Thursday, December 16, 2004
Rumsfeld's Hubris
I do not subscribe to the Great Men view of history that I was taught in school. I believe that Great Men are as much at the mercy of history as everyone else. Perhaps this is because I am not a Great Man, but instead a small, spiny nocturnal insectivore.
Great Men, on the other hand, really like that view of history. Since they, and their lackeys, also think that history is their perogative, that's the history we get taught. The problem is the past won't stop interfering with the present.
See, if you think you are a Great Man and you are Writing History, then you think nothing can stop your plans. Understandably, the Great Man's lackeys are loathe to question the wisdom of his plans, and those that do are soon out of a job.
Since the Great Man in not Writing History, but living it, his plans must always, as the poet says, gang oft a'gley. And sometimes the world, startled by a voice like that of the child in the story, will see that the Emperor wears no clothes
And that brings us to Donald Rumsfeld. A common soldier stood up in front of God and everybody and stated the obvious: this war is going to hell and the Pentagon never prepared for any of this. This of itself is perhaps not so shocking a thing. People have been damning this war for months, begging for more war, as if that would somehow justify the death that has gone on before. It's not how many are killed, it's who comes out the winner.
This time it was Rumsfeld himself who pointed out his nakedness. His response to the soldier, dismissing the armed forces as being just the Army he has, not, "the Army you want or wish to have at a later time" will probably be the words that end his career at the Pentagon. Anyone who cares knows that this is precisely the Army Donald Rumsfeld wanted, against the protests of Generals such as Tommy Franks, who felt that twice as many troops would be needed. Now calls for Rummy's resignation are being heard from Left to Right, from Democrat Evan Bayh to Republican John McCain and all the way to ultra right wing Republican Trent Lott of Mississippi.
Oh how the mighty must fall. It was but months ago that Rummy was the studly toast of the Beltway. His mug adorned magazine covers, and he was crowned the sexiest member of the Cabinet. His crew had Colin Powell cowered in submission, and his buddy Dick Cheney openly told Democratic Senators to "fuck themselves" right on the Senate floor. What heady days those must have been.
Now it seems his days are numbered. It's only a matter of time before he slinks out of the Pentagon and into some corporate office mumbling something about spending more time with his family before collecting a Medal of Freedom and a Presidential Pardon. It's a tough life at the top.
Great Men, on the other hand, really like that view of history. Since they, and their lackeys, also think that history is their perogative, that's the history we get taught. The problem is the past won't stop interfering with the present.
See, if you think you are a Great Man and you are Writing History, then you think nothing can stop your plans. Understandably, the Great Man's lackeys are loathe to question the wisdom of his plans, and those that do are soon out of a job.
Since the Great Man in not Writing History, but living it, his plans must always, as the poet says, gang oft a'gley. And sometimes the world, startled by a voice like that of the child in the story, will see that the Emperor wears no clothes
And that brings us to Donald Rumsfeld. A common soldier stood up in front of God and everybody and stated the obvious: this war is going to hell and the Pentagon never prepared for any of this. This of itself is perhaps not so shocking a thing. People have been damning this war for months, begging for more war, as if that would somehow justify the death that has gone on before. It's not how many are killed, it's who comes out the winner.
This time it was Rumsfeld himself who pointed out his nakedness. His response to the soldier, dismissing the armed forces as being just the Army he has, not, "the Army you want or wish to have at a later time" will probably be the words that end his career at the Pentagon. Anyone who cares knows that this is precisely the Army Donald Rumsfeld wanted, against the protests of Generals such as Tommy Franks, who felt that twice as many troops would be needed. Now calls for Rummy's resignation are being heard from Left to Right, from Democrat Evan Bayh to Republican John McCain and all the way to ultra right wing Republican Trent Lott of Mississippi.
Oh how the mighty must fall. It was but months ago that Rummy was the studly toast of the Beltway. His mug adorned magazine covers, and he was crowned the sexiest member of the Cabinet. His crew had Colin Powell cowered in submission, and his buddy Dick Cheney openly told Democratic Senators to "fuck themselves" right on the Senate floor. What heady days those must have been.
Now it seems his days are numbered. It's only a matter of time before he slinks out of the Pentagon and into some corporate office mumbling something about spending more time with his family before collecting a Medal of Freedom and a Presidential Pardon. It's a tough life at the top.
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