Rumsfeld resigns...

[The White Knight]

Hot news: Rumsfeld resigns! (Heard that on the radio)

Apparently the incentive for his resignation is the victory of the Democrats (and the growing criticism).

[danzig]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/....ap/index.html

Robert Gates to take his place and so ends a sad, mismanaged affair at the Pentagon. Flexibility, a word Rumsfeld should have learned.

[John Wayne]

Thank Joe that the pretentious neocon is gone. Now that he is gone, we may finally make some headway in Iraq and in other foreign military ventures.

[The White Knight]

Some background on Robert Gates?

[danzig]

Some background on Robert Gates?

Former CIA director and NSA advisor under Bush Sr, was pegged to be the Director of National Intelligence but evidently declined giving the job to Negroponte. Well he is a Bush Sr person so probably a good thing.

[John Wayne]

Well he is a Bush Sr person so probably a good thing.

Rummy was also a Bush Sr. man, so that may not be a very good thing...

[VALIS]

poor rummy

[Rhah]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

And no, I dont really have anything constructive to say at this point.

[Last Roman]

poor rummy

pfft. all of America and the world should rejoice that loon is finally gone. It's about damn time. It seemed had no idea what he was doing. The way he planned the Iraqi war (or rather, it's aftermath) led us to were we are now. good riddance.

[Visna]

poor rummy

How can you possibly feel sorry for Rumsfeld committing political harakiri?
That man's stunning incompetence, his lies and his lousy leadership skills has led to the death of thousands and thousands of people....

[Stalins Ghost]

About time I too I say. He's been a part of the chaos in the Middle East for far too long for it to be healthy.

[bigfootedfred]

Hot news: Rumsfeld resigns! (Heard that on the radio)

Apparently the incentive for his resignation is the victory of the Democrats (and the growing criticism).

BBC is reporting this too.
Bush does not look happy, hes giving a speech, Rumsfeld removal was announced by bush.

[Ó Cathasaigh]

Well, Rumsfeld is due to speak at my campus TOMMAROW!!!

I hope he still comes.

[JP226]

This is gonna be a rough two years

[The White Knight]

This is gonna be a rough two years

Hopefully the strange distribution of power isn't going to stop good policies (both in foreign affairs as domestically: universal healthcaresystem for example) from taking place.

[danzig]

Hopefully the strange distribution of power isn't going to stop good policies (both in foreign affairs as domestically: universal healthcaresystem for example) from taking place.

Strange? Er what was strange was house, senate and white house being controlled by one party...this is a return to 'normal' in American politics. Reagan dealt with Democrat congress, Clinton a Republican...its when one party takes it all that is the problem this is a return to how things should naturally be.

[The White Knight]

Strange? Er what was strange was house, senate and white house being controlled by one party...this is a return to 'normal' in American politics. Reagan dealt with Democrat congress, Clinton a Republican...its when one party takes it all that is the problem this is a return to how things should naturally be.

Well, I find the House of Representatives (and perhaps the Senate too) to be in the hands of a different party than the President slightly odd. But as you say it, it seems normal.

universal healthcare is a good policy?????

Ehm, yes, and I think the majority agrees. In fact the only developped countries that don't have a universal healthcare system are the USA and South Africa - now attempting to set one up.

[Lord Consul]

Ehm, yes, and I think the majority agrees. In fact the only developped countries that don't have a universal healthcare system are the USA and South Africa - now attempting to set one up.

A country, like South Africa, with an HDI of 0.658 is not - under any circunstances - a developed one. The "honor" of being the only developed country without a UH system is american and american only.

--

"CIA had important successes in covert action. Perhaps the most consequential of all was Afghanistan where CIA, with its management, funnelled billions of dollars in supplies and weapons to the mujahideen, and the resistance was thus able to fight the vaunted Soviet army to a standoff and eventually force a political decision to withdraw." Source

This, by the new czar in the Pentagon. And I wonder: how much irony can one cram in the word consequential?

The mujahideen truly forced the Soviet troops into a stalemate, but I think that CIA's actions were a bit too sucessful. Many of those weapons are now in hands of terrorists that use them to shoot american soldiers and civilians.

[Aristophanes]

Well, I find the House of Representatives (and perhaps the Senate too) to be in the hands of a different party than the President slightly odd. But as you say it, it seems normal.

Ehm, yes, and I think the majority agrees. In fact the only developped countries that don't have a universal healthcare system are the USA and South Africa - now attempting to set one up.

Well, I know for a fact that both Switzerland and Singapore use mostly private provision: the only effort the state makes is to force people to buy insurance, and, in some cases, the state will pay if a person can not afford.

[Caelius]

Strange? Er what was strange was house, senate and white house being controlled by one party...this is a return to 'normal' in American politics. Reagan dealt with Democrat congress, Clinton a Republican...its when one party takes it all that is the problem this is a return to how things should naturally be.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I can definitely see these elections heralding a restoration of the balance of power on Capitol Hill, and with Rumsfeld's resignation there can finally be headway made in Iraq.