The military's battle over Donald Rumsfeld

The New York Times reported Sunday that Richard Myers, the former Air Force general who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs during the invasion of Iraq, strongly defended Rumsfeld on ABC's "This Week," saying that he had given military generals "tremendous access" for presenting their views. General Myers's statements were part of a White House counteroffensive against the six former generals who last week demanded Mr. Rumsfeld's resignation for his handling of Iraq.

Myers said it was inappropriate for the retired generals to criticize their civilian leaders, and denied claims that the Joint Chiefs did not stand up to Rumsfeld.

"I absolutely disagree with that, of course," Myers said. "I mean, we gave him our best military advice, and I think - and that's what we're obligated to do. If we don't do that, we should be shot."

On Friday, President Bush gave his full support to Rumsfeld, and CNN reported that Sunday the Pentagon released a memo challenging accusations that Rumsfeld had not adequately listened to the concerns of US military leaders. Also, retired Marine Corps Gen. Michael DeLong wrote in an opinion piece in The New York Times that while it was hard for the commanders to get Rumsfeld to change his position on key issues, he never took away tactical control from them.

04/14/06 Poll: Americans stung by Iraq, wary of attacking Iran 04/13/06 Report: US soldiers 'unlawfully' shot Reuters cameraman 04/12/06 Australia, Indonesia in row over Papuan refugees

Sign up to be notified daily: Find out more. Subscribe via RSS Feed:   What is this?

Bloomberg News reports, however, that even with the expressions of support, Rumsfeld's ability to lead the Defense Department may be hamstrung.

"He's already been weakened by the failures in Iraq," said Korb, now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a policy research group in Washington. "He can't possibly make a controversial decision" without risking an uproar, Korb said.

Bloomberg also reports that on Saturday retired General Wesley Clark, a Democratic candidate for president in 2004, joined six other former generals in urging Rumsfeld to resign.

Last week, Army Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack, Army Maj. Gen. John Riggs, Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Greg Newbold, Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni, and Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, all retired, called for Rumsfeld to step down or to be replaced. General Newbold was director of operations for the Joint Chiefs during the early planning of the Iraq invasion, while Generals Swannack, Batiste, and Eaton all served in the Iraq war.

Arizona's East Valley Tribune reports that Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona said he agrees with the generals who have criticized Rumsfeld, but that the president has the right to have the people he wants in key positions.

"I was asked a long time ago, I think a year and a half or two years ago, if I had confidence in Secretary Rumsfeld. I was asked that directly. I said, 'No,'" the Republican senator said during a news conference at his Phoenix office. "But the president has the right and earned the right as the president of the United States to appoint his team ��� and he has confidence in Secretary Rumsfeld. I will continue to work with Secretary Rumsfeld as much as I can as long as he is secretary of Defense. We have to, because we need to win this war."

Newsweek reports that a different view of the conflict between the generals and the Pentagon is offered by retired US Army Col. Douglas Macgregor. Colonel Macgregor, who wrote the influential book "Breaking the Phalanx," which helped shape the military thinking about the assault on Baghdad, said the conflict is best understood as the "the first salvos in the war over 'Who Lost Iraq'."

"Yes, Rumsfeld should go," says Macgregor. "But a lot of the generals should be fired, too. They share the blame for the mess we are in."

The rebellion may actually secure Rumsfeld's job, Newsweek also reports. "No president is going to be bullied by a bunch of retired general officers into firing a secretary of Defense," says Thomas Donnelly, the editor of Armed Forces Journal.

Finally, in Iraq itself, the US death toll for April rose to 47. In March, 31 US troops were killed. And in a move that could further complicate the political situation in Iraq, Reuters reports that the body of the brother of a top Sunni politician was found in Baghdad, three weeks after he had been kidnapped. Last week, the brother of another leading Sunni politician was also killed.

Also...
• Iran suicide bombers ready to hit 29 Western targets if country attacked (Times of London)
• US ally Qatar to give $50 million funding to Hamas govt (Reuters)
• Iran pledges $50 million to ailing PA (Jerusalem Post)
• Rallying around Hamas (Ha'aretz)
• Feedback appreciated. E-mail Tom Regan .