Donald Rumsfeld's Holy War

By: Sean Alfano
Topics: Republicans

(GQ)

Critics often accused the Bush administration of waging a crusade against Iraq. Turns out those critics may have been correct, according to a profile of former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in GQ this month.

In what appears to be a callous effort by Rumsfeld to cater to President George W. Bush's religious fervor, the fiery Pentagon leader sent the president daily briefings on the war's progress headlined Worldwide Intelligence Update, which often included Bible passages on the cover paired with striking images.

In one report, a brilliant orange sun beams down on a U.S. tank in the desert beneath a passage from the Book of Ephesians reading, "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

The majority of the article, however, depicts a man fiercely territorial of his turf, employing a "my way or the highway" attitude. That was sometimes to the detriment of the U.S. military and the country, and included a week-long hesitation to release troops to Louisiana in order to keep order amid post-Hurricane Katrina chaos.

"No one," a former official told GQ, "threw sand in the gears like Rumsfeld."

Rumsfeld "was cynically playing the religious angle to seduce and manipulate a president who frequently quoted the Bible," said liberal commentator Frank Rich in the New York Times in response to the story. "But the secretary's actions were not just oily; he was also taking a risk with national security. If these official daily collages of Crusade-like messaging and war imagery had been leaked, they would have reinforced the Muslim world's apocalyptic fear that America was waging a religious war."

To read the full article by Robert Draper, click here.

To view more of Rumsfeld's daily war briefings, click here.

And here are two more briefing covers, via GQ:

(GQ)

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by greco99-2009 March 7, 2011 2:49 AM EST: Under Donald Rumsfeld's watch and direction we saw the large scale use of Depleted Uranium weapons in civilian areas.

For example, see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/30/faulluja-birth-defects-iraq

If it is true that these weapons are causing harm to the young and unborn children for generations...this would make Rumsfeld one of the most evil people of the 21st century if not one of the most evil in history.; Reply to this comment


by INTR3PID1 May 19, 2009 3:46 AM EDT: And as James somewhat hit on, George Sr. had the wisdom to leave things as they were as atrocious as they were. I rememember him saying that his worry that his idiot son didn't have an exit strategy. Well, he didn't really say all that, that but I'm sure he thought it. This was such a strategically stupid move jr played. We had the taliban defeated and what do we do? Deplete our forces and attack a "no threat nation." Real smart.; Reply to this comment


by INTR3PID1 May 19, 2009 3:14 AM EDT: pensacola said things well but I find it wrong to say Cheney was ever in command of anyone even though in definition he was. But, in reality to anyone who has served in the real military he was nothing but a beauracratic overseer. You don't command men from a desk or position. You command men from example, fortitude and integrity. Nothing I have seen from this liar and thief of the integrity that has served this nation well. I consider Cheney. Rumsfeld and company as deceivers and those quite adept at garnishing public sentiment to their extreme advantage. It used to kill me that cowards like Karl Rove, who I despise, came up with little slogans like, "cut and run. " Believe me rove. whose name I won't even capitalize anymore, is the last MF I'd want next to me in combat-I have no doubt that coward he'd be long gone in the clutch. I will tell you one thing, when you are in combat, one thing is evident. No one is polling as to who is democrat or republican. You are depending on who will cover your back and focused on covering your brother's back. That is reality folks. McCarthur once said no one hates war more than a soldier. Wow, he had it right. The everyday troops would be appalled at the consistency that some have the attitude that all our "little" problems can be solved by "sending in the troops" while we all go on with our daily lives. And, no that is not their obligation. Their obligation is to defend this country, regardless of personal opinion. The Bush administration abused that and believe me there will be reperussions. I state this also, I believe in God but have no desire to ram my beliefs down other people's throats. If you are agnostic, athiest, I could care less but don't hold it against my belief because a few zealots proclaim their self-righteousness when they don't represent the majority of Americans who are proud of the fact that we defend the latitude of Americans to believe. I would ask that you don't bash my beliefs as a Christian as I will respect your opinion as it is. I am a veteran. my son is a veteran. I fought so you can believe as you will. Don't let these neocon extreme rightist turn yourseves agains the majority moderists in this country.; Reply to this comment


by JamesB621 May 19, 2009 3:02 AM EDT: smiley481962, no, this invasion was not about regime change, that would have constituted a criminal act (even though that's what it was about secretly), it was over WMD's, you know, the kind that didn't exist. And as for you're being a military officer with "intimate knowledge of the planning and execution" of the war, being a former military officer myself I can hardly believe that you actually were, otherwise you would have known that "regime change" is not a valid pretext for war. As bad of a character as Hussein was, he was the one thing that was keeping the lid on these other "Islamic Emirates" such as Iran in check, a balance of power (or terror, either would suffice). That's the main reason that we didn't remove him in 1991.; Reply to this comment


by pensacola8-2009 May 19, 2009 1:58 AM EDT: I am a liberal, but I wouldn't go as far as calling Bush and Cheney traitors. I will say both were tethered to the Defense Operations far too closely and too far away from State Department. When Secretary Powell stepped down, I perceived the last honest person was removed from the President's inner circle.

I know Cheney misses military command as a civilian, after all he served many years as DoD Secretary.

The cruelty of the enhanced interrogations will be something this nation will have to live with forever.

Obama's refusal to advance with any form of a prosecution towards Cheney does serve very effectively to keep the GOP stuck in the political mud. Going forward with prosecution will allow the GOP to free itself from a trap they don't enjoy.

Probably the worst thing that historians will say about Bush and Cheney is that there is agreement that their conduct was no better than their opponent - Osama Bin Laden. In WW-II, the world saw Stalin square off against Hitler, but Churchill was in a different class with a leadership that was iconic. The USA lost its chance to produce a leader who would match Churchill, until Obama arrived. Obama just might pull it off.

Christian dominated politics is something most citizens of this nation doesn't want. They don't want Muslim, Jewish, or any other religion dominating the political steering wheel.

I am in favor of shutting down all forms of religion who speak out politically and demonize anyone.; Reply to this comment


by stn_sage May 18, 2009 10:36 PM EDT: Donald Rumsfeld and the Bush administration were traitors one and all!

THEIR actions will---hopefully---go down as America's lowest point in history!

The second lowest will be the failure to prosecute them for all the terrible things they have done!

IF we cannot have justice in America any more, then let us record their evil deeds, but forget them---and their presence amongst---for the remainder of their unholy, evil lives!; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 May 18, 2009 7:01 PM EDT: Rumsfeld "was cynically playing the religious angle to seduce and manipulate a president who frequently quoted the Bible.
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Bush is mentally unstable and these guys, Cheney, Rumsfeld, played him like a violin. Very, very, scary, stuff.; Reply to this comment


by An-Historian May 18, 2009 6:09 PM EDT: Rumsfeld truly was an enormous national embarrassment, but he is nevertheless rapidly being forgotten by the American people. His political legacy is best summed up with the words "Short and Ugly".; Reply to this comment


by kansas1946 May 18, 2009 5:32 PM EDT: No surprise to me. That whole administration was evil to the last man. Rumsfield was a nut and anyone paying any attention to him should have known that. Good riddance to that whole sorry chapter in American history.; Reply to this comment


by gravyboat45 May 18, 2009 5:32 PM EDT: Rumsfeld was a BLIGHT on our country, and a disgrace.
Posted by raflin1

And did ya ever notice that his suits didn't fit him?; Reply to this comment