Degette: For Good Of Nation, It Is Time For Rumsfeld To Resign

Degette: For Good Of Nation, It Is Time For Rumsfeld To Resign

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Democratic Floor Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) today called on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to resign his post for the good of the nation.

"There are few actions more serious than to ask for a member of the President's cabinet to resign. Secretary Rumsfeld's reckless leadership and lack of accountability, however, have left no alternative. His actions are jeopardizing the lives of American soldiers and seriously compromising our ability to prosecute the war on terror.

Under Secretary Rumsfeld's watch American soldiers and private contractors tortured Iraqi prisoners. Proper command and control from the Secretary down would have prevented this from happening. Instead, these abhorrent incidents have irrevocably harmed our relations with the people of Iraq and the Islamic world and increased the danger posed to our soldiers in the field.

But incidents like this do not occur in a vacuum. Time after time, Secretary Rumsfeld has refused to accept any responsibility for his failures. It was his Pentagon that provided wholly inaccurate intelligence on the threat Iraq posed to the United States. It was his Pentagon that failed to create any plan to secure Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. It was his Pentagon that failed to provide sufficient troops to quell the violence in Iraq. It was his Pentagon that failed to provide our G.I.s with body armor and sufficiently armored Humvees.

We are on the verge of losing Iraq because of this complete lack of responsibility or leadership. The buck must stop somewhere. The American public demands accountability. Our brave men and women in uniform deserve nothing less."