The revelation that soldiers' questions to Sec. of Defense Rumsfeld were "planted" strikes at the problem of access the current administration allows the press. But while I consider that a notable challenge, I think the administration is suggesting something far more insidious about how they view the troops fighting the war. The suggestion the soldier couldn't have asked the question himself is insulting.
Moreover, some of Sec. Rumsfeld's responses were so poorly phrased they sounded like he was not proud of our troops. I truly hope he didn't mean what it sounded like when he said, "As you know, you have to go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you want." I don't want to believe that the nation's top official on the war effort was intimating we didn't have the types of soldiers we need to protect the nation's freedom. I hope that when he referred to the Army in that manner he meant the materiel moreso than the personnel. I never served in the military, so perhaps it's a phrase that gets tossed around in those circles, but it doesn't play well in mass media. He shouldn't have said it.
Personally, I found the Pentagon spokesperson's comments ridiculous. To say reporters have ample access to Sec. Rumsfeld and that the reporter infringed on the soldier's time is disingenous. The reporter helped a person formulate a question, keeping the guy focused -- just as a person in Sec. Rumsfeld's position is briefed on subjects that will likely be asked. Seen another way, it's one reason why writers have editors.
The laudatory response by others in the crowd indicated the soldier's view about not having proper armor was not a solitary one. I suspect this question has been asked a hundred times, and what made this time different is that it was caught on film and was embarrassing to the administration. They should be embarrassed.
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