Rumsfeld Resigns, Jackson Hopes For New More Effective Strategy

Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., today issued the following statement with regard to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's resignation:

"Yesterday's election sealed the fate of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's ability to remain as President Bush's Secretary of Defense. During the election the American people were calling for a new direction in Iraq - which was resisted and seemed impossible under Mr. Rumsfeld - and both Democrats and Republicans were calling for his resignation.

"The combination of Mr. Rumsfeld's resignation and the anticipated Baker-Hamilton Commission Report recommendations presents President Bush and a new Democratic Congress with the opportunity to pursue a new strategy in Iraq. That new strategy should remove our troops as targets - they are perceived as occupiers - and transition them out of Iraq in an orderly fashion to a nearby safer location. A new strategy should also bring greater stability to Iraq by insisting that the Iraqis assume greater responsibility for the defense and stability of their sovereign nation."