President George
Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter
Pace, ceremonial units of the 3rd Infantry Division, and thousands
of military personnel and civilians gave Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld a classic sendoff outside the Pentagon on Friday.
Their speeches in
tribute to Rumsfeld's years of public service, commended his
character, and spoke to the future and America's escalating
struggle with Islamic terrorism
Rumsfeld's critics
confuse his confidence with arrogance. And while he bears
some responsibility for what is perceived as a lack of progress
in Iraq. his tirelessness and devotion to duty during his tenure
cannot be disputed. Above all, Rumsfeld recognized that
the Armed Forces of the United States had to be transformed
to meet the new challenges of the 21st Century -- the asymmetric
threat of terror.
Rumsfeld sees Iraq
as a central front in the war on terror. The majority
of the media, however, already consider it a lost cause.
It's easy to
condemn leaders who strive to do what's right even though
it's extremely difficult.
