Skippy of the Day: Donald Rumsfeld

Donald Rumsfeld raised some eyebrows on Wednesday when a soldier asked him a question about insufficient armor. The following is Rumsfeld's response:

"You go to war with the army you have." Besides, he added, "You can have all the armor in the world on a tank and it can be blown up."

He stopped short of suggesting that they might as well leave the Kevlar at home since they could always be shot in the face.

In a "Skippy" post back in August, I mentioned Bush's remark that taxes on the rich were useless since they would dodge them anyway. Rumsfeld's response seems just as cynical, basically telling these soldiers that they're going to get killed anyhow, so why put forth the effort to try and prevent it? Just stop bitching and make do.

Well, such cynicism does not inspire us, Don.

After enduring six months of the Bush campaign yelling from the rooftops about John Kerry voting against body armor, we have Bush's Defense secretary stating that they have all the protection they need and any more would be pointless. As the piece in Slate points out (link above), even if the equipment will not provide complete protection, isn't it the responsibility of the Bush administration to give them the best equipment available? Aren't we always boasting that the American Military is the most well equipped military in the world?

Since the comment, both Rumsfeld and Bush have been frantically backpedaling, with Rummy calling the soldier's complaint "healthy". Old Don learned that tactic from his boss. On the rare occasions when someone gets through Dubya's screened audiences and voices a grievance he's unprepared for, he will automaticly comment that he's proud to live in a country with freedom of speech...and then continue to ignore the issue. Feh.

My hat is off to Spc. Thomas Wilson, the brave soldier that dared voice a concern over the safety of he and his fellow soldiers. If the reaction by everyone else in the audience is any indication, then he is far from alone in his view. Donald would do well to keep his smart-ass answers to himself when speaking to good and honest men who are getting shot at everyday.

And one more thing, Don. You're in danger of further proving to the troops and their families that you don't give a rat's ass about them if stuff like this is true. During a war, the last thing you need to be worrying about is a friggin hand cramp.