Editorial: Iraq mess not critics’ fault

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006 | 7:27 a.m.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld attacked perceived critics of the Iraq war Tuesday in a speech to the American Legion in Salt Lake City.

He compared them to pre-World War II proponents of appeasement with Hitler's Germany.

Although the analogy does not work - a majority of Americans criticize the lack of a coherent plan to win in Iraq, but there is no call to negotiate an agreement with the country's terrorists and insurgents - Rumsfeld obviously believes it will set a strong tone for at least the next couple of weeks, during observances of the fifth anniversary of 9/11.

Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are on the speaking circuit now in an apparent attempt to temper an anticipated flood of analyses about Iraq as the anniversary approaches. All made appearances at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention earlier this week in Reno. President Bush is on the circuit, too, and is scheduled to speak today in Salt Lake City.

In reporting on Rumsfeld's Salt Lake City speech, The New York Times noted that Rumsfeld specifically cited press reports and comments by human rights groups as indicative of "moral or intellectual confusion about who or what is right or wrong" about Iraq.

This is typical Rumsfeld-talk. While stubbornly clinging to a war plan whose objectives are stalled amid daily tragedy in Iraq, Rumsfeld likes to portray the war's reality as misinformation being spread by liberal reporters and far-left organizations and political opponents.

"With the growing lethality and the increasing availability of weapons, can we truly afford to believe that somehow, some way, vicious extremists can be appeased?" Rumsfeld asked his Salt Lake City audience.

Sometimes questions need to be answered with questions.

Why is there growing lethality?

Why is there an increase in weapons?

In our view, neither of these situations would be dominating Iraq after more than three years of U.S. military presence if the Pentagon had a sound plan for fighting this war.

The main issue in respect to Iraq is not the people who express concern for our troops and who fear for our stated objectives and the future of U.S. military missions around the world. Rather, the issue is one of Rumsfeld's competence.