2008 Woodie Awards
Welch steps up public assault on Rumsfeld
Katherine N. Doorley
Issue date: 3/2/06 Section: Local News
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In a strong statement issued last week, the President Pro Tempore of the Vermont Senate and Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Peter Welch called for the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Welch's comments were quickly posted all over the internet, prompting coverage in dozens of political web logs and an almost immediate response from one of his Republican challengers.
In his statement, Welch argued that, "Rumsfeld's leadership has been characterized by bad judgment, arrogance and a refusal to listen." Welch elaborated on this statement by listing what he considers to be a pattern of actions and misdeeds by Rumsfeld. Among the events mentioned were accusations that Rumsfeld and the Bush administration chose to misrepresent the threat posed by Saddam Hussein in order to gain legitimacy for the second Gulf War, and that Rumsfeld dangerously underestimated both the insurgency and the post-war political situation in Iraq.
"We owe our military commanders and troops far more respect than Secretary Rumsfeld has given them," Welch continued. "Rumsfeld recklessly disregarded the advice of senior military commanders and experts, and has failed to execute or even articulate a plan for the war's end." If elected, Welch has vowed to pursue a resolution in Congress that would hold the administration more accountable for events in Iraq.
This is not the first time Welch attacked Rumsfeld or the Bush administration for their conduct surrounding the war in Iraq. During a live web log of the President's State of the Union address, Welch commented that he believes Rumsfeld should be fired.
Nor is Welch's campaign a stranger to controversy. In recent weeks, his campaign has undergone scrutiny because his campaign manager works on a Political Action Committee with the lawyer who filed a complaint about the legality of Welch's main opponent, Martha Rainville's, campaign fundraising operations. In addition, Welch fought a hard battle for the support of liberal Vermonters, as despite having the endorsement of Bernie Sanders; he faced an early challenge from David Zuckerman, a Vermont Progressive. However, Zuckerman decided not to run, leaving Welch as the spokesperson for the Vermont left.
In his statement, Welch argued that, "Rumsfeld's leadership has been characterized by bad judgment, arrogance and a refusal to listen." Welch elaborated on this statement by listing what he considers to be a pattern of actions and misdeeds by Rumsfeld. Among the events mentioned were accusations that Rumsfeld and the Bush administration chose to misrepresent the threat posed by Saddam Hussein in order to gain legitimacy for the second Gulf War, and that Rumsfeld dangerously underestimated both the insurgency and the post-war political situation in Iraq.
"We owe our military commanders and troops far more respect than Secretary Rumsfeld has given them," Welch continued. "Rumsfeld recklessly disregarded the advice of senior military commanders and experts, and has failed to execute or even articulate a plan for the war's end." If elected, Welch has vowed to pursue a resolution in Congress that would hold the administration more accountable for events in Iraq.
This is not the first time Welch attacked Rumsfeld or the Bush administration for their conduct surrounding the war in Iraq. During a live web log of the President's State of the Union address, Welch commented that he believes Rumsfeld should be fired.
Nor is Welch's campaign a stranger to controversy. In recent weeks, his campaign has undergone scrutiny because his campaign manager works on a Political Action Committee with the lawyer who filed a complaint about the legality of Welch's main opponent, Martha Rainville's, campaign fundraising operations. In addition, Welch fought a hard battle for the support of liberal Vermonters, as despite having the endorsement of Bernie Sanders; he faced an early challenge from David Zuckerman, a Vermont Progressive. However, Zuckerman decided not to run, leaving Welch as the spokesperson for the Vermont left.