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U.S.
Senator Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees |
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For Immediate
Release November 8, 2006 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Comm. Director 303-455-7600 Andrew Nannis – Press Secretary 202-224-5852 |
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DENVER, CO -- United States Senator Ken Salazar released the following statement in response to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation today: Secretary Rumsfeld made the right decision to resign as Secretary of Defense today. Secretary Rumsfeld did not help move the ball forward to develop a success strategy in Iraq and the Middle East. Instead, he consistently chose to lash out at his critics in a manner completely devoid of the statesmanship we should require in our Secretary of Defense. I am pleased our Nation will get the chance for new leadership at the Pentagon during these very difficult and contentious times. The President also announced his new nominee for Secretary of Defense today, Bob Gates. I look forward to the upcoming nomination process in the United States Senate to gauge whether Mr. Gates is a nominee with the “fresh perspective” that the President now admits we need, who can gain the confidence of the American people and work with the President and Congress to develop a true success strategy in Iraq. Earlier this year Senator Salazar sent a letter to President Bush asking him to dismiss Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The letter is included below:
August 30, 2006
President George W. Bush Dear Mr. President: I respectfully ask that you dismiss Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Yesterday the Secretary of Defense claimed that those who criticize the Administration on Iraq suffer from “moral and intellectual confusion.” I strongly believe that our foremost solemn obligation as a national government is to protect our Nation against the dangers that confront us including the escalation of terrorism around the globe. We should not now, nor ever, shirk away from protecting the people of America. I have no confusion about this principle. The Secretary of Defense has once again missed the point that the nation stands united in the fight against terrorism. For him to make the statement that those who question the Administration’s efforts on the war are giving in to the terrorists and are suffering from “moral and intellectual confusion” is yet another example of the Secretary’s long trail of mistakes and misjudgments about the American people. I have boundless respect and admiration for the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. They honor all of us with their service. As federal officials we have a solemn responsibility to develop policies worthy of them and the sacrifices that they make on our behalf. They also deserve a Secretary of Defense who is a leader and statesman. I am deeply disturbed by the recent remarks of the Secretary of Defense. It is a grave insult to suggest that Americans who question Secretary Rumsfeld’s mismanagement of the conflict in Iraq are somehow not fully committed to standing up to terrorism. The Secretary of Defense has engaged in a long history of misjudgment and incompetence in the Iraq conflict. For example: In 2003, Secretary Rumsfeld indicated that he expected the cost of operations in Iraq to be under $50 billion. To date, the Secretary of Defense requested and received more than $300 billion for the nation’s operations in Iraq, and it is anticipated that the cost will exceed $500 billion. That is a 1,000% increase in projections on the cost of the war effort, and a gargantuan error by the Secretary of Defense. In 2003, Secretary Rumsfeld stated publicly that he doubted the conflict in Iraq would last as long as six months. To date it has lasted 3 1/2 years. Against this backdrop of missing the mark, Secretary Rumsfeld should admit his huge mistakes and help move forward in developing a success strategy in Iraq and the Middle East. Instead, he has chosen to lash out at his critics in a manner completely devoid of the statesmanship we should require in our Secretary of Defense. It is therefore necessary for new leadership at the Department of Defense during these very difficult and contentious times for our Nation. That requires the resignation of Secretary Rumsfeld and the appointment of a successor who can gain the confidence of the American people. Sincerely, Ken Salazar
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