Donald Rumsfeld has passed at the age of 88

[Isgrimnur]

And so it goes.

[Pyperkub]

Into the unknown unknown

[Holman]

In late 2006 he was one of the most hated men in America. Bush's own generals were calling for his resignation.

In the Trump era, he would have sailed through and been considered one of the steady ones in the administration.

[malchior]

He far outlived by a considerable margin the many, many people that he failed. Seems very appropriate for the times we live in.

[Unagi]

Into the unknown unknown

Heh, not bad.

[Suitably Ironic Moniker]

You go to hell with the soul you’ve got, not the soul you want.

[hepcat]

I found some of his remarks and actions deplorable at times, but 4 years under Trump has taught me what truly bad people are.

[Suitably Ironic Moniker]

He was one of the people who was directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of US military members, not to mention hundreds of thousands of civilians. Oh yeah, ISIS, too. He was truly bad.

[Jaymann]

He was one of the people who was directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of US military members, not to mention hundreds of thousands of civilians. Oh yeah, ISIS, too. He was truly bad.

Florida Man says: Hold my hydroxychloroquine.

[El Guapo]

Man, I guess he had to hold on long enough to have 88 in his obituary headline...

[Remus West]

He was one of the people who was directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of US military members, not to mention hundreds of thousands of civilians. Oh yeah, ISIS, too. He was truly bad.

Florida Man says: Hold my hydroxychloroquine.

Someone else managing to be markedly worse does not lessen his horrible-ness.

[Hipolito]

I don't disagree with the above sentiments, but I'm still bothered by his passing. He was a pretty robust guy into his old age, and his death is a reminder of what we all have to deal with no matter what.

As bad as his actions were, I think he was right when he talked about "known knowns" and "the army you want." People criticized him for saying those things, calling him insensitive, but what he said was correct. Of course, if he had heeded his own words, USA perhaps wouldn't have acted so stupidly by invading Iraq.

[Holman]

I don't disagree with the above sentiments, but I'm still bothered by his passing. He was a pretty robust guy into his old age, and his death is a reminder of what we all have to deal with no matter what.

As bad as his actions were, I think he was right when he talked about "known knowns" and "the army you want." People criticized him for saying those things, calling him insensitive, but what he said was correct. Of course, if he had heeded his own words, USA perhaps wouldn't have acted so stupidly by invading Iraq.

No. No. Rumsfeld was absolutely famous for insisting he was right when he was wrong.

We shifted the post-9/11 campaign against Al Qaeda from Afghanistan to a conquest of Iraq because Rumsfeld told us Saddam was the real enemy, which was a 100% lie.

Just years later, Pentagon leadership (absolutely *dedicated* to avoiding political attention) was begging Bush to fire Rumsfeld because everything he did and said made Afghanistan and Iraq worse.

Worst Secretary of Defense in history.

[Archinerd]

I found some of his remarks and actions deplorable at times, but 4 years under Trump has taught me what truly bad people are.

I just finished listening to Slate's latest season of Slow Burn a week or so ago. It's a look back at the 2nd Iraq War. They didn't spend all that much time on Rumsfeld in particular, but I had forgotten how much I despised Rumsfeld (among others).

[malchior]

I don't disagree with the above sentiments, but I'm still bothered by his passing. He was a pretty robust guy into his old age, and his death is a reminder of what we all have to deal with no matter what.

As bad as his actions were, I think he was right when he talked about "known knowns" and "the army you want." People criticized him for saying those things, calling him insensitive, but what he said was correct. Of course, if he had heeded his own words, USA perhaps wouldn't have acted so stupidly by invading Iraq.

No. No. Rumsfeld was absolutely famous for insisting he was right when he was wrong.

We shifted the post-9/11 campaign against Al Qaeda from Afghanistan to a conquest of Iraq because Rumsfeld told us Saddam was the real enemy, which was a 100% lie.

Just years later, Pentagon leadership (absolutely *dedicated* to avoiding political attention) was begging Bush to fire Rumsfeld because everything he did and said made Afghanistan and Iraq worse.

Worst Secretary of Defense in history.

He's probably running neck on neck against McNamara for that title. Though at least McNamara eventually admitted he was a total fuck up who got a lot of people killed. Rumsfeld seemingly was totally incapable of realizing how badly he performed.

[Holman]

He's probably running neck on neck against McNamara for that title probably. Though at least McNamara eventually admitted he was a total fuck up who got a lot of people killed. Rumsfeld seemingly was totally incapable of realizing how badly he performed.

Yeah. McNamara did eventually come to realize and admit his errors. Rumsfeld, meanwhile, had the benefit of McNamara's example and still went ahead Rumsfelding.

The twin Errol Morris documentaries The Fog of War (studying and interviewing McNamara) and The Unknown Known (interviewing Rumsfeld) should be watched together. In the latter, Rumsfeld says McNamara had nothing to apologize for.

[Jeff V]

This might be a good excuse to touch base with a friend in the DC area who used to occassionally meet Rumsfeld for lunch. Aside from saying they disagreed on a lot of stuff, he never gave many details. The friend is a mild-mannered artist from New Zealand who probably wasn't as inclined as most people to reach across the table and strangle the guy.

[AWS260]

Remembering the wisdom of Donald Rumsfeld.

[Archinerd]

Here's my "favorite" of the bunch, which is a memo from Donald Rumsfeld to Donald Rumsfeld.

[Archinerd]

Here's my "favorite" of the bunch, which is a memo from Donald Rumsfeld to Donald Rumsfeld.

[Jaymann]

His mind becomes smaller with each retelling.