by Joseph L. Galloway

Knight-Ridder

12/28/04

The most curious turn of the worm this season is the attack by the neo-conservatives on Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld for the failures in Iraq. It should be noted that until now Rumsfeld was the darling of that same bunch. ... Now, suddenly, the voice of the neo-conservative movement, William Kristol, editor of The Standard, suggests that Rumsfeld has fouled up everything in Iraq and ought to be fired for his failures. Ditto, writes Tom Donnelly of the right-thinking American Enterprise Institute. ... So what happened? Why is Rumsfeld being stabbed in the back by those he trusted the most to back his play? ... Simple. They want someone else to be blamed besides them for fouling up their marvelous plans and schemes -- someone who is a handy lightning rod and who is NOT a card-carrying neo-conservative. So who better than Rumsfeld?

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/10521410.htm


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp