Pace's Exit: "The Rumsfeld Years Are Over"

By: Mary Walsh
Topics: Field Notes

Mary Walsh is a producer for CBS News based at the Pentagon.

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

General Peter Pace has been a surprisingly emotional Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He's been known to break down in tears speaking of Guy Farinaro, the first Marine to die under his command when Pace was a young lieutenant in Vietnam.

Yet Pace has been unflinching in his prosecution of the war in Iraq. Loyal to a fault, his critics say, arguing that someone with a more critical eye would have pushed for strategic adjustments long ago, most especially a larger Army and Marine Corps.

With General Pace leaving the chairmanship, you can finally say the Rumsfeld years are over. There has long been speculation that Defense Secretary Gates would decide to go with a new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Now it appears Congress has forced that to happen.

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by toosunned June 11, 2007 6:07 AM EDT: More sound and fury from the public. Not to debate the issue of who's guilty of what about the war in Iraq, but how about we move the debate forward and start discussing what should be done to bring this national nightmare to a close? We ALL know what the Republicans want,and we ALL know what the Democrats want to do with Iraq also. Are these the ONLY options available to us? I would hope not. To that end, Ihave posted on my blogsite - http://riverbank1.spaces.live.com/
a proposal for Victory in Iraq. This war IS winnable, even if the politicians in Washington can'tfigure out how. Come to my blogsite and read my proposal. Let's talk.; Reply to this comment


by long_rider June 10, 2007 9:11 AM EDT: This article is about nothing. Rummy, and Gates have the same old problem - no plan of action.

Why not cover the waste of U.S. dollars by contractors - money that could be used here in America.

Why not cover the facts surrounding the lies told by the chimp to get us into this war.

Cover the fact that America is spending large sums of money building "super bases" in Iraq, and else where. The vast majority of Americans want our troops out of Iraq, but this administration is building bases in Iraq.

There is so much critical news coverage needed in this country, but we only receive the news the WH thugs want us to know.

I think it is about time to shed some light on the need - and activities of the chimps private army Blackwater (Mercenaries). Why do we need to pay (a lot of money) to mercenaries (20-30,000) to protect VIP's (1000 to 1500)? Why were these mercenaries used to patrol the streets of America (New Orleans) - at the request of homeland security?

The bottom line is that this Sec. of Defense is no more effective than the last, because of the secretive, and lying administration that is in control of our nation, political system, voting, and press.

There is so much to be uncovered, and disclosed, but our media forsakes truth, and panders liars.; Reply to this comment


by ericmichael1 June 8, 2007 7:39 PM EDT: Too many blog articles-----overload-----overload-----clear the brain immediately!

:); Reply to this comment