Rumsfeld Quotes!
In April 2003, after news images circulated of Iraqis looting Baghdad, Rumsfeld dropped this gem:
"Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things. And that's what's going to happen here." Then he went on to say that looting was not uncommon (as opposed to common) for countries that experience significant social upheaval. Does Katrina ring a bell? Or Watts?
"Stuff happens." Such a stunning polite turn on a pedestrian obscenity! How very tidy of him!
General Richard Myers towed this binary line: "This is a transition period between war and what we hope will be a much more peaceful time."
On the location of Saddam Hussain on April 12, 2003 (soon after the war began), Rumsfeld said: "I do not personally have ... enough intelligence from reliable sources ... that would enable me to walk up and say that I have conviction that he's dead, I also lack conviction that he's alive." It's a tightrope walk having such power, I suppose. You're constantly negotiating between war and peace, death and life, bad things and wonderful things. Here we are, two and a half years later, and still no "peaceful time." And just what are those "..." hiding?
Sometimes I think this dumb act is exactly that - an act ("I do not personally have ... enough intelligence"). I think that these folks are smart enough to make other smart people laugh at their slip-ups, and yet appeal to your average joe. I was wading through my files as I was moving, and I dug up a CNN article that had these quotes in it.
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