Rumsfeld versus Shelton
When I arrived at former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s unmarked Washington D.C. office to interview him about his new memoir, “Known and Unknown” I told him I also brought along what I joking referred to as a “companion volume,” former Joint Chiefs Chairman Hugh Shelton’s book, “Without Hesitation.”
Without hesitation, Rumsfeld said, “I haven’t read it.”
“He was only there 15 minutes,” retorted Rumsfeld.
I asked Rumsfeld about Shelton’s diametrically opposite recollection of some of those fateful following the September 11th attacks in my 15 minute sitdown, which you can watch in it’s entirely in the featured video section. It is vintage Rumsfeld.
Any student of history might well want to pick up Shelton’s book, which shows not only was there no love lost between the top general and his civilian boss, but there apparently wasn’t much like lost, either.
“… the McNamara-Rumsfeld model, based on deception deceit, working political agendas, and trying to get the Joint Chiefs to support an action that might not be the right thing to do for the country, but would work well for the President from a political standpoint.”
“His nickname Teflon Don accurately reflected his dexterity in spinning a phrase in such a way that it deflected any negative implications. Nothing stuck to him.”
Harry Truman revealed his guiding philosophy with his famous desk-top plaque THE BUCK STOPS HERE. I often thought Donald Rumsfeld’s should have said, DON’T TELL ME, I ALREADY KNOW.”
“He would try to diminish my authority or eliminate members of my staff. It was the worst kind of leadership I witnessed in 38 years of service or have witnessed at the highest levels of the corporate world since then.”
When I started to read some of the excerpts to Rumsfeld after our formal interview, he cut me off. He had no interest in hearing Shelton’s version. He was there after all, he didn’t need to hear a dissenting.
Again, I recommend Shelton’s book, because it contains a lot of unvarnished contrary accounts, but for now I want to focus on days right after the 9/11 attacks. On Saturday September 15th, President Bush gathered all his advisors at Camp David to map out a response to the terrorist attacks.
Shelton writes, “It didn’t take long for the meeting to turn ugly, when Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz pushing hard to invade Iraq, and Colin Powel and I countering that we should go after bin Laden…”
In my interview, Rumsfeld says he never mentioned Iraq at the September 15th meeting.
“That’s not true. The only person who brought it up at the Camp David meeting was Paul Wolfowitz, and the President says we were focusing on al Qaeda on Afghanistan, and that was the last we heard of it.”
[Wolfowitz, who has not yet written a memoir, has own version of the story, which I will relate in a future blog post, but he did tell me the only reason he spoke so forcefully about out about Irag was because Rumsfeld TOLD HIM TO!!!]
Shelton says that both Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz started pushing hard to attack Iraq, the very next day after the September 11th, seeing the attacks as “the ideal opportunity” to end the problems the U.S. was having with Saddam Hussein
“We gotta get this guy was all we were hearing from Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz referring to Saddam, not bin Laden,” Shelton writes. “It was almost like paranoia.”
Rumsfeld conceded he looked at the broad range of terrorist threats, nit just al Qaeda and Osam bin Laden. “It’s true,” he says, “I had a sense of urgency that many in the Pentagon did not have.”
Rumsfeld’s overall response to Shelton’s criticism, “Well, we were not a good fit.“
Tags: Book, Hugh Shelton, Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld Interview, Rumsfeld Shelton, Shelton Book, Without Hesitation
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Comments (7)
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hk75gr · 127 weeks ago
Very good work sir! I check your site almost daily and i find
interesting news and not the hidden advertisement as in so many others.
Also the comments of your readers show a much better quality of people
compared to other sites-blogs and i like that. Keep up the good work. I
liked the articles about camos in general and filled your survey,
although i 'm not sure if i have done it the right way. Iam a reservist
from Greece ( armorer- arty) and i'd like to see some more on NG or
other reservists. I have participated in international events and i
liked the interaction with other fellow-minded people. Also more
coverage on shows, i.e. SOFEX in Jordan or MILIPOL. Thank you and have a
happy New Year you and your family.
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Sam · 127 weeks ago
I just can't believe my question regarding the Grip pod would be such a hit haha.
+1
Steve · 118 weeks ago
Teflon Don is a poor excuse for a human. He sure doesn't mind playing
with peoples lives like he is the BIG MAN. Should have sent HIM over
there alone. He can BS anyone. And furthermore is someone had taken him
out, OH WELL no big loss. More air for the rest of us. But as they sat
COWARDS live longer than HEROS.
+1
Lee · 118 weeks ago
I spent over 30 years in the service of our country and I will say
this...I worked for Gen Shelton back when he was a Captain and he was as
honest and as straight forward as they come. There was little to no
reason to question his integrity or honesty. He truely cared about every
soldier, sailor, airman and marine. Secretary Rumsfeld was a know it
all and an expert in everything, just ask him...and that is that!
0
IronV · 114 weeks ago
Rumsfeld is a documented liar and a charlatan. The personification of
criminal incompetence and as Shelton says, the very worst kind of
leader. God, the damage he and his ilk have wrought...
0
Jim · 107 weeks ago
These were all good articles! thanks Kit Up! . Christian i am sorry if
this sounds corny but! you are one kick azz writer and i do enjoy all of
your articles. I know that kit up have some other writers which are ok
but you are the true anchor!. Please keep it up bro, you do a far better
job then most of what i see here and on the web.
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Headspace · 85 weeks ago
There was a problem with the story of the Brit breaking the snipers
range record formerly held by a Canadian sniper. The Canadian didn't
break Carlos Hath****s record, he broke the record held by another
Canadian, who in turn had broken another Canuck's record. That guy and
possibly another Canadian before him had broken Hath****s record. All
these guys were in the 3rd Bn. Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
Infantry, one of the first non SF units into Afghanistan back in 2001.
Says a lot about them that a number of guys in their Bn sniper section
had broken Hath****s record! RIP Gunnery Sergeant Hath****!
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