Washington, D.C. – Today Donald Rumsfeld resigned his post as Secretary of Defense.  Rumsfeld’s ouster comes on the heels of a staggering repudiation of the President’s Iraq policy by the American people on November 7, 2006.

“The President is absolutely correct to accept Secretary Rumsfeld’s resignation,” U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09) said.  “It is unfortunate that it took a stunning loss at the polls, more than 2,800 American lives, tens of thousands of Iraqi lives, billions of taxpayer dollars and Abu Ghraib to convince the President to do so.  Rumseld’s resignation is an opportunity for a new direction in Iraq, and the President must seize it.”

According to a November 4 editorial in the Army Times, Air Force Times, Navy Times and Marine Corps Times under the headline “Time for Rumsfeld to go”:

"Rumsfeld has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with Congress and with the public at large. His strategy has failed, and his ability to lead is compromised. And although the blame for our failures in Iraq rests with the secretary, it will be the troops who bear its brunt.”

Smith first called for Rumsfeld’s resignation following the Abu Ghraib scandal in 2004.  He has also called for a new direction in Iraq beginning with a phased redeployment of our troops from the country.

Smith is also a key Democratic voice on the war in Iraq.

• Smith is the only Democrat serving concurrently on the House Armed Services and the House International Relations Committees.  This dual assignment provides him a unique perspective on the military and diplomatic issues in Iraq and around the world.
• He’s also the co-chair of the New Democrat Coalition, a large, moderate group of Democrats who fight for a strong national defense. 

### 

Sign up for email updates to learn more.