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No Comment Necessary
I will not even comment on this.
The top US general defended the leadership of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying it is inspired by God.
“He leads in a way that the good Lord tells him is best for our country,” said Marine General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
21 Responses to “No Comment Necessary”
Which is an indication of why Gen Pace has lasted, while other, more independent-minded military leaders are now long gone. Unquestioning, blind loyalty to a purveyor of failing policy initiatives- is Pace’s chief contribution to the cause. Its a metaphor for everything that is wrong with the war effort, and wrong with this administration.
If these people were sent to us by God, I hate to see what else God has in store for us.
We laugh because it’s funny, we cry because it’s not meant to be. Hmm, maybe he’s decided to send us a plague of psycophants and yes-men in government. What might the next plague be?
Nato commander Jim Jones apparantly recommended to Pace that he not be Rumsfeld’s lapdog in the Woodward book, but obviuosly his advice wasn’t heeded.
Maybe it’s time for those under him to “frag” both Pace and Rummy. Maybe a military coup is needed to replace military leadership. If that works the tanks can then circle the Whitehose and frog march Bush and Cheney to Gitmo.
LMAO.
Rummy: Man of God.
Memo to God:
We love you and all, but could you knock off the advice to Rummy?
“Teach them
What to think and feel
Your ways
So enlightening
Words they preach
I can’t relate
If God’s true Love
Are acts of Hate”
Dream Theater/Sacrificed Sons
Could be some truth to that. It’s clear Rumsfeld spent more time doing something other than studying he history of wars…maybe he was at Bible Study.
A bible study….bah….
..more like a skull and bones shindig.
A while back, Bill Maher had an interesting panel discussion that touched on politics and religion. One of the clergy articulated a point that might reflect a current issue in US governance. To paraphrase:
When you believe that God cares about your individual situation and actions, and speaks guidance to you – you are a person of faith.
When you know it – you are psychotic.
What’s amazing about this is how people can accept the vitriol directed at Rumsfeld by all those retired generals as the dispassionate truth, yet when they get the same kind of passionate opinion from a general in support of Rumsfeld, it’s shocking.
People, you really need to spend more time around high ranking generals. They’re always saying extreme stuff like this one way or the other. This general happens to be devout and not have an axe to grind with Rummy. Given those two things, his comments are completely within the norm for people who circulate in what we used to call “echelons above reality”.
To those who may want to hear from somebody firmly planted on the ground. A h/t to AS and Truthdig – Pat Tillman’s brother has an open letter to all of us. It’s a must read for all us brave bloggers fighting the war(pro and con) from our keyboards.
Kevin Tillman
Brian I don’t think any of Rumsfeld’s detractors have invoked the Lord as their guidance. Pace is basically saying he is blindly following Rumsfeld on faith alone. That’s not really a position a leader should be taking. This is not some sort of crusade.
BOA, that has nothing to do with it. Here, Andrew Sullivan worded it nicely:
“Surely the military leadership can be a place where expression of religious faith of one particular variety is restrained. Especially when we are at war with Islamic extremists, and when we must take every care to make sure our millitary actions aren’t perceived abroad as religiously motivated. And surely military decisions should be made on an empirical, pragmatic basis, rather than on messages from Heaven.”
And surely military decisions should be made on an empirical, pragmatic basis, rather than on messages from Heaven.”
Especially when we ultimately have no idea who the old man upstairs is rooting for, LOL! I think its fine to find strength in God when going off to battle—-but Pace owes it to his country to give rational feedback to Rumsfeld. He’s acting more like a lowly private than the nation’s top military leader. Wish Colin Powell still held that position.
I like that line Kim, “I think its fine to find strength in God when going off to battle” to turn it into a saying, how about
Faith if for the battlefield, not the pentagon.
“Surely the military leadership can be a place where expression of religious faith of one particular variety is restrained. Especially when we are at war with Islamic extremists, and when we must take every care to make sure our millitary actions aren’t perceived abroad as religiously motivated. And surely military decisions should be made on an empirical, pragmatic basis, rather than on messages from Heaven.”
[snort]
While expressions of other faiths — or lack thereof — should be allowed unfettered expression, I suppose? Which particular variety of faith that’s supposed to be “restrained” is it, anyway?
There’s more need for faith in the Pentagon than on the battlefield; there are neither foxholes nor fighting holes in the Pentagon to provide cover.
And the idea of Pace as a lapdog is [snickers] not really in keeping with either his character or position; looking at how riled you are, the old-fashioned term might fit: “Devil Dog”.
Oh, that might be offensive.
I have a very unique view (and it is not written about anywhere in the Blogosphere) as to Who lost the war in Iraq. It fits in nicely with this photo. My posting today in We The People is titled, “Who lost the War in Iraq?
http:cdiamico.blogspot.com
I have put the blame were it truly belongs but no one has dared state.
You people read to much into the comment.
I’d like to say I’m surprised by MvdG endorsing such a statement. I’m certainly not surprised to her professional gay marriage advocate Sullivan say such a thing. Unfortunately, I can’t really say I’m surprised to hear any European endorsing that sort of view, either. That is the very sort of thinking behind hundreds and thousands of Charles Johnson’s posts regarding events in Eurabia at LGF. We must not offend the Muslims, even though they will hate us anyway. We must not make them think this is some sort of Crusade, even though they are bound to think that anyway. While they may appeal to their religion day and night, we musn’t bring our religious sentiments up at all, in any way, for fear of offending Muslims in any manner. We must not offend Muslims even though they will find a way to be offended regardless.
I think the whole idea of Rummy being very religiously motivated is rather humorous. Rummy doesn’t strike me as a particuarly deeply religious person and I wouldn’t be surprised if his rather more religious friend, the general, isn’t just trying to say something kind about Rumsfeld without having to be too specific about what sort of decisions Rumsfeld has made that he approves of.
The general is not claiming that Rumsfeld really makes major decisions of policy or strategy based on religion, but rather is simply saying (honestly or otherwise), that he knows Rummy looks to God for guidance in how he carries out his responsibilities and looks to God in making all his decisions morally. The fact that MvdG doesn’t grasp that isn’t that strange. Europeans often view religious Americans as fanatics. Maybe because European Christianity is a pretty empty and trivial sort of affair.
High-ranking generalsarealways saying things like this one way or another, and You people are reading too much into this comment
That’s about the size of this. So it’s best to keep away from suggestions that some soldiers “frag” Pace.