Donald Rumsfeld’s Secret Memo
Post White House Correspondent
November 27, 2006
This week a memo outgoing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld sent to President Bush two days before his resignation made its way to the press.
The “leaked” document has caused quite a controversy, as it not only goes against much of what Rumsfeld said publicly, but also told the President exactly what he thought of his administration.
The memo not only called for major policy change in Iraq, but Rumsfeld went as far to suggest 917 specific tactics that President Bush should take to win.
The memo’s suggestion on Iraq ranged from imbedding American troops in Iraqi soldier units to buying Iraqi citizens ice-cream sundays on their birthdays, leading many to speculate that Secretary Rumsfeld wanted to be able to say, “see, I had the right idea.”
As for the personal attacks on the President and his staff the second half of the memo descended to, I think it would be better to allow Donald Rumsfeld to speak on that himself.
I had a chance to speak with Secretary Rumsfeld this weekend, and here’s what he had to say.
“Did I think there was a possibility that the memo would get leaked? Sure.”
And you’re comfortable with that?
“Is anyone in politics comfortable? Not really. Inevitably, it was necessary for that to come out at some point or another, just to show that I was a capable commander with some good ideas, but that I had to publicly show support for some misguided policies.”
So you want people to know that you’re smarter than many of the programs you have publicly supported?
“Yes.”
So you want people to know you’re a liar, not an idiot?
“Would I characterize it that way? Probably not.”
The memo made it clear that you felt betrayed by the administration. Do you still feel that way?
“Do I think the administration is trying put the blame on me for their losing Iraq policies the way they blamed Tenet for the ‘intelligence failings’?” Rumsfeld makes quotation marks with his finger, “Of course I do.”
So you’re saying you would have taken a different direction with the War in Iraq?
“Did I want to do half that shit with our troops? Of course not. It was all the White House. I’m all for taking care of your own, but those oil-execs act like no one else lives on the planet. I’m glad I don’t work for those pricks anymore.”
Would you say the Bush administration is difficult to work for?
“Oh, from the start. They were into all kinds of hazing. Colin Powell used to super-glue everything in my office together. Cheney would roofie my secretary and blame me. President Bush would point to your shirt and say, “what’s that,” then smack your face. I won’t miss that.”
Even so, was it necessary to bring up the President’s mother in the memo? She was a First Lady, after all.
“He’s the one who used to always bring her up. It was ‘my mom’ this and ‘my mom’ that. Momma’s boy.”
What did you think when you heard about the soldier, when told you resigned, who asked, “who’s Rumsfeld?”
“I thought, ‘I don’t know who you are either, but I’ll be sleeping in a king-size bed tonight, not a cot in the desert.’”
What do you think of Gates for Secretary of Defense?
"Doesn’t anyone remember the Reagan years? Gates is a smart, loyal guy that will give you convincing arguments that will turn out to be completely wrong in few years.”
Couldn’t that statement describe you as well?
“Fuck you. This interview’s over.”
