June 8, 2007 2:59 PM
- Text
Pace's Exit: "The Rumsfeld Years Are Over"
Mary Walsh is a producer for CBS News based at the Pentagon.
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.
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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.
3 Comments +
Popular Now in CBS Evening News
- For returning serviceman, a struggle to reconnect
- 5/26: Memorial Day weekend wild weather, slaugher in Syria
- Honoring fallen heroes with thousands of flags
- Wild weather for Memorial Day weekend
- Pessimism amid Egypt presidential election
- Inspiration for the class of 2012
- SpaceX capsule provides supplies for ISS
- On the Road: Planting flags for fallen soldiers
- 5/25: Murder charge in Etan Patz case, strom chaser vacations
- Everest climbers bottlenecked in "death zone"
- 5/24: Etan Patz murder confession, convicted rapist exonerated
- Calif. HS student devises possible cancer cure
- Pope's butler accused of leaking Vatican documents
- Storm-chaser vacations: Nice weather not welcome
- Iran's nuclear program becomes more radioactive
- Company loses millions in NASDAQ glitch
