Booman Tribune ~ Rummy Wants it Civil

Rummy Wants it Civil

by BooMan
Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 06:11:16 PM EST

I can't take it. I just can't take it:

In a rare foray into public debate since stepping down as defense secretary late last year, Donald H. Rumsfeld blasted the recent advertisement by MoveOn.org against Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and decried the current state of political discourse in Washington for its "tendency to try to criminalize public service."
"It seems that the default position for opponents of anyone is to call them liars and betrayers," he said in an interview last week, referring to MoveOn.org's portrayal of Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, as "General Betray Us." Rumsfeld expressed concern that such attacks will discourage public service, especially among young people.
He also blamed "the press and the Congress," two groups with which he often tangled while running the Pentagon, for "creating an environment that is not particularly hospitable to public service." During Rumsfeld's years at the Pentagon, critics often assailed his famously combative style for contributing to Washington's tough political atmosphere. But even then Rumsfeld could be heard expressing dismay at the negative tone of public discussion and the possibility that it would undermine interest in government jobs.
Now that he is out of office, he has devised a foundation with this concern in mind. The foundation's general goal, he said, is to "encourage reasoned and civil debate" about a range of global challenges. A major feature will be student fellowships to promote study after college in fields related to public policy, with the hope of encouraging young people to go into government.

Reading crap like that makes suicide seem rational. I need some anti-nausea medication.

Rummy Wants it Civil | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Yes (4.00 / 2)

I am the guy who pissed off the entire New England contingient of Army recruiters when one of these shitheads phoned my daughter on her brand new cell phone. He knew what she was doing, what classes she was taking and above all, well, her brand new number. I call it the no child left unrecruited act and the local principle knows all about my stance.
You know my moveon was too kind also.

True story. I have received email returns addressed to my work address as "undeliverable". They are geniune .mil addresses. Private is far from private in this country.
Civil? I'm far, far beyond that.

by Lasthorseman (Lasthorseman@comcast.net) on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 09:04:56 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

now you know why I'm such a fruitcake.

the mendacity drove me round the bend. it's all i can do not to drink hemlock.

John Mccain Called his wife WHAT??

by brendan on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 06:26:22 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

What a fucking whiner!
But it is par for the course for neocons and wingnuts - pathetic, spineless characters. It takes some courage to face the truth, it's obviously lacking in those quarters in so many ways.
The chickenhawks are not willing to actually fight in the war, nor can they handle being called on their crap.

by ask on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 06:56:14 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

They're all for civil discourse whenever they're the ones in the hot seat. Otherwise, it's no holds barred, no shot too low.

by CabinGirl on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 07:25:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

BTW, Martin - please fix your link.

by ask on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 07:03:34 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

TY- it's fixed.

by BooMan on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 07:24:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

Who will head this new foundation?....Ann Coulter?!

We need to push for Progressive change, now more than ever.

by keepinon (jaukkuri@sbcglobal.net) on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 07:28:27 PM EST

Sharp stick (none / 0)

Eye.

by vicki (nosnivelling at hotmail dot com) on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 07:42:29 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

hey Boo- this should help you out.Just look at all the retreads that keep popping back up like those knock down inflatable toys for kids! Then think about Rummy!
That should just about send you over the brink! Tee Hee!
billjpa

by billjpa (billjpa@aol.com) on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 07:58:54 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

RumDum knows where civil is. It's to the east, over there to the north, a little south and just to the west of only god knows where. To hear anyone in the party of Rush, ManCoulter, Gingrich, DeLay, et al, speak in these terms is revolting.

by mikefromtexas on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 09:13:37 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 0)

Here's the thing. In a decent world, it would be appropriate to give public servants the benefit of the doubt, and assume that even if they make mistakes, they are honest mistakes. However, the flip side of this is that we should expect public servant to be their own harshest critics, and show contrition and shame when they fail. No matter how you slice it, Rumsfeld's war was a failure. If he had any honor, any at all, he would commit hari-kari, or at least retire to a monastary. Instead, he seems to think that he is the victim. If you read the end of Woodward's last book, he's all "goodness gracious, I can't imagine that anyone would blame me for the failure of the war, I mean, I'm only the Secretary of Defense and the author of the war plan... why should I be responsible?" There is something psychopathic about Rumsfeld, Bush, and the whole crew.

by rae on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 09:26:34 PM EST

Re: Rummy Wants it Civil (none / 1)

Apparently you didn't get the memo that up is down. Please make a note of it.

by mantooth on Mon Sep 17th, 2007 at 09:35:36 PM EST

Rummy Wants it Civil | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Go to: [ Booman Tribune Homepage : Top of page : Top of comments ]

. Home
. About
. Contact
. Advertise
. FAQ
. Search

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Gift Cards * New Arrivals

NOTE: Overstock bests Amazon's prices and is "blue."

THE BOOKS WITH "BUZZ":
______________

Learn the real story behind the CIA's War on Terror:

The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals
by Jane Mayer

Read Barack Obama's vision for America:

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
by Barack Obama

DaveW recommends:

I Am a Strange Loop
by Douglas Hofstadter

Need some laughs?

I Am America (and So Can You!)
by Stephen Colbert

rae recommends:

Dark Ages America: The Final Phase of Empire
by Morris Berman.

On BooMan’s shelf:

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This looks interesting:

Adventure Divas
by Holly Morris

Here’s a good one from
Elizabeth Gilbert:

Eat Pray Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert

"Crash" * Best Motion Picture, Academy Awards * Only $11.79 at Overstock * 2006 SAG Winner, Best Ensemble

Check out
Powell's new section:
NEW FAVORITES
Selected new arrivals at 30% off

Recommended by Indianadem and ejmw:
The Conscience of a Liberal
by Paul Wellstone

From northcountry’s bookshelf:

The New Golden Age:
The Coming Revolution Against
Political Corruption and Economic Chaos by Ravi Batra

A novel about contractors in Iraq from the woman that runs The Spy That Billed Me:

Outsourced: A Novel
from RJ Hillhouse.

Download Sleeper Cell on iTunes

(Better than "24") Download Weeds on iTunes

(Hilarious 1/2-hour adult comedy starring Mary-Louise Parker) Download Late Nite with Conan O'Brien on iTunes

Download South Park on iTunes

James Hunter - People Gonna Talk:

Great Deals
----- * ^ * -----

Find mystery novels by Nancy Pickard ("Kansas")

Challenging Empire: How People, Governments, and the UN Defy US Power by Phyllis Bennis (interviewed on DN!)

Featured by Keith Olbermann, New (Powell's Sale): Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower by William Blum (whose other books merit serious consideration)

"Explosive" State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration
by James Risen

The book the CIA doesn't want you to read: Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander
Larry Johnson's review

BT's all-time best seller:

PERMACULTURE:
A Designers' Manual
$79.95 * Sale: $59.95

Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in U.S. Women's History (Third Edition)

The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor And Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
by Timothy Egan

Green Press Initiative
----- * ^ * -----

Journalistas: 100 Years of the Best Writing and Reporting by Women Journalists by Eleanor Mills * NYT review

Bury Me Standing: the Gypsies & Their Journey

1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus

Brokeback Mountain
by Annie Proulx
----- * ^ * -----
Check out Powell's
"At The Movies"

Imperial Ambitions: Conversations on the Post-9/11 World by Noam Chomsky (Power & Terror: Post 9-11 Talks)

The Price of Privilege:

How Parental Pressure and
Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of
Disconnected and Unhappy Kids
by Madeline Levine

Save 35-70% on
name brand clothing,
footwear, and outdoor gear
at SierraTradingPost.com
:

We listened to PEN American Center's "State of Emergency" and found 1940s books by Curzio Malaparte only at Alibris. (Selection (MP3) excerpted from "The Skin.")

Banned Books * Are you a fan of Film Noir, Art House, Documentaries or Hong Kong Action? * Searching for a long-lost children's book or a first printing of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue on vinyl? Find it at Alibris!

:
:

Booman Tribune Homepage
admin@boomantribune.com
powered by Scoop

More blogs about Blogs at Technorati.

Technorati Profile