Talk:Rumsfeld Memo 16 October 2003

As always, I want to point out my favorite point .... whatever TPTB are using to draw our attention, we must be casting about our attention to THAT which TPTB would rather we not notice.

So, since Rummy (or one of his minions) has done the dastardly deed of "leaking", a total no-no in W-circles (can one form a W "circle"?) ... read about the Valerie Plame blame game to see just how "fond" W is of "leaks" ... and you must come to the inevitable conclusion that, in the case of the memo, it could not have been a leak at all. As for the Plame case, well, doubtful that that was a true "leak" either ...

The W circle has become extremely good at strategic "leaking" ...

10/26/03 06:00 (EDT) AI

AI, what is 'TPTB'?

And while I agree very much about the diversion tactic; I'm also suspecting that this memo was "planted" intentionally to provide an unofficial record of:
 * DoD is incapable of fighting/winning the GWOT; gets Rummy off that hook; and provides legitimacy for yet another military branch of government;
 * Gov't admits that it doesn't know if it's winning GWOT or not; and feels that it has no metrics by which to judge. This is notable because the rest of us easily know that U.S. is losing GWOT and metrics are globally visible.
 * DoD admists that prospects in Afghanistan and Iraq are a very expensive "long hard slog"
 * ties Afghanistan and Iraq to the GWOT, which is sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy for those guys in Washington who have shown a keen interest in generating the terrorism which they're claiming to oppose.
 * may be saying, "I'm not inclined to want to enter the rest of the axis countries at this time."

Maynard 06:57 26 Oct 2003 (EST)

TPTB = The Powers That Be (whomever "they" are) //m:thanks

I totally agree that the memo was "planted" ... based on the fact that W has an absolute "anti-leak" policy (well-known among his minions). A "leak", under those circumstances, pretty much has to be a "plant."

Also, I totally agree that "leaking" the memo would accomplish all of the things which you itemize (as indicated in the memo itself).

But, you known, M, W's circle is not comprised of dewy-eyed innocents who did not know the ultimate "cost" of going to war in Afghanistan, Iraq, or any of the other axis "rogue states" .. especially since "they" (particularly the PNAC crowd) spent a number of years laying the groundwork for the plan of preemptive strikes, etc.

Additionally, once again I must repeat .. you always have to follow the $$$$ .. TPTB evaluated the "cost", but only as a factor in computing the outcome ($$$$$$$$$) ....

The alleged "leaking" is, based on prior experience, what is commonly called "smoke and mirrors" ... there's always more going on than meets the eye. //m:ah, but of course.

26 Oct 2003 07:03 (EDT) AI