Republicans grumble over Rumsfeld's drag on administration

Knowledgeable Republicans and defense analysts described mounting frustration with Rumsfeld in the White House and among Republicans in Congress amid ongoing difficulties in Iraq that could jeopardize U.S. President George W. Bush’s re-election bid in 2004.

“Rumsfeld has become in many ways a problem for the Republican Party. And you can make the case that he’s become a net liability given how the Iraq issue has unfolded,” said Brookings Institution defense analyst Michael O’Hanlon. “If the president’s re-election bid is now in some doubt, it’s more because of the problems in Iraq than any other single factor.”

The last three weeks have been tough for Rumsfeld, a dominant player in national security and foreign policy during Bush’s three years in office.

Bush recently ended Rumsfeld’s supremacy in U.S. policy in Iraq and Afghanistan by naming Condoleezza Rice, his national security adviser, to coordinate those efforts.

Bush then was forced to repudiate comments about Islam by a general who Rumsfeld put in a key intelligence post. Rumsfeld has not condemned the remarks by Lt. Gen. William Boykin, who called America’s battle with Muslim extremists a duel with “Satan,” and said Muslims worship an “idol” not a “real God.”

And the “slog” memo, released by the Pentagon after it appeared in USA Today, showed Rumsfeld harbored private doubts about progress in Iraq and against al-Qaida at the same time Bush and others were touting accomplishments in those efforts.

A well-placed Republican source said Rumsfeld was not currently in danger of being fired, but doubted he would return as defense secretary if voters give Bush another term.

“I think Rumsfeld has had it. He’s put in place some (Defense Department) reforms, and now it’s up to others to implement it,” the source said.

This Republican thought Rumsfeld himself leaked the memo. In it, Rumsfeld said America had not made “truly bold moves” in fighting terrorism, had garnered “mixed results” against al-Qaida, and asked, “Are we winning or losing the global war on terror?”

“It’s classic Rummy,” this Republican said. “It sends a shot across the bow of the White House that (says), ‘Don’t mess with the other side of the Potomac.’” The Pentagon sits across the Potomac River from Washington.

“I get the sense that Rumsfeld is a man who understands that to leave his stamp on the department and to have his place in history, he doesn’t have much time left,” added analyst Charles Pena of the Cato Institute.

Bush to a remarkable degree had entrusted Iraq policy to Rumsfeld, including pacification and reconstruction as well as incubating a new Iraqi government.

But law and order remains elusive, as illustrated by Sunday’s rocket attack on the hotel where Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying during a visit to Baghdad. The death toll mounts for U.S. troops amid daily attacks by a shadowy resistance. The U.S. military is straining to maintain troop levels. And some U.S. allies and Iraqis want a speedier return of sovereignty.

“At this point, blaming Rumsfeld isn’t going to be in any way a solution. It is not clear that Secretary Powell or Miss Rice are in any way more competent than Secretary Rumsfeld is,” said analyst Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Pentagon relations remain tense with some Republicans in Congress, including Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner of Virginia and Sen. John McCain of Arizona. A Senate Republican aide said dissatisfaction with Rumsfeld was “pretty broad” among congressional Republicans and “Warner’s clearly not happy.” ( See also Page 3)

Warner on Friday issued a statement noting “differences” with Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld on Tuesday said a Pentagon inspector general’s probe of Boykin was prompted by the general’s own request even though Warner had written him a letter seeking such a probe. Rumsfeld said the letter “may be somewhere around the building” but he never saw it.

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