does not extricate him from being charged --at some point-- with the commission of war crimes, and being tried for it before the International Court of Justice.

Am I glad Rummy is gone? Yes.
Should it have been done roughly four years ago? Undoubtedly.
Will I miss his one man question and answer sessions? No.

Gates already said he wants to stay the course in Iraq. Same old crap.

Gates already said he wants to stay the course in Iraq. Same old crap.I think he's a member of the Baker-Hamilton Commission which was tasked to come up with alternative solutions in Iraq.

I just hope his exit does not extricate him from being charged --at some point-- with the commission of war crimes, and being tried for it before the International Court of Justice.

Trust FT to take things to the realms of insanity.

Rummy was worthless, but he isn't a war criminal. You're nuts dude.

Rummy was worthless, but he isn't a war criminal.

Many people disagree.

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http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/11/08/warcrimes/index.html


Detainees' lawyers want Rumsfeld tried for war crimes

Donald Rumsfeld may be looking forward to living out his golden years at his vacation home on the Eastern Shore, but lawyers who represent detainees at Guantánamo Bay have other ideas. In a message just sent to reporters, they say they intend to file war crimes charges against Rumsfeld next week in Germany, arguing that his departure from the Department of Defense means that he's no longer entitled to immunity from prosecution.

It won't be the first time lawyers at the Center for Constitutional Rights have tried to persuade German authorities to prosecute Rumsfeld for war crimes. They tried in 2004 -- the subject then was Abu Ghraib -- but German officials declined to pursue the matter because, they said, the United States was investigating on its own. Still, it's clear that Rumsfeld took the prospect of prosecution at least a little bit seriously at the time. Before German prosecutors announced they wouldn't be taking up the case, Rumsfeld said he'd have to think twice about whether he could take the risk of traveling to Germany for a meeting there.

CCR lawyers say that, under Rumsfeld's direction, the Department of Defense has "adopted the practices of torture and indefinite detention" that they're challenging in a number of other cases.

I was going thru my old postings. Yikes.
Jeez, if Rummy's so great, why's he getting the boot?
Guess W was before Rummy afore he was agin' 'im. Flip-flopper.
Wait. Wasn't W Rummy? If I was a failure at everything, I'd be a boozemonger, too. Anyhow.
"Fresh eyes?" How does the guy see anything with all that squinting?
What is this mission they keep yapping about? Didn't Rumball say in '03 that it shouldn't take longer than 6 months? I thought we won.
But we can't pull out, now. Not until every last Iraqi is dead.
That must be the mission.

Personally, I'm glad his ugly ass is gone, but let's give it a bit of time to see where this Gates character is going before we jump to conclusions. Hell the guy's only been there a couple days.

The whole canning of Don Rumsfield smells like the closing of a barn door after the horse is out. Not a lot of good now. I have to wonder what Bush is up to. Does he honestly think that giving the likes of Pelosi, Hillary and Reid a sweet by getting rid of Rumsfield is going to make the Dems behave? The Dems have tasted victory and they're going to want another. They're going to try and butcher the entire Administration from here on out. Which is fine, they did win the election. Sooner or later maybe they'll realize that they're bigger things that truly need to be done other than bashing Bush.

Though I won't be holding my breath on this one, dammit.

"I'll trade you War Criminal Rummy for War Criminal Gatesy"

"Sure, why not."

The whole canning of Don Rumsfield smells like the closing of a barn door after the horse is out. Not a lot of good now. I have to wonder what Bush is up to.

If they've thought about it at all, EVERY Republican should wonder what the hell Bush was thinking, canning Rummy AFTER the election. I think it's safe to say that, had Bush tossed his ass before the election, the Republicans wouldn't have taken such a severe beating at the voters' hands. By holding onto Rummy with both fists as long as he did, Bush did more than anyone else to lose the Congressional elections for his party. Brilliant strategy, Dubya!

Of course, this is exactly the sort of ill-thought-out "planning" Mr. Bush is so well known for, isn't it? :thumbs:

Sooner or later maybe they'll realize that they're bigger things that truly need to be done other than bashing Bush.
I fail to see why bashing Bush is so wrong. Bush has picked who he wants in his Administration. Granted, the blame should go on all of the Administration, but it goes back to George Bush because he picked those people in the first place and is to blame for their faults since he picked them and has the choice to fire them if they fuck up.

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Rumsfeld resigned so he does not have to answer to a new Congress that will call him on all the bullshit he caused in the 6 years he was in power. It also allows Bush to say, "Oh that was Rumsfeld, not me" and it allows Bush to say, "We have new leadership and we shouldn't dwell on the past" which makes Bush look oh so good. Really, the timing is rather ironic.