Who should replace Rumsfeld?

[ProfJohn]

If the Democrats win the Senate and 30+ seats in the house then Rumsfeld is almost certainly gone.

Therefore, who should replace him?
It would have to be someone with a strong military background and someone seen as an uniter.

 

[pickel]

Being a Navy guy and not too familiar with battle and ground war, I knew many kick ass Marines when I was on active duty. Find you a good , solid mid-ranked ( Lt Col or so ) that has seen the worst fighting and doesn't give a schitt what politicians think and let him run the show. The time for being Mr. Nice Guy is OVER. Kick ass and take names or all will be lost. We shouldn't be there in the first place, but the milk is already spilled...Time to mop it up without taking all the hits those guys are having to.

 

[nageov3t]

I don't think Rummy is going anywhere... he's too important to have around as a scapegoat.

 

[bobdelt]

I think I should do it.

 

[Lemon law]

Somebody---anybody---no body----would all do a better job than Rummy the reality censor. Who has so dumbed down our military that no intelligent person can function. When thinking and Rumsfeld are contradiction in terms----you have to question the doctrine.

The only person who would do worse is possibly Joe Leiberman.

And it would not surprise me to see GWB offer it to him if Lieberman wins---kills two birds with one stone. GWB may get a republican senator for CT.---and an even better scapegoat.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Why would he be gone, regardless of the outcome of the election? Bush is a lame duck either way, and it's entirely at his discretion. He has made it clear Rummy is here to stay.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Rummy isn't going anywhere.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Homer Simpson if Bush gets to choose, Wes Clark if the Democrats get to change the direction for the good of the country.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Loki, that was one of the smartest things I've read today, and very, very accurate. He needs to be around as a pinata for the Dems, and a diversion from king dumbya and darth cheney. He's not going anywhere, just like obl isn't going to be found any time soon.
However, if he goes, I'd like to see the offer given to Clark, Powell (although I think he'd have a seizure laughing). I don't know enough about this position to make a good guess, but I do feel he should be a civilian currently and not in active duty.

 

[BDawg]

How about William Cohen? He's a Republican who's proven to do a good job.

 

[DealMonkey]

A monkey could do a better job than Rumsfeld.

 

[palehorse]

All i know is that if Rummy goes, then the replacement had better be a retired general-grade officer of one branch or another. Abolsutely positively no civilian poiticians... no f'n way.

 

[evident]

borat sagdiyev !!!

 

[piasabird]

Why should the president change Rummy now? The Generals claim they like the guy. Why would you trust some stupid retired general that has not seen action in 20 years?

 

[EagleKeeper]

In Bush's mind, dumping Rumsfeld would be stating that Bush's judgement is flawed and that the critics were right.

I do not see that happening at all. Should that have been possible; it would have been before the 04 elections.

 

[palehorse]

Originally posted by: piasabird
Why should the president change Rummy now? The Generals claim they like the guy. Why would you trust some stupid retired general that has not seen action in 20 years?

it never leaves you once you've been there... and there are plenty of decent General-grade officers who retired more recently. In fact, there are Generals and Admirals retiring every year who may have even seen "action" in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. any one of them should be considered for the job before another useless civilian...

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
In Bush's mind, dumping Rumsfeld would be stating that Bush's judgement is flawed and that the critics were right.

I do not see that happening at all. Should that have been possible; it would have been before the 04 elections.

Yep. It would look mighty foolish to support him fervently last week and dump him this week.

 

[Pens1566]

Can't change now. Must stay the course.

 

[Lemon law]

Posted by Lothar----Rummy isn't going anywhere.

If the dems just take the house---or even better yet the house and senate---Rummy won't be going anywhere but to a witness chair---as he gets hit by subpoena after subpoena after sunpoena.

And Rummy at last isn't going to get to field softball questions---and well could end up being the first
Bush administration member to get an all expenses paid trip to the Hague.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
In Bush's mind, dumping Rumsfeld would be stating that Bush's judgement is flawed and that the critics were right.

I do not see that happening at all. Should that have been possible; it would have been before the 04 elections.

That's the thing. One thing (and maybe the only thing) I admire about President Bush is his loyalty - Clinton and most other Presidents would have dumped Rumsfeld years ago. That said, he is clearly loyal to a fault, and for whatever reason is totally resistant to dumping Cabinet members even where they've demonstrated grave incompetence and become a liability to the country. At some point loyalty crosses a line into being mere stubbornness, and I think he crossed that line long ago with Rumsfeld.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by: palehorse74

Originally posted by: piasabird
Why should the president change Rummy now? The Generals claim they like the guy. Why would you trust some stupid retired general that has not seen action in 20 years?

it never leaves you once you've been there... and there are plenty of decent General-grade officers who retired more recently. In fact, there are Generals and Admirals retiring every year who may have even seen "action" in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. any one of them should be considered for the job before another useless civilian...

Us 'useless civilians' pay your salary capt underoos. Back the fck off.

 

[theeedude]

Jim Webb, but he's running for VA senate and is Democrat.

 

[Drakkon]

zombie patton...if there was ever a general that could lead us to victory against the sand monkeys it would be him...even in zombie form be a better defence secretary than rumsfield.

-----------------------------------------------
Take a couple of weeks off.

Such insults are not welcome here

Anandtech Moderator

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Originally posted by: Drakkon
zombie patton...if there was ever a general that could lead us to victory against the sand monkeys it would be him...even in zombie form be a better defence secretary than rumsfield.

Sand monkey?? Nice slur there. Quoted for mods.

 

[Pens1566]

Colin Powell (good luck getting him to be part of this admin again though), Warner, Cohen (won't get it because he was part of evil Clinton regime), Clark (damn liburl). Plenty of good choices. All more qualified than Rummy.