Rummy Gives the Middle Finger to Families

It is no secret that I detest Donald Rumsfeld. He is arrogant and could care less about the lives of our soldiers. He put the dot on the exclamation point when it came to light that he doesn't even sign the letters that go out to the families of the soldiers killed in Iraq. Instead, he has a machine sign form letters for him. Even Bush finds time to personally sign the letters (Something I do actually commend him for). I said it before and I'll say it again... Our troops deserve better than this man.

Congress Criticizes Rumsfeld Over Letters

By GENARO C. ARMAS, Associated Press Writer (Link to Full Story)

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has decided to personally sign condolence letters to the family members of U.S. troops killed in action rather than letting a machine affix his signature.

Republican and Democratic members of Congress criticized the embattled Pentagon chief on Sunday for not signing the letters himself all along.

"My goodness, that's the least that we could expect of the secretary of defense, is having some personal attention paid by him," said Sen. Chuck Hagel), R-Neb., noting that President Bush signs such letters himself.

"If the president of the United States can find time to do that, why can't the Secretary of Defense?" Hagel, a Vietnam veteran, asked on CBS' "Face the Nation."

The statement, which was reported Friday by the military newspaper, Stars & Stripes, did not specifically refer to troops killed in Iraq though family members of soldiers who died there told the newspaper they were angry with Rumsfeld's apparent stamped signature. More than 1,300 American troops have died since the war began in March 2003.