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Friendly Fire

by | 9th, November 2006

“RUMSFELD is casualty of war,” announces the Telegraph’s front page.

The headline maker is, of course, Donald Rumsfeld, the career politician whose job it was as US Defence Secretary to champion the fight against Saddam Hussein and sell the Iraq war to the greater American public.

The Times hears the man give his resignation speech. And this is the man who once said: “Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”

Here’s Donald: “I call to mind the words of Winston Churchill, who said, ‘I have benefited greatly from criticism and at no time have I suffered a lack thereof’.”

Bye Donald. As another wartime leader of old might have put it, he came, he saw, he almost conquered but lacked a viable and speedy exit strategy.

And as Rumsfeld speaks so too do his colleagues. The Guardian has a list of quotes from the great and good of American politics.

Here’s Rumsfeld’s former boss, George Bush: “Don Rumsfeld has been a superb leader during a time of change. Yet he also appreciates the value of bringing in a fresh perspective during a critical period in this war.” Quite so. So superb was Donnny that he is being replaced by the even more superber Robert Gates, a chief at the CIA.

There is a sort of regime change at the White House. And it has been brought about by democratic means. The voters made their voices heard at the US midterms elections. Bush heard the call, and he pushed one of his closest allies onto their sword.

Although, as the Telegraph reports, Rumsfeld will remain in office for another month – which leaves plenty of time for him to deliver another farewell speech, and a few more after that.

But as Rumsfeld’s career succumbs to friendly fire, the Telegraph looks at a new face. It’s wearing make-up and very white teeth. This face belongs to Nancy Pelosi, “the most powerful woman in Washington”.

Nancy is soon to be installed as the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, a position described in the Telegraph as being third in line to the White House.

Nancy, a mother of five, may yet be America’s first female leader. She supports gay marriage. She supports a woman’s right to abortion. She says the environment “is not an issue, it’s an ethic, it’s a value.” She is 66. She wears mauve business suits.

She is no shoo-in for the White House. And, as the Telegraph says, Nancy has competition for the top job, not least of all from Hillary Clinton.

Pictured leaning back and laughing into the face of her smiling husband Bill, Hillary is celebrating her re-election as senator of New York.

Like Nancy, Hillary is a mother, albeit of one. Like Nancy, she is a Democrat. Unlike Nancy, Hillary wears a yellow creation. It’s hideous. But then fashion and Hillary were never easy bedfellows. A bit like Hillary and Bill.

So the race is on for the top job. Who will get the nod when President Bush steps down? Nancy? Hillary? Or a white, middle-aged man.

Place your bets. In the land of the free anything can happen. Can’t it?



Posted: 9th, November 2006 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink