The Rumsfeld Doctrine
Here’s a point of view on the War in Iraq that is being, unfortunately, ignored.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, in a commentary in the News and Observer today (3-6-06), argues that our problems in Iraq are a result of “President Bush’s decision to approach the Iraq invasion with the Rumsfeld Doctrine, which calls for just enough troops to fail, rather then the proven Powell Doctrine, which calls for overwhelming force to win.”
Mr. Friedman writes that the Bush administration’s “repeated claim” that it had enough troops in Iraq and no one was asking for more – is “Totally untrue.” He goes on to state that Paul Bremer, who led the U.S. civilian administration in Iraq, reveals in his new book, My Year in Iraq, that “he repeatedly asked for more troops, but was ignored.”
According to Mr. Friedman, Bremer reveals that he told Condoleezza Rice in 2003, “The coalitions got about half the number of soldiers we need here, and we run a real risk of having this thing go south on us.” And that Mr. Bremer also states in his book, “On May 18, [2004] I gave Rice a heads-up that I intended to send Secretary Rumsfeld a very private message suggesting the coalition needed more troops. That afternoon I sent my message. I noted the deterioration of the security situation since April had made it clear, to me at least, that we were trying to cover too many fronts with too few resources.” Bremer concludes, “I did not hear back from him [Rumsfeld].”
This is the debate we need to have – and are not having – about Iraq in this year’s elections. Right now, the Democrats are arguing we are fighting the wrong war. The Bush administration is arguing we are fighting the right war and should stay the course. But no one – yet – is debating Mr. Friedman’s point that the real problem is we have fought this war the wrong way. With the Rumsfeld doctrine, not the Powell Doctrine.
The Rumsfeld Doctrine
Here’s a point of view on the War in Iraq that is being, unfortunately, ignored.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, in a commentary in the News and Observer today (3-6-06), argues that our problems in Iraq are a result of “President Bush’s decision to approach the Iraq invasion with the Rumsfeld Doctrine, which calls for just enough troops to fail, rather then the proven Powell Doctrine, which calls for overwhelming force to win.”
Mr. Friedman writes that the Bush administration’s “repeated claim” that it had enough troops in Iraq and no one was asking for more – is “Totally untrue.” He goes on to state that Paul Bremer, who led the U.S. civilian administration in Iraq, reveals in his new book, My Year in Iraq, that “he repeatedly asked for more troops, but was ignored.”
According to Mr. Friedman, Bremer reveals that he told Condoleezza Rice in 2003, “The coalitions got about half the number of soldiers we need here, and we run a real risk of having this thing go south on us.” And that Mr. Bremer also states in his book, “On May 18, [2004] I gave Rice a heads-up that I intended to send Secretary Rumsfeld a very private message suggesting the coalition needed more troops. That afternoon I sent my message. I noted the deterioration of the security situation since April had made it clear, to me at least, that we were trying to cover too many fronts with too few resources.” Bremer concludes, “I did not hear back from him [Rumsfeld].”
This is the debate we need to have – and are not having – about Iraq in this year’s elections. Right now, the Democrats are arguing we are fighting the wrong war. The Bush administration is arguing we are fighting the right war and should stay the course. But no one – yet – is debating Mr. Friedman’s point that the real problem is we have fought this war the wrong way. With the Rumsfeld doctrine, not the Powell Doctrine.