The memo

Rumsfeld: Discuss Among Yourselves

By Rick Horowitz

Am I angry? Not at all.

Am I distressed? Not particularly.

Am I upset? Not that I've noticed.

Mostly I'm slightly surprised -- and slightly relieved.

Not that the man in question cares the tiniest little bit whether I'm any of these things -- I understand that. The man in question isn't in the touchy-feely business. He's in the war business.

His name is Donald Rumsfeld and he's the secretary of defense and he writes memos. Every now and again -- this week, for instance -- one of his memos makes it into print. And all hell breaks loose.

That's because the Donald Rumsfeld who wrote the memo doesn't sound a whole lot like the Donald Rumsfeld who stands at the microphone. The Donald Rumsfeld who stands at the microphone, conducting briefings and sparring with reporters, is confident in his manner and upbeat in his outlook. The Donald Rumsfeld who wrote the memo sounds skeptical. Uncertain. Apprehensive.

Who'd a thunk it? And good for him!

The subject line of this particular Rumsfeld memo, sent to four top aides, says simply: "Global War on Terrorism." That may be the last simple thing about it. Rumsfeld asks difficult questions:

"Are we winning or losing the Global War on Terror?"

"Is DoD changing fast enough to deal with the new 21st century security environment?"

"Can a big institution change fast enough?"

"Are the changes we have and are making too modest and incremental?"

"Are we capturing, killing or deterring and dissuading more terrorists every day than the madrassas and the radical clerics are recruiting, training and deploying against us?"

"Is our current situation such that 'the harder we work, the behinder we get'?"

Those are just some of the questions. What answers Rumsfeld offers (tentatively -- he's soliciting his aides' opinions) aren't exactly easy on the nerves either.

"We are having mixed results with Al Qaida, although we have put considerable pressure on them -- nonetheless, a great many remain at large."

"My impression is that we have not yet made truly bold moves. although we have made many sensible, logical moves in the right direction, but are they enough?" (Yet another question.)

"Today we lack metrics to know if we are winning or losing the global war on terror."

"The US is putting relatively little effort into a long-range plan, but we are putting a great deal of effort into trying to stop terrorists. The cost-benefit ratio is against us! Our cost is billions against the terrorists' costs of millions."

And so on. Hardly the stuff of rallies and parades, is it? It's Rummy without the rah-rah. And the White House wants you to know it couldn't be happier.

"That's exactly what a strong and capable secretary of defense like Secretary Rumsfeld should be doing," said the president's press secretary. (That sound you hear is spinning.)

I'm happy, too. I'm happy because I agree with what the president's press secretary said, whether the press secretary agrees with it or not: A strong and capable secretary of defense should be asking questions and challenging assumptions.

Mostly, though, I'm relieved. It's comforting to know that, when it comes to something as vital as the war on terrorism -- its progress, its prospects -- these guys haven't been lying to themselves.

Just to us.

Or we can put it more politely: This administration's public tone has been...somewhat unreflective of its private concerns.

Of Rumsfeld's private concerns, at any rate. There's no evidence that the president shares them, or had even been aware of them.

Maybe they should talk.

Posted 10/23/03. You should talk to your friends about "Rick's" -- they'll be grateful beyond words!

Rick Horowitz is a syndicated columnist, TV commentator, writing coach and public speaker

Search the Web Search Rick's!