Instapundit, as usual, has cogent thoughts about the Rumsfeld memo, followed by lots of good links. Lileks has a great post too. I’m really tired of these leaks, and if the point of the leak was to discredit Rumsfeld it didn’t work on me. In fact, it backfired.
I was starting to lose faith in Rumsfeld’s acumen until I read the memo; now I have clear proof that he is determined to prod people by asking some tough questions about our efforts to contain terrorism. I’m glad someone high up in the Bush camp is asking these questions. But I’m sure that many people will simply see the memo as an admission of weakness by a high-ranking administration official. Hopefully, most people can agree that these leaks –which the press is obviously complicit in– are corrosive and harmful. Oh, and let’s not forget: illegal.
Update: Praise for Rumsfeld’s candor.
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The point of the link wasn’t to discredit Rumsfield, it didn’t backfire on you.
He passed those memoes out to congresemen, they are not internal memoes. It is propaganda to show that Rumsfield isn’t out of control.
That he really is a thinking manager.
These guys have to fight looking like foolhardy optimists, don’t they?
What law was broken? Who broke it? Is it constitutional and enforceable and, if so, against whom?
Judging by Rumsfeld’s reaction, he did not mind the leak. Since he may have allowed it, what can be said about it? Nothing. For a true leak, see the Pentagon Papers. Washington has co-opted the leak into its advantage.