Friday, November 10, 2006

Rumsfeld resigns

Good riddance and much too late is the most concise way I can put my reaction.

However, this is only step one. Rumsfeld is on record accepting that he is responsible for Pentagon decisions. The invasion of Iraq is illegal under international law for several reasons. Kofi Annan went on record saying he thinks so and many others, including former President Jimmy Carter, did the same. Rumsfeld should face an international war crimes trial. Of course, this is never going to happen.

A summary of Rumsfeld's life.

In passing:

... While many have thought that Saddam first became involved with U.S. intelligence agencies at the start of the September 1980 Iran-Iraq war, his first contacts with U.S. officials date back to 1959, when he was part of a CIA-authorized six-man squad tasked with assassinating then Iraqi Prime Minister Gen. Abd al-Karim Qasim. ... The assassination was set for Oct. 7, 1959, but it was completely botched. Accounts differ. One former CIA official said that the 22-year-old Saddam lost his nerve and began firing too soon, killing Qasim's driver and only wounding Qasim in the shoulder and arm....


Amy Goodman
Iraq-Gate
How The United States Illegally Armed Saddam Hussein
Broadcast Nov 14, 2002

Over 10 years ago a reporter for the Financial Times named Alan Friedman uncovered the shocking story. It involved Rumsfeld among others. Over 5 billion Dollars were funneled to Saddam Hussein to finance nuclear and chemical weapons technology and other products. Over 10 years ago a reporter for the Financial Times named Alan Friedman uncovered the shocking story.

Particularly noteworthy are the following passages:

21 mins to 25 mins about Saddam and Rumsfeld in the 1980s.
26 mins to 27:50 mins Rumsfeld 1983 visit in Baghdad with an offer of Israeli assistance.
Beginning at about 40 mins Alan Friedman speaks about the complicity across US party lines.


Former CIA director Robert Gates has been nominated to succeed Rumsfeld. The former belongs to the same criminal cabal of neo-cons as the former. He withdrew in 1987 as President Reagan's nominee to be CIA director because of his involvement in the Iran-Contra affair.

Bush Replaces Rumsfeld With Another Rumsfeld.