The Rummy Files

Rummy has been making the rounds, boldly appearing with Andrea Mitchell then Jon Stewart promoting the 800 page tome and likely exploding a few heads (perhaps on the left and the right). On a side note, it was funny to watch Mitchell grill him over things she thought she knew only to have him tell her she didn't know them because she wasn't there. Too bad he couldn't have turned the tables and grilled her on her Plame comment but apparently the media has their own private untouched vaults just like the government.

Anyway, in doing these interviews he refers to "Rumsfeld.com" as a repository of documents used to back up his memories. And that site is very interesting. Goof around with the search engine and perhaps you'll find a December 3, 2001 memo from Paul Wolfowitz to the Secretary laying out a list of good/bad about the coming future.

Here is one of his good things:

Saddam dies: 1) replaced by a new thug; or 2) revolutionary upheaval

Doesn't sound like Neocon One was secretly planning a war at that point. Here is one of the 'neutral' things:

We find conclusive evidence of a state sponsor of 9/11

Interesting they considered this 'neutral', although they apparently knew something would have to be done about and as Cheney was quoted in the Woodward book, they weren't "ready to do anything about it yet".

Here's one of the 'bad' outcomes:

Terrorist Attacks in U.S., perhaps with anthrax, radiological or nuclear WMD

Interestingly, one of the good outcomes was also capturing bin Laden, again casting doubts on some kind of shadowy conspiracy to let UBL escape. Remember, the battle of Tora Bora was only two weeks away at that point.

But the most brutal memo is the one Stewart mentioned, a 'what if' list he put together in October 2002. About half of the bad things he listed came true.

MORE 2/25/11

Here's a document from Rummy from July 27, 2001 calling for a principal's meeting on Iraq. Take a look at this:

A third possibility perhaps is to take a crack at initiating contact with Saddam Hussein. He has his own interests. It may be that, for whatever reason, at his stage in life he might prefer to not have the hostility of the United States and the West and might be willing to make some accommodation. Opening a dialogue with Saddam would be an astonishing departure for the USG, although I did it for President Reagan the mid-1980s. It would win praise from certain quarters, but might cause friends, especially those in the region, to question our strength, steadiness arid judgment. And the likelihood of Saddam making and respecting an acceptable accommodation of our interests over a long period may be small.

Now, consider the picture of Rummy shaking hands with Saddam that had been used by the left for 8 years to bash Bushitler. In fact, wasn't Rummy just doing what Obama wanted to do with our adversaries, something his supporters have defended six ways from Sunday? Also, this does not exactly sound like a bunch of people trying to start a war, just solve a problem.

Here's another, rather cryptic and apparently a note to self, dated 9-21-01:

At the right moment, we may want to give Saddam Hussein a way out for his
family to live in comfort.

So at least Rummy was considering Saddam right after 9-11. Then again, so was Hillary.

Here's another one, from November 4, 2003:

1. I want to know what exists as to France and Russia advising Saddam
Hussein pre-war, according to the Tariq Aziz interview and others’
interrogations.
2. I also want to know about the seized Iraqi intel files.
Please get back to me.

Wonder what the reply was?