Dems Bash Rumsfeld's Nazi Comments

Defense Secretary Likened Iraq War Opponents To Those Who Appeased Hitler

(AP)  Democrats chastised Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld Wednesday for questioning the historical grasp of Bush administration war critics, accusing him of engaging in "dangerous business."

Several members of Congress had been urging Rumsfeld's resignation before he asserted to the American Legion that opponents displayed the kind of thinking that delayed military action against Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany.

Rumsfeld said the world faces "a new type of fascism." And he warned against repeating the pre-World War II mistake of appeasement.

Rumsfeld's speech in Salt Lake City Tuesday, in which he also said that administration critics suffered from "moral confusion," prompted angry reactions from Democrats hoping to win back the majority in Congress.

"It is a dangerous business to accuse those who disagree with you of moral and intellectual confusion," said Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. "Debate in our democracy is based upon respect, not vilification."

Said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi: "If Mr. Rumsfeld is so concerned with comparisons to World War II, he should explain why our troops have now been fighting in Iraq longer than it took our forces to defeat the Nazis in Europe."

Responding Wednesday, Pentagon press secretary Eric Ruff said, "Facts are facts. As the secretary said in his speech, America and the free world face a gathering threat of challenges from a vicious enemy that is serious, lethal and relentless. There are important lessons from history that we ought to be mindful of as we talk about how we are going to meet the challenges extremist terror organizations present."

In his speech, Rumsfeld said it "was apparent that many have still not learned history's lessons." Aides later said he was not accusing the administration's critics of trying to appease the terrorists but was cautioning against a repeat of errors made in earlier eras.

Nevertheless, Rumsfeld's remarks were seen by many Democrats in Congress as fighting words.

Sen. Jack Reed, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said Rumsfeld has been "substituting sloganing for strategy" and delivered a "calculated political argument" to make people believe that to support a war against terror requires support of the administration's policies.

"I think the analogy is very, very weak," Reed, D-R.I., said of Rumsfeld's comparison of Iraq to World War II.

It is time Rumsfeld "should be departing" the Pentagon, Reed added. Reed, Pelosi and other Democrats have been calling for the defense secretary's resignation for more than a year.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York called Rumsfeld's portrayal of Democrats a "strawman" and said Americans need answers on how to deal with a looming civil war in Iraq.

Also Wednesday, a New York Democratic House candidate accused Rumsfeld of lying about progress in Iraq.

"After 21 months of trying to find something I can agree with Secretary Rumsfeld on, it is true: the American people are being lied to and I totally agree with Secretary Rumsfeld," Eric Massa, a Navy veteran, said in a conference call with reporters.

"What I disagree with is the fact that he's the one doing the lying," he said.

Massa, who is challenging one-term Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl, said he was outraged by Rumsfeld's comments and faulted him for blaming the media for his own misstatements and missteps. said the Bush administration has no effective plan to secure the country.

"This thing has disintegrated," Walz said of Iraq. "On the macro level, there's an absolute failure."

Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said the Democratic candidates' strategy is to criticize Republican efforts to win the war on terror, while elected Democrats are "committed to a strategy that will weaken our ability to defend America and make us less safe at home and abroad."

[cdgcharlie]

Mr. Rumsfeld..your words ring hollow just like those of the other neocons who pushed for the Iraq invasion. Why is the man who DID attack us on 9/11 still running free? Why did you not go after Al Qaeda in Afghanistan with all available forces in October 2001? Why did you let Al Qaeda get away so you could concentrate on Saddam Hussein who had nothing to do with the attack on us?

[alphaa10-2009]

Rather than take responsibility for his engulfing debacle in Iraq, Rumsfeld is clearly desperate to excuse himself. Unfortunately for him, the only thing left is more of the same empty rhetoric, of the genre "Mission accomplished." Another lie simply cannot cover other lies and misjudgments, all at the expense of this country.

Sensing a sea-change in American attitudes to reject the scandalous Iraq war and all the deceitful rationales behind it, Rumsfeld tells himself the best defense is a good offense-- but has yet to come up with one. Churchill was good rhetoric when the British PM actually faced an indomitable foe, and the Nazis actually were waiting to invade. But the invader these days is Herr Rumsfeld, and der Generalfeldmarschall is merely another two-dimensional, political Nazi from central casting.

Rumsfeld is simply incompetent, as offen happens when senior politicos get control of areas of which they know little. Rumsfeld it was who rejected the sage advice of one of America's real generals, Gen. Eric Shinseki, who calmly told congress Rumsfeld would need many times the number of troops in the invasion to occupy Iraq and keep order. Shinseki was blackballed for his sound military advice, which brings to mind the many times Herr Hitler, himself, overruled his generals to pursue his own "brilliant" tactical innovations. Ironically, Shinseki, not Rumsfeld, helped create the Stryker and other forward-mobility concepts which made the invasion, itself, work as it did.

[dansum]

Does he really think we are buying that hogwash he is spewing or does he just like to hear himself talk?
Hey, this isn't George Bush you are talking to now Mr. Rumsfield.
I have a brain and it is in working order, thank you very much.

[alphaa10-2009]

This is a man opposed to fascism? How ironic Rumsfeld helped mobilize one of the worst excursions of America into truly fascist behavior at home and abroad.

All through its history, America never adopted "pre-emptive war" as a doctrine-- until Bush arrived. But that posture is correctly called by its real name-- conquest-- throughout the pages of history. That history will not spare Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and their minions, who have plundered and endangered America's future in a way Hitler never accomplished.

[clestes-2009]

Rumsfield is losing it. If he can't remember that Hitler invaded the Rhineland, Checkoslavia, Austria, Poland, France, tried to invade England, and finally Soviet Union, he needs to read a book on WWII. Iraq NEVER invaded us. A fact he keeps forgetting. WE are the agressor in the Iraq debacle.

I also have an issue with the way he lumps all terror groups into one group. There are lots of different terror groups out there and not all of them want to destroy the US. Some of them have much less ambitions.

Rumsfield speech is nothing more than fear mongering and trying to whip up support by scaring the American people. I wonder exactly who is suppose to be Hitler?? He must think the American people are stupid!

The Bush admin is running scared because there is a real fear that they will lose one or both houses of Congress this Nov. If they do, then all sorts of nasty things might come to light. Congress might starting hard questions like "What did you do with the 200 billion spent so far." Or worse still, refuse to give any more money to the Iraq disaster. Or how about putting Cheney on the stand in the Valerie Plame case. Or even start impeachment procedings against Bush. He certainly is guilty to lying to the American people.

[getagrip54]

Rumsfeld said: "I recount this history because once again we face similar challenges in efforts to confront the rising threat of a new type of fascism."

He's right. Americans still have a chance to stop the slide into a new fascist state by getting rid of Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and all their brown shirt supporters. The greatest threat to American fredom is not the terrorists but the new security industry created as a result of 9/11.

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety." Benjamin Franklin

[heardenuff]

YEP - and here's a "future" quote for yah...


"those who FAIL to pay attention - shall be blown to pieces"

times have changed my friends.......

[revcr]

No one doubts that terrorists must be confronted. It's the administration strategy that many if not most people think is misguided.

But I'm afraid the Rumsfield is right about the rise of Facism. It takes one to know one.

[alphaa10-2009]

heardenuff-- Then start at home, and pay more attention to the fact you have a fascist regime in Washington which wraps itself with the American flag everytime it is caught in its own lies. As you say, times have changed for Bush and his political future.

[stevarino781]

Hey Rummy! This is a democracy and we can say anthing about your war that we want. Think about that the next time you want to start one. We will criticize the war all day and all night if we if we want to. If you want us to shut up you got to get out the storm troopers.

[fishdog59]

All the dead...all the dead and for what? As I review the New Testament I can find no passage where Jesus Christ slew anyone.

[johnbrownjr1]

Once again Rumsfeld has shown the American People he does not believe in the basics of our constitution and our right of freedom of speech. Time and time again the American People have called for this murders resignation and his lackey in the white house has refused to honr the request. Talk about 21 century fascists...Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld definitely remind me of men like Hitler, Goring, and Himmler. Wake up America...we can still change the dangerous course these tyrants have put us on!

[nynative1340]

Rumsfeld doesn't get it; never did; never will. Our fore-fathers deliberately established a government unlike any other before it. They deliberately allowed citizens to openly critize the government; that's one of the checks and balances. The problem is the present administration doesn't get it; never did; doesn't want to; and never will.

They have lied to us from day one and will continue to lie to us for as long as they exist.

[alphaa10-2009]

And lest we forget-- Bush is a political pathology, invited by his extreme disregard for the rule of law. In November, 2005, safe in the Oval Office, Bush shouted down the few GOP faithful who still dared to complain to him about his open breach of American Constititonal protections, "Quit throwing the Constitution in my face. It's just a GD!@# piece of paper.")

This bozo is ... a leader? Not of the United States of America, certainly. But, yes, a ringleader.

[getcentered]

We should be used to this by now. These people are experts at MIS-information:
Bush, Gonzales, Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld, Rice. They are preachers of the "old world". They do not know how to listen to dissent. The opinions of others matter little when you KNOW you're right. The party they represent is just a rubber stamp due to various exploitive measures such as fund raising power and country wide talking point unification and propaganda.

If the left shows just a LITTLE bit of unification, I think they can win some elections and let DEBATE in Washington begin once again where the people in power unfortunately left it 6 years ago.

[tcsbliss]

The "do gooders" in this country are against any thing except their own "pet projects". We have the freedom to speak out because of the men in uniform who are doing the right an just things to protect the fools who are home hiding behind safe walls.

[johnbrownjr1]

to tcsbliss.... I agree 110% that it is the men and women in our military who give us our right to free speech. Never in our history have so many generals and admirals spoke out against the policies of the Sec of Defense than during this war. If so many of our senior officers are against the course of action in Iraq it speaks volumes about how incompitent Herr Rumsfeld is in his job. I'm against this war....we are there so the oilmen and women can reap the profits...men like Bush, Cheney and lets not forget Condi and the oil tanker named after her. The people or our great nation need to be screaming impeachment.....or mobilizing for another revolution in our nation

[one_american]

Wow. What Don Rumsfeld describes as "moral or intellectual confusion" is aptly demonstrated by the Bush-bashing anarchists here. No suprise.

Don Rumsfeld has performed far better and accomplished more real objectives than any other defense secretary in history, and will go down in history with honors.

Thank you, Don Rumsfeld!

[walt1944]

I think Rumsfeld should be "retired" to a mental institution, or a nursing home for the feeble minded at best. The only person who supports this jerk is the even bigger jerk in the White House. For him to compare critics of the Iraq "mistake" as "facists" is a major insult to everyone in this country who supports our troops but not the "politicians" war they are fighting, dying, or coming back physically and/or mentally wounded for. Even his own generals think he is psychotic. If there is any comparing to Nazis here, lets call George Bush "Adolph" and Rumsfeld "Rudolph" as in HESS!

[spinoza750]

We all know that the Bushites are fascist oriented. The thing is what are we the citizens going to do about them? Are we going to let the Republicates drag us from war to war? Are we going to fight back. At least one group is working to stop Bushite ideology . Please give some dollars to the world can't wait and get out in the streets and raise hell.

http://www.worldcantwait.net/

[tojuso]

It would seem that the latest Republican talking point contains the word "fascism", and it's inevitable that when talk turns to fasism, Hitler's name will be pulled from the ashes. Why? Simple: Hitler = Fear. Hitler was the ultimate bad guy of the 20th Century, and though he has become a metaphor lately, he's still good at serving up the fear. Clearly, fear itself has been the Republican's reliable campaign tool; it has delivered handsomely in past elections. To Republicans, Fear = Good. So, is it such a surprise -- now that we're close to another election -- that the Republicans are using it again?

[aliyaaali]

To be put in a position where it is deemed appropriate to justify America's political position, is an act of despair. If severe doubts were not begining to surface about the moral conduct of this Administration, it would not be necessary. Clearly people are beginning to harbour a desire to hear the other side of the story, perhaps not so much here in the United States, but definately abroad. In light of the recent interview with Ahmadinejad, and what the world saw as an act of atrocity in Lebanon, going by the widespread anti-Israeli anti-US protests.

This is a call to rally support, a call to paper over the moral flaws in the conduct of the Administration, that has been at war for almost the entirity of its tenures. What we face, is a horrible terrorist threat, we face scum that want to kill us all, jew,christian,muslim,hindu regardless. Even the muslim Americans that live peacefully here are regarded as infidels. However that doesn't justify our conduct. Supporting the war in Lebanon severly damaged US reputation, Abu Ghuraib damages US reputation, 186%increase in oil exports from Iraq damages our reputation, rape claims damage US reputation, using napalm in Iraq damages US reputation.

cont..

[aliyaaali]

cont..

The US needs to be tough on terror. But constant war, and suport for war, killing of innocent civillians, constantly is not helping US PR. Foreign pollicy, causes outrage and gives momentum to terrorists. The war on Terror should be more than just killing, and invading nations and creating more terrorist, it should simultaniously be a diplomatic one.

Rumsfeld knows people are not buying the same story as they did after 9/11, he knows no matter how hard they try, it a battle to persuade the public that Hizbollah and Al-Qaeda are one and the same thing. He acted to stop sympathy for the other side that more and more people are beginning to sympathise with. Of course nobody sympathises with terrorists in the shape of Al-Qaeda, but its becoming increasingly difficult to justify every attack by using the word terrorst.

[actnow101]

The Secretary of Defence is "warning" us that we are facing a "new type of fascism". He has never been more correct!

"I recount this history because once again we face similar challenges in efforts to confront the rising threat of a new type of fascism,... Can we truly afford to believe that somehow, some way, vicious extremists can be appeased?"

In an eerie twist of irony he seems to be discribing his own administration. Freedom of the press has been compromised, it is time for all good citizen's to take action against the oppressors before it is too late. Rumsfeld is right that there are terrorists out there somewhere, we just don't know who they are because he's not doing his job. Take back our country now before these mindless pawns start WWIII, and have us all living in fear. Don't let them burn the Constitution, it is our only hope.

"The pen is mighter than the sword"

[docgalen]

Once upon a time there was a great president called Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was a very clever man who once said "There is nothing to fear, but fear itself." That statement should be said again! We are not going to be made living in fear because this administration wants us to!

[redrose54]

When will Americans learn the theory of cause and effect?

The reason Hitler came to power and the reason so many young Moslems are becoming radicalised are strikingly similar: Hitler rose to power through economic collapse in Germany following the Wall Street Crash; many young Moslems have been failed by the education system and are either not working or are in low-skill, low-wage jobs. Hitler came to power because the Germans felt that they had been humiliated by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles; young Moslems feel humiliated because they see their religion attacked by all sides, led by the US and Israel.

Until that link is learned by morons like Bush and Rumsfeld, then many more brave young soldiers from around the world will continue to lose their lives fighting a so-called "war on terror".

[actnow101]

"We have found the enemy, and it is us."

It was the good citizens of Germany that failed to "confront Hitler" allowing the propaganda machine to consume them, and drive them to war and dispair. Let us show him that we have studied our history classes, and we have learned valuable lessons that will help us to confront the "new fascism". Of course it would have helped if the Germans had the internet so they could bypass government propaganda and have a free exchange of information. I think this speech of Rumsfeld's will go down in history. Is it possible to insert a larger video segment of his speech above, that may be very helpful for the American people to help identify these new fascists.

"There is nothing to fear, but fear itself"

[abbe7]

A little quizz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire

WTC = Reichstag;
Van der Lubbe = Usama bin Laden;
Comintern = Al Qaeda;
Enabling act = Patriot act;
Hitler = ?

[red1530]

The terrorists are fascist because they want to control all aspects of there people's lives like the government in Italy and Germany did before WWII.

[abbe7]

Red1530 wrote: "The terrorists are fascist because they want to control all aspects of there people's lives like the government in Italy and Germany did before WWII."

Their people ? You must be referring to government terrorism then ... because nobody would really care about "Al Qaeda people". And I guess that by "to control all aspects of there people's lives" you mean "illegal wiretapping" ...

[bob_bob2]

Germans in WW2 = massive super power with the will and material wealth to take over the planet. BTW, Hitler is a joke, Stalin was way worse (and an ally for a short time).

Terrorists = a bunch of guys with ak-47's, no hierarchy, no military, no blitzkrieg, no unity, and no leadership; hell they can barely keep us out of their own countries.

US = More guns, bombs, and money than the rest of the planet combined; shivering in terror over what?

We are at war against potential external threats; like a hypochondriac we are fighting things in reality that can never be defeated.

[lochlan-2009]

More rhetoric from the same government propaganda machine that has torn this country and it's constitution into a thousand pieces. Now, they're telling the American people, agree with our lies or you%u2019re a supporter of Hitler. Oh yeah, you%u2019re ugly and worship Satan if you support this Administration and their bombardment of lies... See, I can do name calling too. "Those who know the truth need to speak out against these kinds of myths and lies and distortions being told about our troops and about our country," says Rumsfeld. Don't worry we are.

"War on Terror", be afraid, be very afraid. THEY COULD BE ANYONE, ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME!!! Luckily we have the Bush/Cheney Administration. Whew.

[aesop2-2009]

I think Mr. Rumsfeld and other neo-cons should learn the definition of facisim. A noted Italian scholar, Umberto Eco, lists 14 characteristics of eternal facism. The list contains such elements as the cults of tradition, action for action's sake, heroism, and death; the rejection of criticism and diversity, obsession with conspiracies, and a scorn for the weak, among others. Sound familiar.

[ezdidit-2009]

Rumsfeld, Cheney, Rice,...who do they think they are fooling? They have all lied, cheated and squandered our military might and credibility throughout the world. They have degraded our country in virtually every rspect. They have endangered us more than any Administration. They are ultimately killers who should be put on trial in The Hague at the Court of International Justice.

The "War on Terrorism" is a political scam to make us all afraid. It is nothing more than a useless tactic. (Terrorism is not an enemy. Terrorism is a tactic.)

Strategic US terrorism in Iraq has inspired more terrorists than all the previous Middle Eastern misadventures in the whole of the 20th Century.

Rumsfeld should resign. All that the Neocon's ever wanted to do was destabilize the region and divide Iraq into three parts. That's the logical solution, anyway, but they won't even admit to this. Boo! to his current statement. Like so much of his thought, it is drivel from a killer.

[one_american]

Thank you, Don Rumsfeld.

Future generations will judge you favorably.

Those who cling to the dieing anomaly of Liberalism will wish they had shown more respect, although in the future, Liberals will be too ashamed of themselves to admit it.

[clestes-2009]

Oh get a grip, ActNow101. You can't really believe that this man, who with the other Bushies are going to be remembered by history as anything other than what they are. A bunch of like minded, narrow minded, egotistical, money grabbing, murderers.

If you believe that the Iraq debacle has made us safer, think again. It has TOTALLY weakened us in everyway. Our reputation is shot with every world leader except Britians and I'm not sure about that. We are massively in debt to China, who is no ally of ours! (do you remeber Bill Clinton left us in the black). The mismangement of the Middle East from Iraq to Lebanon has created hordes of people who will hate us forever (do you remember how close Bill Clinton had to getting every one to sign a piece accord.)
The latest fiasco in Lebanon was a disaster that strengthened Hezzbolla and Iran (who are enemies) and weakened Israel (our ally).

I have lived through presidents from Kennedy to gw and he makes Nixon look like a player. gw is the most incompetent, idiotatic, just plain stupid man to ever hold office. Christ, even Warren Harding didn't do as much damage as gw.

As for being ashamed, you should die of shame for supporting this facist!

[clestes-2009]

Oh and I forgot to mention, Constitution bashers, First Admenment breakers, 4th Admenment stompers and general law breakers as well as like minded etc.....

[Atlantic2752]

Rumsfeld is as dumb as a stone. He should resign immediately. He has lied in almost every speach he has given on the war in Iraq and the war on terror. Another buffoon of this buffoon president. Impeach Bush and the rest of his administration and charge them all with crimes against humanity for the murderous war in Iraq.

[planetelvis]

GOP SLOGAN: THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO OFFER IS... FEAR ITSELF.

After controlling America's direction for six years, Republicans look in the mirror and see disaster in their wake. They've put the nation in the middle of the Big Muddy called Iraq; failed to call to task those who designed and sold the nation on a dead end war; gave up on the concept of competition when doling out billion dollar no-bid contracts; kept the costs of war out of the federal budget; gave bin Laden a pass; helped spawn a worldwide boom in terrorism; smeared the reputation of critics; sliced health care benefits to veterans; tarnished America's reputation around the world; let a major American city drown; shut down the science business to leap into deathbeds, libraries, and phone calls; gave up on health care; polarized the nation; squandered a surplus; drove America into debt; built a bloated government; dragged the dangers of *** marriage and flag burning out of the grave; recruited the Creator of the entire universe as their party's personal mascot; and began minting fear as the coin of their realm. In desperate need of a campaign slogan, they can look to history for an answer. Of course, they'd have to give FDR's rallying cry their own, personal, revealing twist: Republicans: The Only Thing We Have to Offer Is... Fear Itself

[planetelvis]

NEO GOP CAMPAIGN SLOGAN: THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO OFFER IS... FEAR ITSELF.

After controlling America's direction for six years, Republicans look in the mirror and see disaster in their wake. They've put the nation in the middle of the Big Muddy called Iraq; failed to call to task those who designed and sold the nation on a dead end war; gave up on the concept of competition when doling out billion dollar no-bid contracts; kept the costs of war out of the federal budget; gave bin Laden a pass; helped spawn a worldwide boom in terrorism; smeared the reputation of critics; sliced health care benefits to veterans; tarnished America's reputation around the world; let a major American city drown; shut down the science business to leap into deathbeds, libraries, and phone calls; gave up on health care; polarized the nation; squandered a surplus; drove America into debt; built a bloated government; dragged the dangers of *** marriage and flag burning out of the grave; recruited the Creator of the entire universe as their party's personal mascot; and began minting fear as the coin of their realm. In desperate need of a campaign slogan, they can look to history for an answer. Of course, they'd have to give FDR's rallying cry their own, personal, revealing twist: Republicans: The Only Thing We Have to Offer Is... Fear Itself

[long_rider]

I don't like anything about this secretive, and opressive administration. I will support any, and all, efforts to impeach this president, and remove the co-president. This administration has been no good from the start, they have done zero for the American people.

As for anyone losing the war? Rumsfeld should look in the mirror, after all he is in charge of it. Isn't he?

Rumsfeld's speach was just like all speaches from the chimps cage (Whitehouse), hollow words.

[rockygabriel]

Yo Rummy,

When you point the finger at facists, three a pointing back at you.

Go figure :)

BTW, I meant you!

[alphaa10-2009]

<b>Rumsfeld is a big help to Bush-- secretly, he is Charlie McCarthy to Bush's Edgar Bergen.</b> If you actually catch Bush's lips moving when "Rumsfeld" speaks, you see at once how the routine is supposed to work.

So, <b>Rumsfeld is supposed to go out of his way to create acrimony, and clearly wants people to hate him-- all the better to divert public attention from his boss.</b> Why the diversion tactic? <b>Because Bush cannot take the heat for his own mistakes.</b> Rumsfeld is a former fighter jock, and any good wingman knows when his leader is about to be shot down and breaks up the maneuver, if he can.

<b>Bush is getting a little burned by all the incompetence he has displayed, and he needs somebody besides Rice in his corner. </b>But Rumsfeld, der GeneralFeldMarschall? The man even the Pentagon loves to hate? Javol ! Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld uber alles...

[jailrove]

And is the Iraqi insurgency more "vicious and relentless" than Hitler and the Third Reich? Is that why it's taking longer to win in Iraq than it did in Europe? Maybe if Bush hadn't declared V-day quite so early...

[ourtomorrows]

In one area Rumsfeld is right, appeasement and isolation have NEVER worked. Small threats that are ignored become major threats down the road. Even for those of us who support the president and, according to one poster, have a "naive understanding of History," are competent enough to see the lessons of the past world wars. Britain and France appeased Germany, Italy and Japan at every turn in the 30s--what did it get us? They wanted to avoid another war and instead got exactly what they hoped to avoid.

I get quite sick of the alleged intellectual superiority that is flaunted by those who oppose the President's policies and insinuate that anybody who supports ANY of his policies is a deluded simpleton.

Rumsfeld understands history, men like Howard Dean and Reid are far more dangerous because they don't and never will.

[ourtomorrows]

To jailrove

Just as a matter of historical accuarcy, world war II began in September of 1939 and ended in Europe in May of 1945 and in the pacific in August of 1945. The war lasted then a bit under six years. We have only been in Iraq for three.

[kenduerksen]

Rumsfeld just last week described our adversaries in the war on terror as consisting of loosely affiliated cells with an ephemeral command structure, making them elusive and hard to combat.

How in the world is this analogous with "Fascism"? Fascism is the unity of a society's political power, industrial capacity, military might, and media infrastructure in the hands of single leadership entity? "Fascism" in this context is nothing more than an evocative buzz-word the administration is using to heat up America's fear and hate to a level conducive to another costly invasion.

Rummy's insistence yesterday on a single political truth - together with: the Republican monopolization of the three branches of our government; the melding of the administration with FOX News and other cable networks; the cozy influence of industrialists with this administration; and the White House's affinity for unprovoked aggressive war - indicates that the fascists are much closer to home than the Defense Secretary suggests.

Ken Duerksen
Oxford, Ohio

[richmilesky]

Ourtomorrows said: "Just as a matter of historical accuarcy, world war II began in September of 1939 and ended in Europe in May of 1945 and in the pacific in August of 1945. The war lasted then a bit under six years. We have only been in Iraq for three."

Aside from the humorous irony in your misspelling of "accuracy", just as a matter of REAL historical accuracy, WWII began for AMERICANS in EUROPE, which was the point being made, in early 1942, only a few months after Pearl Harbor, and ended, as you obseerve, in May 1945 - a span of 3 years and 3 or 4 months.

Therefore, American troops have now been in Iraq for 3 years and 5.5 months (NOT 3 years, as you assert), or longer than they were in Europe fighting Hitler.

Try testing those foundations of "accuracy" before setting up your next straw man, OK pal?

[richmilesky]

observe, not obseerve. And Charlie McCarthy was the dummy, not the ventriloquist. So perhaps that analogy should be reversed?

[lochlan-2009]

As has been pointed out many times by people all around the world, the only organization with any resemblance to Hitler and his Regime is this Bush/Cheney Administration. The attempt to turn the tables to their opposition is a complete joke, it doesn't even make sense.