Before any and all actions, they want Rumsfield to ask himself: "Now, what would Kos do?" How come the left isn't debating why every canidate Kos endorsed or was hired to consult on, LOST! No introspection. No admissions. No apologies.

Perspective is indeed important. I do think Rumsfeld was wrong to not sign the letters himself, though. Some things, a man's just gotta do when he's asking people to put their lives on the line.

Well, Crank, along with Rumsfeld why not have Bush sign them all? And each member of Congress who voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq? And while we're at it, maybe each one of us that supports the Bush Administration's Iraq policies should warm up our signing hands.

After all, each person above is asking the men and women of our armed forces to put their lives on the line in Iraq - and some things a man's just gotta do when he's asking people to put their lives on the line. Right?

You started so well, "perspective is important", then it seems like you lost all perspective.

I rather have him not distracted from doing what he "just gotta do" by the non-stop Rumsfield pile-ons. You disagree -- fine. But, I'm sick of the attacks. Where do the democrats get off demanding that he resign? I guess they forgot that they LOST. And psycho McCain and his minions, who have their own motives in all this, are nuts if they think this is going to win them support in 2008.

Well, you said it much better than I did, Sean. :-) What he said, Crank. Forget what I said.

I'd say that liberalism now takes the lead in the Largest Self Pity Party evah. What causes, what crises, what need have Democrats railed for and about that is not based upon a certain self pitying perspective, that they are being cheated somehow by all the Mean Nasty Americans.

This whole "Rumsfeld must sign the letters himself" thing is really an embarrassment for liberals, particularly given that Americans died yesterday/today and many more were wounded, and liberals aren't rushing to aid and abet them in any way, yet focus instead on tearing down Rumsfeld over this letter issue.

Americans died today and yesterday. Liberals should just shuttheheckuuuup.

Man, I should just shut up and let you guys do all the talking.

Rumsfeld is awesome. These idiots that want him out have no clue at all about current military technology and/or operations. Just like the old dinosaur relics that appear on CNN and MSN, etc. They are used to the old fashioned way, more men on the ground, less technology. And, McCain is a stupid RINO that would not have been re-elected this past election if there were any other Republican running against him. Unfortunately, Arizona is a conservative state and the people here wouldn't cut off their nose to spite the face, so to speak, by electing some socialist democrat challenger. If Rumsfeld were around during Viet Nam, we would not have given up all those 58,000 + soldiers for that cause, ruined by the American media and other leftists here. God bless Donald Rumsfeld, George W. bush, our US MIlitary and the USA.
DJ, Arizona, USA

Sean - Trust me, I've been a staunch supporter of Rumsfeld all along, and I don't have to answer to anybody as far as my conservative credentials . . . but, you know, there's rarely more than a few letters a day, and putting your John Hancock on them is the least you can do to memorialize the greatest of sacrifices. And yes, that goes for Bush as well (I haven't followed this story all that closely but I thought I'd heard that Bush does sign his own). (Congress just isn't the same, although one would expect Members and Senators to do the letters to their own constituents).

Should you or I write letters of condolence to random families? It wouldn't have the same impact. Then again, finding that or another way to help never hurts.

Government bigshots have to send a lot of form letters; that's what the autopen is there for. But there's a time to use it and a time not to.

Have you considered the possibility that the release of the two French reporters could have come at the cost of the coordinates of the mess hall in Mosul.

The French have sold us out before, despite the fact that 78,000 American men and women are buried in their soil as a result of trying to rid them of the menance of oppression known as Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

Recently, we have asked the French to just give us verbal suport for our efforts in Iraq, to rid the Iraqi people of one of the greatest murderers since Hitler.

THE FRENCH SAID NO!

Why?

Could it be that the French government was paid off by Hussein in the Oil for Food Program? You think about it and the fact that 14 Americans were killed today in a "rocket" attack, that to date has been totally inaccurate.

I think the Frogs have some explaining to do. I just wish our MSM was as concerned with them as they are with our government, but of course they never are, as they are so totally biased against the US Government and military.

The French are the hypocrits of all time.

More likely the French paid a ransom that paid off a suicide bomber's family. Either way, I like (like I like the flavor of spoiled milk in my coffee) your conspiracy theory Mark. Don't hold your breath waiting to hear about it on 60 minutes though...

When I deploy to Iraq in a couple weeks I really doubt I'm gonna have much stress over whether or not Sec'y Rumsfeld personally signs death letters. I can see from a family's point of view that it may make them 'feel' better but the President DOES personally sign ALL the letters. Put it on a scale, which signature would the family rather have? Bush or Rumsfeld. Easy choice in my mind. Let the SECDEF's machine whirr away.....ummm....as little as possible.

Brit Hume on Fox reported tonight that the only 2 families complaining about Rumsfeld's letters are long-time Bush attackers. (Burkett-types.) One of the mothers is Sue Niederer - the one who caused security concerns at Laura Bush's appearance at a firehouse. Niederer was escorted out and arrested. These complainers are not sincere, they have an agenda. See 9/22/04 article entitled "Secret Service Reviews Comments By Dead Soldier's Mom" at www.wnbc.com/news/3751305/detail.html

Also see picture 20 of 51 in the slide show at that link. What was that bulge on Niederer's right hip underneath the huge T-shirt?

I doubt FDR personally signed ALL condolance letters to the thousands that were dying every day during WWII.

I doubt FDR's Secretary of War Stinson (?) was signed ALL condolance letters to the thousands that were dying every day during WWII.

What a bunch of pathetic whiners these anti-autopen freaks are. Clinton's SECDEF Cohen didn't even answer the question when "Wolfie" (?) asked him the question on CNN.

Sometimes, the best weapon against malevolent stupidity is ridicule. Sean Gleeson's done it again - here.

I doubt Frank Knox signed condolence letters for the loss of the crews of the USS Quincy, USS Vincennes, and USS Astoria.

[Savo Island was a debacle - nine months into the war and US warships are surprised and sunk with heavy loss of life - along with HMAS Canberra.]

Cabinet secretaries rarely do these things, they have other duties to attend to. This is a nothing issue.

BR, look at pic 50 and 51. It looks like it was a camera, possibly 35mm.

I'll ask this again, mentioned in previous threads, how does a real signature on a form condolence letter from someone who never met the deceased mean anything to the grieving family??? This is such a stupid thing to be discussing.

Letters are now going to be generated from yesterday's deaths in Iraq. Those letters will all be the same with the exception of the names and addresses. As a grieving parent do you give a rat's ass about the signature of this informal notice!

FrankR - yes, could be a camera. But that large a protrusion?

Mike - you're so right. In Niederer's case, her son died in February 2004. Why is she only upset 10 months later about the signature? It's all specious. Organized.

Did anyone catch the name of the other upset family member? Brit Hume said it was a similar case as Niederer - another one who's been a long-time Bush attacker.

Paul, These attacks on Rumsfield aren't really fair; it's up to the generals on the ground and everyone else on the ground on the line up. One soldier asked a question and it was answered. All the activity since has been the action of the MSM and I feel they are very unfair to the Secretary of Defense He gets his info from that huge panel of generals, the generals running the war, the generals and whatever is on the ground and all this griping has been the over-reaction of the MSM because you will not find any soldier saying anything like what that mainstream media is saying and causing. What happened in Mosul is horrendous but with so many Iraqi's coming in and out of that base (read old CB's and Sargent Messink blogs) either as a driver or interpreter blending himself in, either as an infiltrator or someone who's been turned because their family is being held hostage and THAT is not the Secretary of Defense's responsibility - it is the responsibility of those on the ground. They do not feel the Secretary of Defense is ANYTHING compared to what the MSM is saying and doing. So give the guy a break. I wish the tv people would because I'm getting sick and tired of all this bullshit. It's like blaming President Bush for the hurricanes that hit Florida. Ease up, Paul - it's not as simple as you think.

Cindy

Just scanned up to see how people responded.

As to the letters, Donald Rumsfeld writes each and every letter - every single letter!!! He types them out and like we do on our computers, we have our signitures at the bottom of our email and that's exactly what he has done but despite that, he also writes (or more to the truth TYPES) out each and every letter, then prints it. SO WHAT??? My God, people, that man has a lot on his plate. Every death,every injury hurts him. Remember back on 9/11 when they tried to make him go to safety like all of the people in the Congress and the Senate, he instead stayed there helping bringing out injured and dead people on stretchers. HE STAYED THERE AND CARRIED STRETCHERS!! while everyone else went into protective hiding. SO THINK ABOUT THE MAN BEHIND THIS RUNNING IN AND OUT OF THE PENTAGON UNTIL EVERYONE WAS SAFE or in a body bag or on an ambulance. SO SO WHAT IF HE PERSONALLY DOESN'T SIGN THE LETTERS; HE WRITES THEM AND PRINTS THEM OUT - JUST LIKE OUR EMAIL WITH HIS SIGNATURE AS PART OF THE PRINTOUT. Give him the respect he's deserves.

Paul - you listening?

Cindy

Good Luck to you soldier, POL_CAT12 when you are deployed to Iraq soon. What you said was pretty much my sentiment. My prayers go with you and all those who are deploying, redeploying and those there, as well as the ones in the hospitals.

You have my support and you're right, hopefully the Secretary's machine won't be whirling much.

Cindy

Paul, go to the website "a line in the sand" for a small rant from a soldier in Baghdad which will bring down your blood pressure. If you need the addy, let me know. NEIN is also good but Sargent Messink talks about this particular subject; maybe a differing point of view is needed here by you, so go to his site and read his post about this particular subject.

Cindy

Cindy, which Paul are you referring to? Paul of wizbang is on your side. His post was sarcastic, ridiculing those who are attacking Rumsfeld.

Paul of Wizbang, whom to me, was ridiculing Rumsfeld. At least that's how it came across to me.

Cindy

Ummm Cindy- If you think I was criticizing Rummy, please read it again.

I apologize if I was wrong but rereading the post and the one linked to it, I still have the same impression - sorry.

Cindy