Thursday, September 14, 2006
Dems step up efforts to oust Rumsfeld


Democrats have targeted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in part of a larger effort to slam the Bush administration's Iraq policy.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More Democrats on Wednesday joined the chorus demanding Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld step aside, citing his stewardship of the Iraq war and the preparedness of the U.S. Army, among other issues.

Rep. John Murtha (D-Pennsylvania) introduced a House resolution accusing Rumsfeld of several miscues -- including capping the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, poor post-war planning in Iraq, inadequately training or equipping troops and misleading Americans on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction -- and calling for his immediate replacement.

Murtha also cited a 12-page report by himself and Rep. David Obey (D-Wisconsin) that said the Army's preparedness is at "levels not witnessed by our country in decades," with roughly half its units "at the lowest level of military readiness."

Later Wednesday, the Army released a statement detailing what it called "a number of inaccuracies" -- most of them concerning recruiting and retention rates, as well as claims drug and alcohol abuse had "skyrocketed" -- in the Murtha-Obey report.

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) echoed Murtha's denunciation of Rumsfeld, saying on the Senate floor that the secretary had "misread the Iraqi situation entirely."

In addition to lambasting President Bush and Vice President Cheney, Byrd called the GOP-controlled Congress "a lap dog wagging its tail in appreciation of White House secrecy and deception."
Posted By CNN's Congressional Unit: 9/14/2006 10:19:00 AM ET | Permalink
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