A Powerful Secretary of Defense

An interesting juxtaposition of front-page stories on Sunday: Donald Rumsfeld is one of the most powerful secretaries of Defense ever (“Pentagon Reform Is His Battle Cry”), and the Pentagon withholds its own analysis of Liberia from the president (“Team in Liberia Sought Fast Aid”).

It’s good that Rummy doesn’t give President Bush too much information; he’s easily confused. He already can’t remember why we attacked Iraq -- was it an imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction, or was it Al Qaeda connections, or was it buying uranium for a nuclear weapon, or was it bringing democracy to the people, or

We’re lucky to have Rummy there running the show. He wasn’t elected by the American people; but what the heck, neither was Bush.

Brent Meeker

Camarillo

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The Times writes that Rumsfeld has presided over two victorious wars while in office: Afghanistan and Iraq.

As was pointed out to King Pyrrhus of Epirus by the ancient Greeks: Another such victory and we are lost.

Frances Spielberg

Pacific Palisades

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With all those photos of Rumsfeld, where was the [1983 photo] of him shaking hands with Saddam Hussein?

Paul Krassner

Desert Hot Springs