Army Times “Time for Rumsfeld to go”

The Army Times editorial says that “Rumsfeld must go”

” This is not about the midterm elections. Regardless of which party wins Nov. 7, the time has come, Mr. President, to face the hard bruising truth: Donald Rumsfeld must go.”

In essence the editorial says that the political leadership is saying things are going well but the Army leadership and the rank and file in Iraq say something else entirely. While a few retired generals had started speaking out the serving military had kept their misgivings to themselves following a long tradition of deference to civilian leadership. However that has now changed with more of them speaking up about the failure of the policies on the ground. The feeling in the military is that Iraq is inexorably heading towards sectarian violence and the training of the police and the Iraqi armed forces are failing because of a lack of national identity, show up only for the salary and cannot be depended upon to show up for duty. the Army Times thinks that the Defense secretary has lost control of his department and the confidence of his soldiers and therefore must go. Well, its about time.