William Kristol in WaPo:
Surely Don Rumsfeld is not the defense secretary Bush should want to have for the remainder of his second term.
Even long time supporters and transformation advocates have begun to recognize that Rumsfeld is now a large part of the problem.
Trent Lott, Loren B. Thompson, Susan Collins, John McCain and Chuck Hagel all call for Rumsfeld to be fired.
The White House, for now, defends Rumsfeld:
"The president believes Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a great job, and that’s why he asked him to continue serving during this time of war," spokesman Scott McClellan said.
Sure, when the National Guard needs to tripple the enlistment bonus, the Generals finally agree that Iraq insurgents grow ‘more effective’ and the Air Force starts flying around trucks because driving is too dangerous, there is some serious trouble.
But up-fitting a 6,000 pound vehicle, build for a possible 4,500 pound payload, with 4,000 pound of armour is not effective and more troops are also more targets. Like some on the right recognize, within his frame Rumsfeld is not THAT wrong on this issue.
My take on this, well deserved, assassination:
On one level Rumsfeld is in the crosshair because he doesn’t want the draft. Kristol and fellow neocons are on this level and they do need more troops to beat Iran’s defense and further their great Middle East plans.
On another level this is aiming at Bush himself. Because his career is over and he has not to campaign again he can now push for unpopular interior pet projects like abolishing Social Security and tilting the tax burden further to the low income side.
People in the House and Senate will have to campaign again and McCain and Hagel are dreaming of further career steps. They now have to show their might over the President and Rumsfeld is an easy surrogate target that will fall anyhow soon after the Iraqi election. Right now Don is already a lame duck.
Who will Cheney choose to replace him? Continuity speaks for Wolfowitz. He fits the neocon’s plans and, together with Cheney, was the only participant in the Project for the New American Century who is on the shortlist. He will agree on the draft and is no candidate for 2008.
Thus I expect a more hawkish policy at the Defense Department and more fights within the Republican tribe. Interesting constellations these are.