Rumsfeld, architect of Iraq war, says Obama hasn't yet justified Syria attack
(CNN) – Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who along with President George W. Bush helped send the United States military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, said in an interview Wednesday the White House has yet to justify potential strikes in Syria.
And he sharply criticized President Barack Obama’s administration for allowing details about that potential military action to become public before any decisions have been made.
“I can’t imagine what they’re thinking, why they would want the Assad regime to have crystal clarity with respect to what they intend,” Rumsfeld said in an interview on the Fox Business Network.
Obama told the "PBS Newshour" on Wednesday that he hadn’t yet made a final decision about U.S. military action in Syria, though U.S. officials have been cited widely in news reports pointing to cruise missile attacks on military facilities as a likely American response to alleged chemical weapons use by the Syrian regime.
Acknowledging it was difficult to fully ascertain the administration’s thinking as an outsider, Rumsfeld maintained it was puzzling the amount of information that’s made its way to the public.
"The idea of demystifying for the enemy what you're going to do is mindless,” he said.
Rumsfeld served a secretary of defense from 2001-2006, a period that saw the U.S. begin wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He said in the interview, however, that current statements from Obama and his aides haven’t met the threshold for intervention in Syria.
“There really hasn’t been any indication from the administration as to what our national interest is with respect to this particular situation,” he said. “When you think about what’s really important in that region – it’s Iran’s nuclear program and the relationship between Iran and Syria, the Assad regime, with respect to terrorists that go around killing innocent men, women and children, including Americans.”
He added that Secretary of State John Kerry, who left the U.S. Senate earlier this year for the top diplomatic post, had been “dealt a bad hand” by his predecessor Hillary Clinton and Obama, who he claimed had created a global leadership void.
“This administration has been in a withdrawal mode, an apology mode,” he said, adding: “That vacuum we’ve created is being filled by people that don’t have our values or interests.”
From CNN Politics
- First on CNN: Warren and other top Democrats ask USPS watchdog to investigate practices August 7, 2020 05:02 pm
- Trump's dreams of a vaccine as his October Surprise aren't rooted in reality August 7, 2020 05:36 am
- Trump advisers hesitated to give military options and warned adversaries over fears he might start a war August 7, 2020 03:10 am
- 'They're not even trying to hide the racism': Wisconsin Democrats blast GOP efforts to aid Kanye West's candidacy August 7, 2020 05:34 pm
- Stimulus negotiations: Self-imposed deadline arrives with no sign of a deal August 7, 2020 01:44 pm
- Judge rules E. Jean Carroll can continue to seek Trump's DNA in defamation suit August 7, 2020 03:50 pm
He blames Hillary already. This is another of Republican's plan to set the stage to tarnish Hillary come 2016 presedential election.
You are no longer the secretary of defense, Rumsfeld. Stop acting like you are. We do not want your warmongering ways any longer. If we did, we would have elected McCain. Go away.
Everyone keeps talking about Bush and the WMD in Iraq. Keep in mind that we didn't find ANY WMD in Iraq. None. Yet only a few years before, Saddam used chemical weapons against his own people, the Kurds, as late as 1991- after the first Gulf War. So in the period between the wars, Iraq clearly had the capability to make and use chemical weapons. Yet none were found later. Where did the rest of his stockpile go?
"Obama hasn't made his case" said Rumsfeld. "After all, I haven't seen anyone in his administration go to the UN and hold up a little vial and some pictures of lunch trucks on the move and say they're portable chemical labs and launchers like we did. Did I say that? I did. Did I mean that? I did. Did I come across as stupid? I did. Do I love asking myself questions and then answering them? I do. Am I irrelevant? I most certainly am."
This old man has no shame let alone moral authority!
I was unaware that anyone still believed that Don Rumsfeld has any credibility...Thank you for weighing in, Mr. Rumsfeld, your opinion is irrelevant. Justification is a word that clearly only holds meaning when it comes to his opposition's consideration of the best course of action. Personally, I think this is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario. If we do nothing, the radicals rally vulnerable Syrians against us for our lack of intervention. If we intervene, the radicals rally vulnerable Syrians against us for pressing our Western culture and agenda upon them. I certainly do not envy the decision makers right now. Either way, thousands of people are still dying there by any number of means, whether it be mortars, bombs, gunfire, or chemical attacks and Assad clearly plans to see this through to the end, even if that means his death.
Rumsfeld knew of the thin protective layer sheeting HumVees were made of, but did nothing until pressure from the outside forced him to see how vulnerable U.S. troops were to IED's and AK47's.... He is a mastermind of deceit and dark shadows
who even cares what he says can not believe cnn even allow this.
Haha the irony of this guy even opening his mouth.
Funny thing about this piece, it's Rums-failed. Not even going to bother reading it!
This coming from the man (if you can call him that) that decided to attack Iraq – knowing full well Iraq did not have any weapons of mass destruction. Let's see where did that get us ?
perhaps he should drum up some entirely fake "intelligence" like rumsfeld and bush did to make the case?
Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney are two of the most dangerous men in history. Why anyone would support either is dumbfounding.
You see he is upset that Obama hasnt lied about weapons that dont' exist and then play the "UnAmerican" card to bully congress in to war. Donald Rumsefeld is nothing more than a partisan hack, he is out of government for a good reason. Leave it to Faux Noise to even give this guy a microphone.
If anyone knows about not making a case before jumping into military action it the Don and Dick clown circus.
Wow been a while since we heard from Ratfink Rumsfeld. It's probably a result of excellent propaganda, but for some reason this makes me want to watch that cartoon show Lil Bush. Lol they should bring back the Lil Bush show and add in Lil Obama and Lil Biden to team up with Lil Bush and Lil Rummy in their whimsical adventures of illogic and turning our country into a circus.
I do not see how these these misfits can raise their voices publicly after what they did to the nation during the Bush Wars. Some of the worst leadership in History.
Most people today wouldn't remember this, but at one time what are now called Weapons of Mass Destruction went by the much more descriptive term Chemical-Biological-Radiological weapons, or CBR. CBR also stands for Cheney-Bush-Rumsfeld. Now THERE's a weapon of mass destruction – destruction of nations, countless lives, economies, and US credibility around the world.
Oh I forgot, all he has to do is fabricate evidence and tell a lie.
Did I miss something? Did Mr. Rumsfeld or W EVER hold up yellow cake uranium? My memory of his "case" for Iraq was "trust me" I know more than you do. rEALLY?
"Obama hasn't made the case for attacking Syria," says the man that sent the Secretary of State to the United Nations with a presentation full of massive lies to justify an attack on Iraq.
Syria has the missing weapons from Iraq. Years ago a defecting Iraqi General told us. Media outlets like CNN never covered that and let people think there were none to tarnish Bush. Now O is going to have to go in to Syria to get the WMDs. Irony
Well Rumsfeld... Obama can do what you and your President did when you were itching for a war with shaky justification... just LIE
Whoever is saying we have no business in Syria is totally correct whether they are GOP or DEM. Any action taken will be a failure. Cruise missile strikes are indiscriminate with civilian casualties likely – How does this Demonstrate anyting to Assad. Whatever we do – we will be hated more by both sides. Is Europe wants something done – why do they always want us to be the BAD GUYS who do it. In this case the best action – is NO ACTION. Condemn Gas attacks as Immoral but stay away from any involvement. WE ARE NOT THE " WORLDWIDE POLICE"
Why does a lying war criminal's opinion matter? And second, what Rummy is really saying is, "Obama hasn't made up enough lies and scared people enough like we did."