...to the families of soldiers killed in Iraq. And still, despite criticism from every direction, the White House continues to say what a great job he's doing.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... letters_dc

I was under the impression Rumsfeld is a machine.

I feel this is a non-issue.

Agreed. I feel that the real issue is being buried; namely, why in the hell he allowed the troops to go in under-prepared.

in the words of eddie: "if we're gonna support the troops, then let's support the fuckin' troops"

This isn't a non-issue. Don't you find the disconnection a bit disturbing? I mean we are in a war, and when the leader of the department, a long time "public servant," who's cronies in the administration are obsessed with promoting "democracy" and patriotism, the very people who planned this war since fall of '01, isn't personally signing letters to dead people's families, people who died supposedly defending our freedoms, doesn't that bother you somewhat?

Did you ever see that Seinfeld episode where Jerry gets all those 12 cent royalty checks from a Japanese comedy video? Perhaps after casualty 1,000, Rummy began getting concerned about carpal tunnel and felt that an automated signature would be a great benefit to his health. Do you really want your tax money going to pay for his medical bills?

I guess that's a very good point, except now he's actually signing the letters

Signing these letters is a non-issue im sorry. I am not trying to de-humanize the war nor am I trying to justify Rummy's actions, but using an auto pen for signatures does not surprise or infuriate me in the least. That is my stance, learn to come to terms with it.

There are many MANY other issues that should demand your attention, especially in concern to our contemporary conflict in Iraq. To think that Rumsfield would suddenly change his mind the war by signing a thousand letters would be absurd, obtuse, and baseless. He obviously doesn't share the same ideals as most of you so I do not believe this will alter his policy. Would you prefer he signed several thousand blank whitehouse letterhead so he is prepared for more dead soldiers? This may ease your conscience but its would be a hollow fucking moral victory. Lets be serious, people are still dying and all youve done is enable him.

Auto-pen is a feature for every governmental office. We have several in my department.

Machine signed or not, these letters can't possibly fill the gap of a lost child, husband, wife, or parent.

Pick your battles, people. This isn't one of them.

if he had signed them all by hand, would it really make them any more personal. odds are, and this is probably going to sound cold, that rumsey can remember 30 of the names let alone all of them

This thread is now the property of Homeland Defense. You may close your browsers now, and not return.

This story was first broken by that liberal rag, Stars and Stripes. Unfortunately, they don't get to pick their battles.

--PunkDavid

and this whole thing would be a non-issue if he hadnt made it a big issue that he would be signing all of them. its just another facet of him being a douchebag...

I don't think it's a non-issue to those who have lost family members in Iraq either, but then again, who cares what they think, right?

Well, I'm sure you'll also be disappointed to know that Rumsfeld doesn't even lick the envelopes. A machine steams the seals shut.

And I wasn't aware journalism was a weapon in public protest. It might be a catalyst for activism, but isn't against a journalist's ethics to assume a position and report for bias purposes?

It's like Ed Wallace (I think) rescuing a drowning man during filming for 60 minutes. He said (and I paraphrase), "I wasn't sure, as a journalist, to make him part of the story, or to save him, and ruin my story completely."

You're missing my point. If you want to be angry about war, be angry about war. Don't picket the US Post Office c/o the DoD because a KIA letter is auto-penned. Picket the DoD direct about KIA's period.

With all due respect, quit being such a fucking drama queen. Putting words in people's mouths, especially those people you disagree with, discredits a majority of what you say.

I'm aware of a smarter ElPhantasmo, and I may personally vouch that he exits, and could possibly offer something better than assumptive euphamisms.

an ex-mod cat fight...this will be hawt

Nothing personal on you, but I find the term "KIA letter" equally representative of the detachment of DoD from the actual fighting as anything else. I know, those at the top must keep some distance if they are to do their jobs effectively, but Rumsfeld really takes that to new levels. It goes back to the other Rummy thread, he's a great administrator and shitty leader of people.

--PunkDavid

Thanks James, that means a lot to me.

And for the record:


So you see, it is an issue to them, despite it being a "non-issue" for you and several others. But again, thanks for letting me know that my concern and empathy for families who have lost loved ones in Iraq makes me a "fucking drama queen."