OUTRAGED - Rumsfeld condolence letters signed by machine
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OUTRAGED - Rumsfeld condolence letters signed by machine
According to NPR this evening, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld's condolence letters to the families of personnel killed in Iraq were signed by machine, "in the interest of expedience" so the letters would get out faster.
As tragic as any death is in this war, there have not been so many in any week that he could not personally sign the letters.
I agree, Ginny. But then don't get me started on what I think about this "war" in general.
Only on the debate board, Joan, where I have made my feelings quite, quite clear.
Really, what is the point of saying how sorry you are that someone's child, spouse or family member lost their life in honor of this country, if it isn't worth the time it would take you to sign a letter?
AMEN, Tink!!!
I totally agree. If I were the wife of a soldier that died in Iraq and received a letter of condolence signed by a machine, I would be seriously hurt and angry.
It's about what I would expect from this evil man.
Let me preface this post by saying I am disgusted that he is not signing them personally. I found this in my local paper though, and I was kind of surprised by it.
Haverhill soldier's family stands by Rumsfeld
From staff and wire reports
The parents of a local fallen soldier today defended Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's decision to use a machine to affix his signature to condolence letters sent to families of U.S. troops killed in action.
Barbara and Michael O'Neill said they dearly miss their son Evan, who was killed in Afghanistan in September 2003, but hold no ill will toward Rumsfeld because he did not personally sign the letter expressing sorrow over their loss and gratitude for their son's sacrifice.
Rumsfeld has come under fire for using a signature machine to sign more than 1,000 condolence letters sent to families of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. He now says he will personally sign the letters.
The O'Neills said they received numerous letters from President Bush and their son's commanding officers in the weeks since the 19-year-old was killed in Afghanistan, but who signed what was not foremost in their minds. And it still isn't.
"There are a lot more important priorities," Michael O'Neill said. "It would have been nice to have received a personally signed letter, but I don't think Secretary Rumsfeld should take the heat for that."
Not everybody in Washington agreed with the O'Neills.
"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 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 the CBS news show "Face the Nation."
Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island and former Army Ranger, also criticized Rumsfeld's practice.
"We ask these young men and women to sacrifice themselves ... I believe as part of that leadership in that department, that the secretary of defense would personally write these letters, or personally sign them, at least."
In a statement Friday, Rumsfeld announced he would be signing those letters from now on.
"While I have not individually signed each one, in the interest of ensuring expeditious contact with grieving family members, I have directed that in the future I sign each letter," Rumsfeld said in the statement.
The statement, which was reported 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.
The signature flap was the latest in a stinging string of criticism in recent weeks of the defense secretary's handling of the war in Iraq.
Several leading Republicans, including Hagel and Sens. Trent Lott of Mississippi and John McCain of Arizona, have said they have lost confidence in Rumsfeld. Last week, Lott said he thought Bush should replace Rumsfeld in the next year.
But Rumsfeld, who agreed to Bush's request earlier this month to remain in the Cabinet during the president's second term, won a vote of confidence from Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card yesterday.
"Secretary Rumsfeld is doing a spectacular job," Card told "This Week," an ABC news show.
Barbara O'Neill said Rumsfeld is doing "a great job," but also suggested the secretary could write new letters to the families of fallen soldiers, this time with personal signatures. Michael O'Neill said there are more pressing matters for the secretary to handle.
"A letter isn't going to bring back any of our sons or daughters," he said. "If the man is making mistakes and there's someone who can do a better job, fine. But I leave that to the politicians. I'm just a dad."
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"A letter isn't going to bring back any of our sons or daughters," he said. "If the man is making mistakes and there's someone who can do a better job, fine. But I leave that to the politicians. I'm just a dad."
----Amen to that. It's just another way to pick apart the government. If DH were to have been KIA last year, Bush, Rumsfeld and the rest of them would be the last thing on my mind so I probably wouldn't even notice a machine signed letter.
I agree Melissa.
I don't see it as picking apart the government. A loss of a loved one - no matter what the circumstance - is a very personal and emotional thing. To receive a letter signed by a machine is a very impersonal sentiment. Don't you think it gives a little comfort to those left behind to know that he took the time to hand sign the letter? That would show, to me at least, that he was truly sorry for their loss. *shrugs*
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