Stand By Your Man - Bush Supports Rumsfeld
Despite the constant chanting that he gives his generals whatever they need to succeed in Iraq, President Bush refuses to give them what they need most: leadership.
But is a Bush endorsement a golden ticket to job security or a bus ticket out of DC? As much as has been made about Bush's valuing loyalty, he's also a political animal who has hung his legacy on the rusty nail that is Iraq.
Facing an ever growing chorus calling for Rummy's resignation Bush not only gave his old pal a much needed endorsement, he called the embattled Secretary of Defense "exactly what is needed." Makes you wonder what he has in mind, doesn't it?
To date, at least six retired generals have called for the Donald's resignation saying he has botched the occupation of Iraq by ignoring advice that more troops were required to secure the peace. They also say he has fostered an atmosphere of patronage in the Pentagon and stifled dissent among the very people he should listen to most closely—the military brass.
But the President has a habit of digging in deeper as the criticism grows louder. There are few examples of Bush buckling. The unceremonious dumping of FEMA's Michael Brown just days after being told by the boss he was doing a "heck of a job" comes to mind. Maybe Rummy isn't so safe afterall...
